Pliskova keen to find her rhythm in Doha at Qatar Total Open

 

Pliskova keen to find her rhythm in Doha at Qatar Total Open

 

“Then mostly the goal for me now is just to play as many tournaments or as many matches as I can, because I really feel like I'm missing that tournament rhythm.”

 

Doha: World number six Karolina Pliskova beaten by compatriot Karolina Muchova at Australian Open is keen to get back to her rhythm in the Qatar Total Open which began from Monday at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex in Doha.

Pliskova, is likely to take on Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, the highest-ranked Arab player in WTA history, in the second-round clash in Doha. Jabeur faces a qualifier in the Monday’s first round match.

World No.5 Elina Svitolina and Pliskova are the top stars in the tournament which is held under strict COVID-19 safety protocols and without several top stars.

World number one Ashleigh Barty, reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep and former Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin have all withdrawn. On Saturday, French Open champion Iga Swiatek withdrew moments after winning the Adelaide WTA title.

Experts of her Interview of Karolina Pliskova ahead of her first match in Doha

Q. There is a possibility that you'd run into Ons Jabeur again in your first round. Last time she beat you in Doha. Is there any sort of apprehensions, or how do you look at that match happening? Second, how do you feel being back in Doha, your thoughts about the tournament?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Nice to be back in Doha. Of course still memories from couple years back when I won the title here.

I think the conditions here are quite, they can be good for me. It's a little bit slower. I like that. Of course can be windy, but let's see what it's gonna be on my match day.

Yeah, I mean, she's a tough opponent, especially here. I don't know if there is gonna be some crowd. Last year was quite, you know, tough. The crowd here was a little bit brutal and noisy (smiling).

But other than that, I think she's also a great player. She gives you a lot of different balls. She can variate a lot the game. I think it's never gonna be easy with her.

We also played in the US Open I think two years ago, so I think always was quite tricky and tough match against her. So it's going to be definitely tough. I don't know which level, it's tough to really say since we didn't have that many tournaments, which level she is right now.

I'm happy just to compete and to have, you know, another tournament and other matches. That's what I'm looking forward to.

 

Q. What were your takeaways from Australia, given just how everything was so different, the whole month you guys had there? Where is your mindset now at the moment? Because it's not a typical season. Where is your head at the moment?

 

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: Well, I don't really want to look that much in the future or in the past right now, because anyway there is not much you can do about it. So, it's mostly being in present.

Then mostly the goal for me now is just to play as many tournaments or as many matches as I can, because I really feel like I'm missing that tournament rhythm.

Still so far, although I played some matches, still I don't think I'm close to how I want to play. But other than that, I think in the practices everything is going quite well.

My team is great, so everything is working. But I just feel I'm maybe missing a little bit more matches and the tournament mode or the rhythm, so I don't feel like I'm playing the best.

But I hope it's gonna come with me playing maybe more weeks, more tournaments, and having more matches. Yeah.

 

Q. At the beginning of the season you said one of your goals through the year is not to complain about anything and just take everything as it is. How is that going for you so far?

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: No, it's okay. I'm doing well. And if I complain, then mostly I'm complaining just about myself and just to my team, not like, you know, I don't speak about it publicly.

But, you know, even in the main season, even in the best season there is always some things which you can find that are going wrong or they are not the best for you. So I think just, I mean -- and especially in these times which are quite difficult, I think it's just you have to find little things which makes you happy, and for me it's now that there is actually a couple tournaments in a row. Other than that, I'm just going to keep trying. I cannot do much more.

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