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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 15, 2017

Daria Gavrilova

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How does it feel to be back at your home Grand Slam?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, it feels good. I feel really comfortable. I come back home after each day and, you know, I have long days here, just coming back home is really cool.

I think it's a big advantage.

Q. Take us through how you're feeling coming into this year's Open compared to last year.
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, it feels a bit different. I'm getting more recognized, like, doing lots of more media than last year. You know, the little kids recognize me. It's pretty cool.

But, like I said, it's very different. I feel like the nation is watching me. But I think it's a good thing. It's pretty special.

Q. Does that increase pressure on you in your mind?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I think it does, but it's a good pressure. I know that everyone's going to support me no matter what, so yeah.

Q. How are you feeling about the draw?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I actually don't think many players look at the draw. I do (smiling).

Yeah, I think it's a pretty solid draw. It's not the easiest draw. But I think the gap now in women's tennis is so little, it's so competitive. There will be lots of tough first rounds, lots of upsets. I think everyone has a pretty solid draw.

Q. What do you know about her game? I know you played each other a couple times before.
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, she's got a big game, has one of the best serves on the tour. Have to hustle a lot. But I think it gives me confidence that I've beaten her on the fastest surface in Eastbourne or Birmingham, on the grass.

Q. Did you say you look at your draw?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah.

Q. How far ahead do you look?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I don't know. Two rounds, three rounds (laughter). Until the first seed, I guess. I don't know. I can't remember the whole draw, but I know who is in my quarter.

Q. Do you look at the whole draw, the track for everybody else as well?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah.

Q. Can you give us your draw analysis? Who has a good look?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: No, I'm not going to do that (smiling). Like I said, it's really solid, but... I don't know, I like to look at the draw.

Q. Do you look at the men's draw as well? Do you look at the draws and think, I'm going to watch that match?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yes, I do. I love tennis. After long days, I still come back home and watch tennis.

Q. What matches should we look out for?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I'm excited about Belinda and Serena, very excited about that.

Q. What is it like when you play here in Australia, what is it like on court compared to the rest of the year where you are in other countries?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, like I said before, I just feel the support no matter what. Most of the crowd is going for me. It feels very special. I feel like I have to give back to the crowd and get them involved, as well.

Q. Do you have a preference to when you play during the next two weeks? Would you like to play at night on Rod Laver Arena or would you prefer to be on one of the lesser courts?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I want the big court (laughter). Yeah, I do prefer bigger courts, feeling like I'm special, and everyone's watching me.

Q. I think a year ago you played Carla Suarez Navarro. You were playing really well. You played unbelievably well in the first set, then it went away. What is your recollection of that? Is that something you felt you had to learn a bit from?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I started really well. I was a bit concerned about that, to be honest. I was beating a top-10 player 6-Love, 2-Love, something. Yeah, I think I just got super nervous, feeling like I'm so close to make my first quarterfinal. Started to rush. She was making me play longer points. She wasn't making mistakes. I think I just went away and started reacting, being negative.

I don't know. I guess it's a good experience. Hopefully I won't do it again.

Q. How would you rate your game now compared to this time last year?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: It's pretty hard to rate. I don't know.

Q. Where are the improvements? Where do you feel more confident?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Well, every match is different, so it really depends if I'm focused or not. Last year I think I played one of the best tennis of my life, this week last year. It's going to be hard to repeat, but I think I'm very capable of doing it.

I had a really good pre-season. Yeah, some things are improving. I know lots of girls are actually improving during the tournament. Hopefully I can do that.

Q. We talk about everybody looks at rankings, seedings in order to figure out who is supposed to beat whom. There's also the issue of pure matchups. You're going to match up against certain players than others. When you look at a draw, is that how you look at it? Is that why you're curious about the draw?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I'm just curious about the draw, yeah. But, like, I had some tough draws where I was ranked higher, but I'm looking at the matchup. It's like, Yeah, that's going to be a tough match, that's not the best draw.

Yeah, some players are harder for me to beat than others.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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