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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2016

Daria Gavrilova

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

D. GAVRILOVA/P. Kvitova

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

DARIA GAVRILOVA: Don't ask me feeling because I don't know (laughter).

Q. You've beaten top-10 players before, but do you think considering the occasion, would tonight be the biggest win of your career so far?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: It's hard to say. I was very happy in the end of the match. But I'm just really excited and I'm already looking forward to my next match on Friday.

Q. How were the nerves when it came to serving for the match?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I was just getting frustrated with myself. Just started thinking way too much of, I don't know, whatever.

But in the end I just told myself, Okay, you're down 5-3, what would you do? And I would just fight. That's what I did. Just tried to hit a return in and run.

Q. Have you changed anything mentally or physically to change your Grand Slam performances in the past?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I'm just more experienced, I guess. I guess I'm not as overwhelmed anymore. But, yeah, I was a lot calmer coming into this match tonight. Like, I didn't feel like the day was long. I think, yeah, just, I don't know, a bit calmer.

Q. You say you weren't overwhelmed. It seemed like you were feeding off the big crowd. Is that how it's working now?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I love the crowd. I love people watching me. It helps me a lot, yeah.

Q. You obviously hear the crowd cheering, but can you hear actually what they're saying, some of the chants going around the stands tonight?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I did for sure. But sometimes I was not listening to it because I was trying to concentrate on things I wanted to do. Well, I get distracted pretty easily.

Q. Did you always believe you could match it with these top-10 players or was it once you got a few of those scalps under your belt last year that you started to believe that?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Coming into this match I was pretty confident that I could beat Petra. I knew that she didn't have enough matches before. She didn't even play anything before Oz Open. So I thought it was a good chance to not...

Q. Grand Slam, third round. What do you want to do to your game that takes you to the next level? What do you want to improve before you play on Friday?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: There's only one day and I'm playing doubles, so there's not much I can improve. I'll just have to do the same routine as I've been doing.

Q. Petra didn't have any matches leading up, but you had four. How helpful was that week in Perth for you playing big stage, good opponents?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: My preparation couldn't be any better than what it was. Perth was an unreal experience. Obviously having those four matches under my belt, yeah, it couldn't be better. And I'm pretty confident now. I already lost two matches. Like, it helps.

Q. What have the last couple of days been like for you? A whirlwind? How are you feeling? Are you able to lead a normal existence?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I stay at home. I had a pretty normal day today. I woke up, had a hit in the morning. I came in at the National Tennis Centre, then went back, went shopping, came back, had lunch. Then I had a nap. Yeah, just lived a normal day. Had a great win in the end.

Q. What did you buy?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I actually didn't buy anything. I went shopping with my friend.

Q. What do you know about Kristina? Do you know her? Have you played against her?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Well, we played juniors a lot. Actually lost to her at the French Open, I don't know, ages ago. I was 15. It was in the finals. We know each other since we were about 12.

We're pretty friendly. We say hello to each other, practice together, got each other's numbers. I think we know each other pretty well.

Q. You've beaten the Czech sixth seed. Kyrgios has a tough match, just as you had, on Friday. Do you have any tips for him to beat a high seed like you just did?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I think he knows what to do. He's pretty clutch under pressure.

Q. Where does the energy come from? It's nice seeing you skip towards the courtside chair? What do you eat before you go on court?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I think it's pretty natural. Yeah, I just keep -- I don't know.

Q. Is it a happiness thing, you're excited, you know what's at stake?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I think it's just the excitement. Sometimes I jump while hitting forehand. It's not the best thing. Yeah, I think, like I said, it's just natural. I've been doing it since I was little.

Q. You obviously enjoy really playing tennis?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I love tennis. I stayed up last night, watched a lot of matches. Yeah, had a hit this morning.

Q. Do you know about the comments that Lleyton Hewitt made about you last night in his press conference?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: No.

Q. He said there were good things ahead for you, that he liked your work ethic in the gym. How do you respond to comments from him like that?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I'll say thanks when I see him. I don't know. Obviously it's great to hear it from him 'cause he's a role model for so many people, especially, yeah, me as well.

He was in Melbourne for a few weeks doing his training block. I would always look at him. Yeah, he's a hard worker. I'd like to be just like him.

Q. Earlier Kristina said she was going to root for you tonight because she was rooting for the next generation. There's a lot of teenagers and young players into the third round. Do you sense there's a shift at all, the younger group is coming through now?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, there are so many girls now coming through. I'm not going to name them all. But already this week there are a few in the third round. It's great. We're all excited. We're all pretty friendly. We hang out together. Yeah, like I said, we're all supporting each other. I think it's going to be awesome.

Q. Do you feel like it's your time, that it's time for the 22-and-unders to make a push into the second week?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah. A few girls have already made the second week, even made semifinals. So I think a lot of us who hasn't made it are thinking about it. Really it motivates us.

Q. You got the Australian passport last December. What was your reason for that?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I came here when I was about 15 and always loved coming here. Obviously, I don't know if you know, but I had a boyfriend. We've been together for a long time. He's Australian. I live here, so... This is I guess a big reason why.

Q. Do you want the third-round clash on Rod Laver Arena or do you want to be on Margaret Court Arena?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I love the big crowd. I think Margaret Court Arena has a big crowd. I don't care, as long as there's people.

Q. I heard you say a couple times during a match when things aren't going so well, you suddenly lift. It that a tactic to say things aren't going well, then you fight back?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I don't think I did it that match tonight. Yeah, as long as I don't go internal and don't say negative things to myself, that means I'm into it and I'm playing well. But, yeah, if I yell out because I'm frustrated, yeah, it means that I'm trying very hard.

Q. You looked at some notes before the sixth game in the second set. Is that something that ^ Nicole Pratt had written for you?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I've got two coaches now, Craig Tyzzer and Nicole Pratt. I just like to have some notes. It's nothing much. Yeah, few details just to remind me what to do basically.

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