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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 15, 2018

Daria Gavrilova

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

D. GAVRILOVA/I. Falconi

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Must be happy with that.
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, really happy. First rounds are always nerve-wracking. I think I handled myself really well tonight.

Q. What worked? What were you happiest with?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I think I was pretty aggressive and just played really free. Yeah, wasn't afraid to come in. I actually was working on that in the pre-season, just coming into the net, finishing the points at the net. I did that well.

Q. How difficult was it not really knowing your opponent until late yesterday?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: To be honest, we get that every other tournament, every other WTA tournament. You never know your first round opponent until very late. I just accepted it.

Q. You played her once before and lost, hadn't you?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Played her three times actually. I beat her in a Tassie challenger back-to-back actually. Then, yeah, I lost to her in China at the end of 2016 or '15.

Well, I knew what to expect. She probably knew me pretty well, as well.

Q. Did that play into the way you approached the match?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I study my opponents with my team, so I knew what I had to do out there.

Q. Your net play, was that a particular weakness you identified or is it just adding to your game?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: It's just adding.

Q. Something to work on over the fortnight?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah. I've been working on that. I think I've been showing a bit of net play in the last few matches so... Yeah, it's just adding new weapons.

Q. You play Mertens next. A tough next round. What do you think of that opponent?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I've been watching her at Hopman Cup. She's been playing really well. Yeah, I think she's pretty confident. Just actually defended her title in Hobart. It's definitely going to be a tough match.

Q. You lost to her in Perth. What do you have to do differently this time?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I didn't lose to her in Perth. Haven't played her there. Played a really tight match at Roland Garros.

Yeah, it's going to be tough playing her. I think it's going to be a very exciting match.

Q. This surface would favor you than playing on the clay, I suppose?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Clay is my favorite surface. You're doing well (laughter).

But obviously she's playing great tennis in Australia, so... I don't think there's a favorite to win this match. I think it's just going to be a really tough battle.

Q. A couple people left your box during the box.
DARIA GAVRILOVA: They had to go to the toilet. It distracted me. But I just think of the worse things that could happen. I was like, Is someone sick? Did someone have to get out of the stadium because of something? I just create really weird stories in my head.

Q. Who was it?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: My dad. Kate, I think she left as well. My fitness trainer.

Q. Strict instructions not to move from now on?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: If they had to go, they had to go. I just think of the worst things.

Q. Is it normal that all the worst things that could happen go through your mind?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, especially with my family, my dad. And Kate, she's my closest friend. Where the hell are they?

Q. You didn't lose focus.
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I did, but I just went on with it. I was like, Okay, you just got to play this point, then worry about it later.

Q. Seemed like last year there was a lot of drama involved in your wins, momentum swings.
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Sorry?

Q. Last year, a bit of drama involved with the wins. This year first win seems to be pretty smooth. Do you feel you've come a long way since then?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I'm probably a lot happier with the way I played this year. Like I said before, last year I was not in my best form. I think I was just fighting. The crowd was helping me.

Yeah, today I felt like I was a lot calmer, played aggressive, displayed a pretty clean match, apart from a few things. But that's okay.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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