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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 14, 2018

Daria Gavrilova

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You tend to feed off the crowd so much when you play tennis. Up in Sydney you had to share the court with an Australian. What will it be like first round having the crowd all to yourself?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: It will be good. Yeah, I always love to engage with the crowd. I feel like everyone is really there for me trying to help me out. I just try my best every time.

Q. How does it sit with you to have first round, first night, Rod Laver Arena?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I was a bit surprised. But, yeah, I'm really excited. I really can't wait.

Q. After the semifinal performance in Sydney, how is the confidence coming into Melbourne?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Well, yeah, I've had three matches in Sydney. Played pretty good. I feel like I've been improving every match.

But, you know, you just compete with what you have on a day, and it doesn't matter what happened the week before.

Q. Considering there were two Grand Slam champions last year, Ostapenko and Sloane Stephens, who certainly were not expected to win, do you take some confidence from what they were able to accomplish, where they were at the time they entered those tournaments?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I think everyone is feeling this way. Everyone is feeling like, Okay, we've all got a chance.

I definitely feel like, yeah, I also have a chance. I'll just compete very hard every match.

Q. Is this the major you think you would have the best chance at because you're here?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Maybe. But you never know when it clicks.

Q. The openness of the draw, do you look at this slam differently now with Serena not in it?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Well, I've never had to play Serena in a slam, so not really, no. Yeah, I just, like I said before, try hard every match and, yeah, see what happens at the end.

Q. You obviously have to wait longer than most to find out who you're playing. Might end up being quite late today. Do you prefer knowing a few days ahead?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: It is strange for a slam. But, you know, every other tournament is this way. You never know until the very last minute who you're going to get. I'm used to it.

Q. Is it good in a way because you can't spend the days leading up worrying?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, it is true. You get a bit, like, stressed out once the draw is out and you know who you play. You're like, Oh, okay, I have to watch some vision, do this and that. Now I'm just like, Okay, I don't know who I'm playing, so I'm not worrying about it.

Q. When you're talking about overthinking, you seem pretty chilled out.
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah. Yeah, I mean, had a sleep-in today until 10:45. I'm pretty chilled right now, yeah (smiling).

Q. When you find out your opponent, how much preparation will you do tomorrow? Will you do it tonight? Will it be more so in the morning?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Well, depends how late I'm going to find out. But, well, I'm starting my preparation now. I'm going to hit on Rod Laver later today. Then probably my coach will do a bit of vision. We'll definitely have enough time tomorrow to talk about tactics.

Q. How is the general pressure coming into the tournament compared to other years?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Other years? Well, every year is different. You experience different emotions.

I don't know. I'm fine.

Q. Do you feel any pressure?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I don't even know what pressure is really. Like, I don't know what that word is. Okay, yeah, I'm nervous and excited, but I don't know what that word means really.

Q. You don't feel there's any expectation on you from the Australian media or from the fans in the crowd?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Well, I just look at it as they want the best for me, and I want it as much. I feel like, you know, yeah, I can put pressure on myself by that, but I feel like I'm just going to go out there and compete really hard, hopefully not disappoint anyone.

Q. I remember you said this time last year you were quite impressed with your progression mentally and the way you're handling yourself on court last year compared to previous years here. How have you changed coming into this year?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Well, we won't know until I step out on court.

Yeah, I felt like last year I was not actually playing, like, great tennis. I just handled it well mentally because I was down, like, in the score so many times. I just kept my cool and just kept on going on about what I had to do on the court.

Q. Right through from the start of the year till now, a number of Australians have done very well in the leadup tournaments. Seems to be a sense of camaraderie between the Australians at the moment, men's and women. Is that true?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, I think Australian tennis is doing great. Ash is doing unbelievable. Sam has been inside top 50 for the last, like, 10 years or so I think.

I think it's good. We have, like, this healthy competition between us. Obviously the men, all the young guns, are doing great.

Q. I noticed during Sydney you had a bit of strapping under your right calf, tape. Is that any cause for concern?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Not really, no. Probably if you haven't seen, I've been taped there for, like, the last three years, two years.

Q. What is the plan for tomorrow? Another 10:45 sleep-in?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Hopefully, if I'm not too nervous. I'll probably sleep in and, yeah, just chill, unless my coaches are going to tell me to have a hit in the morning.

Q. Do you get nervous?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, honestly. I think everyone does. I mean, it will be weird if someone didn't get nervous.

Q. More nervous here than anywhere else?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Oh, it's just different. It's always different. Different emotions every match. But, yeah, some sort of nervousness.

Q. Would you feel better if you were going on first, you'd know exactly what time your match starts?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: It will be the same. Yeah, I would just have to get up earlier. But, yeah, I've actually been training at night in the pre-season because I knew that there is a chance of me playing later.

I've had late matches in Sydney. I think I've had good preparation for that.

Q. Any particular goals for the tournament?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Win the whole thing. Come on, no one says it, but everyone wants to win the whole thing.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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