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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 30, 2016

Vera Lapko

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

V. LAPKO/T. Mihalikova

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Just sum up how you felt when you finally clinched victory.
VERA LAPKO: When I finally?

Q. How you did feel when you won the match?
VERA LAPKO: I feel, I don't know. I felt really good. Just happy. I don't know how to explain the feeling what is happening when you are winning a Grand Slam, because I don't remember I won it from the third match point or from the second.

I was just so nervous and then, yes, I won just like this.

Q. What was it like playing on Rod Laver Arena?
VERA LAPKO: You know, when we came to practice before the match it was pretty good. I liked it more than Hisense because today was sunny and the weather was very good. I just felt like comfortable. It was really fun and good. I felt good there.

Q. What were you happy with in your game today?
VERA LAPKO: Yes, I was happy -- no, I wasn't happy at all, but -- not -- oh, how do you say?

Not all match, yeah. I mean, the previous matches were better because I felt the game better, but this match I was just focused on the winning the match, and some moments I wasn't very good.

But finally I made it and I won the match. So just my goal was to win the match, so just this.

Q. Was it difficult playing Tereza who you know very well?
VERA LAPKO: It was difficult not because I know her; it was difficult because it was the final. That was the most difficult thing.

So just this.

Q. Will you continue to play juniors events after Australian Open?
VERA LAPKO: You know, I think I'm going to play French Open maybe, but I think I'm going to prepare for the clay season much better than the last year.

So the next goal, if I'm going to play French Open, is to win the French Open.

So, yeah. (Smiling.)

Q. In which city are you training? Where is your base?
VERA LAPKO: I'm training in Minsk at home in the national academy. There is my base.

Q. What are your idols in tennis?
VERA LAPKO: I don't have idols at all. I just like how pro players are playing, for example Azarenka, Williams. I just like how the top players are playing. Just this.

Q. Did you ask to Azarenka something about how to handle for example the pressure for today?
VERA LAPKO: I didn't talk to her before this match, but we met here and just say hi and how the things are going and just wishing good luck.

Q. So you are not in touch so much?
VERA LAPKO: No. When we're seeing each other we're just saying hi and that's it.

Q. Fed Cup now?
VERA LAPKO: Yeah. Going to Canada right now, yeah.

Q. How excited are you about this period in your life where you have won a trophy on Rod Laver Arena today and now you're going to play Fed Cup?
VERA LAPKO: I played -- I think you know that I played the Fed Cup last year, so I'm confident just in this.

Also I change the coach from the last year, in the end of the last year, so my game and my head, everything changed a lot.

So I'm just confident in myself from now, from this year.

Q. Who's your coach now?
VERA LAPKO: Vladimir Kruk. He was coaching Olga Govortsova, if you know, last year. She's like second number of Fed Cup team of Belarus.

Q. You won a Grand Slam; for the rest of the season what are your goals?
VERA LAPKO: If I play another Grand Slam, the goal is to win.

Q. In terms of ranking, WTA ranking?
VERA LAPKO: I hope to be -- I think the goal for this year is to get through 200, top 200. So this is the goal.

Q. So you trained in Belarus you have or you go abroad?
VERA LAPKO: Before this tournament?

Q. No, in your life.
VERA LAPKO: Yeah, the whole life. You know, I was practicing in Valencia, in Spain for, I don't know, for five or six months. It was just one time in my life, so...

Q. A lot of players look back on their junior career and wish they had won a junior Grand Slam title. You have won one. Is there a sense relief that you will always have this junior Grand Slam trophy?
VERA LAPKO: I don't understand the question.

Q. Are you relieved to have won the trophy?
VERA LAPKO: Relieved?

THE MODERATOR: You feel better, relaxed.

VERA LAPKO: I mean, excited? Be ready or something?

Q. Some people regret not winning a major title in their junior career.
VERA LAPKO: Okay. You mean this? I don't know if I understood you. (Through translation.)

Yes. I mean, I think only Australian Open was taken by Belarusians because Azarenka also won junior and pro titles here.

But, I mean, I don't know what to think because it's just the first ten minutes after the game, so I'm just -- yes, I want the Grand Slam. I saw the trophy. I was taking the pictures and I even didn't speak to my coach, so I'm just -- I don't know what to say.

I feel ready to go for pro. I think I'm going to get the wildcard for the next year here, so I want to get through 200 this year and make the wildcard to the main draw. This is my goal.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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