INTERVIEW: [4] Klepac/Linette DEF. Hradecka/Mirza 6-2 4-6 10-7 – Final

Doubles Final: A. Klepac/M. Linette DEF. L. Hradecka/S. Mirza – 6-2 4-6 10-7

Question: Congratulations, what a week for you guys. How are you feeling right now?

MAGDA LINETTE: I feel weird having one match on me. Today it doesn’t feel right. But I’m —

ANDREJA KLEPAC: Do you want to go practice more?

LINETTE: I know. I know. That’s what I feel I should do. But, in general, I’m so happy I was twice in the finals, so I’m so happy I got a partner that helped me to win the first title.

KLEPAC: Oh, it was your first title?

LINETTE: Uh-huh.

KLEPAC: Oh! Special! Feeling very happy, of course. First time playing with Magda, and winning the tournament, I think, yeah, the result is everything.

Question: So you mentioned that you had paired up sort of last minute. Can you just give a little bit more detail? You came maybe not necessarily having a partner? How did that all shake out this week?

KLEPAC: Yeah, my partner, ex-partner, decided not to come to Charleston, and then I saw Magda was also looking. We have a special site where we can see. So I texted her, and she replied, yes, and you know, that’s it. And we played.

LINETTE: Yeah. My partner, she’s still injured, so she wrote me also like two or three days before, I think, the deadline that she was still injured. So I kind of gave up any idea of playing doubles, because everybody was paired up. And then Andreja texted me. So it’s perfect.

Question: And was that like ten minutes before?

KLEPAC: Yeah.

LINETTE: No. It was like, I think, two hours or one hour before, yeah, that she texted me, and then I was like in the car, and I was like, okay!

KLEPAC: Don’t wreck.

LINETTE: I was like texting, driving. And I was like, okay. So it was kind of like last moment, but kind of — I was surprised because I kind of gave up already. I was like, okay, probably I won’t get in. I’ll just play singles. And then she texted me, and I was like, yeah! Let’s do it!

Question: I mean this is such a great venue. I’m just wondering, especially today and last night, you played on stadium, too, what it’s like to play doubles in front of the stadium court and if you can compare it to any other venue in the world?

LINETTE: I mean, I played so many matches in Althea that then when I went on the singles on the center court for me it felt different. I felt it was so much more space, and I felt a little bit lost. So I kind of had that experience for doubles. Then we went and again on Althea. So it was like, okay, now I kind of know where I am on the center court, so I felt better. I think Andreja also felt a little bit different.

KLEPAC: Yeah, it was, but definitely special to play in front of this crowd. It’s always nice to play finals, or any other match, of people watching, supporting especially doubles, and I think here it’s special, some special energy coming to Charleston.

LINETTE: I feel like people love tennis so much here, and we can just feel it so much.

KLEPAC: Yeah. So we did, good. (Laughs).

Question: You did good. Yes, you did. Magda, it was — I don’t know if you’ve ever had a week quite like the one that you did, but what was a couple of the challenges that you faced? And, also, what are the things that you’re most proud of from the crazy week that you did have?

LINETTE: Yeah, well, I think I’m — I mean, I’m really happy about a couple of things. First of all, winning the first match from match point down, first up and then down, and then coming back from that, actually having kind of like a little bit rougher beginning of the year. And then I felt in the second round I’m like starting to feel a breakthrough in my mental most, because I felt I’m playing pretty good in previous tournaments.

And I was really happy, because this is the first tournament on clay, and usually I need a couple to warm up, and I felt already in the week playing on a very good level from the second round. And I was really happy that mentally and emotionally I was able to hold it for two matches that day. And really struggled physically a lot, but managed to push through that and kind of find another, you know, kind of like move the wall of tiredness a little bit further and further that day.

And then I’m really happy that after a tough match in the singles and quarterfinals, I was able to bounce back, and Andreja helped me a little bit mentally to get a little bit more energy, and I’m really happy I could just focus on doubles and not really think too much about what happened in singles and just transform it to doubles and just continue playing well.

Question: Congratulations!

KLEPAC: Thank you guys!

LINETTE: Thank you.