YARRA VALLEY CLASSIC

February 2, 2021

Garbine Muguruza

Press Conference

G. MUGURUZA/A. Van Uytvanck

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you just talk through your performance today and what you were pleased with. Just what the conditions were like, a little bit tricky as I believe it was cooler tonight than it has been.

GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah, I mean, excited to start competing, because, well, it's been a while since we were in Australia and finally we are here, we are competing, we have some crowd watching us. So it feels good to be in competition.

It was tricky. Actually, I think it's the first time in my life that I play with long sleeves in Australia in summer, but we all know that you never know in Melbourne, right? I was prepared. I was also expecting to play a late match and it can be fresh.

Yeah, very excited to get this first round.

Q. I saw you posted on your social media a very excited video of you after being released from quarantine. Curious what that process was like, the two weeks, and then also what were the first things that you wanted to do the minute that you kind of had your freedom?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I mean, it was a challenge. I think I was pretty lucky to be able to have the five-hour practice and to get out of the hotel and, you know, I think other colleagues it was tougher.

But I think we had good energy and, you know, obviously very happy when we got out. I think the first thing I did, probably have a beer, I don't know, in the beach. (Smiling.)

You know, we went right away to the beach and just to be outside and, I don't know, be, you know, watching the ocean and being able to have a nice lunch with people in a restaurant, you know, these little things that we took for granted before, now they are great. Probably a beer was the most needed thing.

Q. Does it feel weird to be able to kind of now walk around freely and, you know, yeah, sit next to people at a restaurant and do things that for a lot of us we can't do and have not done for almost a year?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: It feels weird, you know, and actually I got a lot of messages from people in Europe saying, What's going on? Why are you not wearing a mask? They were, like, What's happening? And I was explaining that here, you know, fortunately they did well and there is no cases and that's why people are having a normal life.

But it is weird, because coming from Europe, it's very different and it's getting worse. So, yeah, we are very excited to be in a normal, like nothing happened almost, right? We left Australia with no COVID and we come back and still similar.

Q. It's an interesting situation. Just in terms of preparing for not just this week but also for a slam under kind of these sort of conditions which we have never kind of really had to deal with before, what has been the trickiest part for you? And what do you think is the key for you to be able to go into the Australian Open feeling as, quote-unquote, "normal" for slam preparation as you would want?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I mean, I cannot compare it to anything else. Like you said, it's a very different circumstance. I feel like I was lucky to have enough time to play on the courts, to prepare actually in the same place where the Grand Slam is going to happen, even I have a chance to play a tournament before.

So it's actually too long, right, to be here, but no, I think it's great. It's very exciting all the effort they put together to make it happen.

I'm just trying to adapt, you know, every little moment, playing a tournament in the club where you're gonna play a Grand Slam after, it feels weird, right? Because am I playing here? What is this? Grand Slam? No, it's not yet.

But it's all good. I mean, it's a good problem to have. No bad energy.

Q. Looking ahead, you'll play Pavlyuchenkova. Obviously a tough opponent. She's playing well. Can you just talk about that matchup and what is the key for you?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah, I mean, we played many times. I think she's a very aggressive player. She has achieved great results. We always had good battles, and is a good match to play. I feel it's a good test. Another match to prepare, to progress into the competition this year.

I'm looking forward. All these matches, I'm excited to play.