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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2017

Jaimee Fourlis

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

J. FOURLIS/A. Tatishvili

6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. A win in the first round. How does it feel?
JAIMEE FOURLIS: Yeah, it's an amazing feeling. Winning your first match in a Grand Slam doesn't come every day. At the moment I'm still trying to take it all in. But, yeah, it's an amazing feeling.

Q. You spoke a little bit about the money today. I think your career earnings before today was about $13,000. I think it's 80 by making the second round. What is that going to do for you?
JAIMEE FOURLIS: To be honest, I haven't really thought of it. I play tennis because I love it. It's got nothing to do with money.

It will help me to travel, but that's about it.

Q. What was the atmosphere like out there?
JAIMEE FOURLIS: The support was amazing. Had some school friends. Had family. Had friends. Yeah, it was an amazing atmosphere. Everyone else that came to support me, yeah, it's awesome.

Q. What were you thinking this morning? Were you nervous in the leadup?
JAIMEE FOURLIS: Of course, you're always nervous before a match. It's my first Grand Slam match. I was nervous, of course. But I think I was able to settle my nerves and play some good tennis.

Q. Do you think it helped that you really earned your way into it by winning through that wild card tournament?
JAIMEE FOURLIS: Yeah, definitely I knew I had a lot of matches at the back of my head. I played 18s, Nationals, then the Wild Card Playoff. I knew that I could do it. I think definitely it felt good to earn it, as well.

Q. What did you learn out there? Did anything in particular surprise you about the experience?
JAIMEE FOURLIS: Like I've said in other interviews, just players are very experienced, WTA level, and even higher, Grand Slams. It's just those few little points that can really count. They're 100% focused. I think still just trying to improve that, yeah.

Q. Your potential opponents are playing at the moment. Could be a bit of experience waiting on the other side with a potential matchup with Svetlana. What does that present for you?
JAIMEE FOURLIS: She's an amazing player. Watched her in the past. I'll probably go home tonight, watch a bit of the match. See what happens on Wednesday.

Q. Talk about that first set. You really had to dig deep there for a period.
JAIMEE FOURLIS: Yeah, definitely. I got off to a good start, then she was able to play some really good tennis. Pretty happy with how I composed myself, stayed calm, stayed in the present, and was able to finish it off.

Q. How do you think you were able to do that, given it's your first go-around?
JAIMEE FOURLIS: I think I tried to stay in the moment, tried to keep everything on court. There was nothing to lose today. So I think kind of just I went out there with an open mind.

Q. Staying at home, is it an advantage?
JAIMEE FOURLIS: I don't think it's an advantage or disadvantage. Staying at home, I've got all my clothes there. I think that's about as much of an advantage that it will get. Yeah, it doesn't really matter.

Q. What does it mean to have such a crowning achievement in this capital where the Pies play? What does it mean to you to put your own mark here?
JAIMEE FOURLIS: Definitely, I think it's just the start of me trying to make a mark in tennis. Hopefully there will be a couple more opportunities.

But, yeah, hopefully some Collingwood players can come and watch.

Q. Have you called on anybody for advice? Who has been offering you some support?
JAIMEE FOURLIS: Yeah, definitely. Sam has. Dasha has, as well. They have been there. I think a big one, Ash has been there for me. She's really helped me. She sent me a message this morning. I saw her before the match. Even everyone else, the other girls, all my friends, they're all supporting me, yeah, in their different ways.

Q. Ash just had a win, as well. Four Aussies through today.
JAIMEE FOURLIS: I saw her after the match. I was so pumped for her. Yeah, I'm pretty sure she was pumped for me, as well. It was an amazing feeling. Hopefully Dash and Sam can have a good win tomorrow.

Q. How is the body holding up? You had a lot of tennis lately.
JAIMEE FOURLIS: Yeah, body is fine. Body is good. Did an ice bath, stretched. So, yeah, I'm ready to go for Wednesday.

Q. You said you felt like you could stay in the moment because you had nothing to lose. Can you replicate that as you move into the second round?
JAIMEE FOURLIS: Yeah, definitely I think I can. I can go in with an open mind and just have a bit of fun with it. Not every day a 17-year-old gets to play in the second round of a slam. So yeah.

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