GRAMPIANS TROPHY

February 2, 2021

Jennifer Brady

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Talk to us about your first few days off quarantine, how you're feeling heading into the first tournament.

JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, honestly feeling pretty good. Actually feeling, you know, motivated, a little bit feeling pretty fresh mentally, physically. Wasn't expecting to be hitting as clean as I am.

Yeah, I'm just excited for the first tournament here to start tomorrow.

Q. What is the hardest thing of being so inactive and going to activity?

JENNIFER BRADY: I think the first day was really bizarre. Honestly, my body, I was so exhausted after just hitting for an hour. It felt like my legs were shaking, my arms were shaking. Everything is like, What's happening?

Just being in a hotel room, not having exposure to the on-court movement, the amount of court that you cover. I mean, I didn't go out there and run side to side. My team, we were smart about how to approach the first couple days of practice, keeping it super simple, yeah.

Q. A whole different set of drills in practice that you would be doing after you took a few days off or a Thanksgiving or Christmas break? Not Christmas obviously. Is that what you went back to?

JENNIFER BRADY: No. It would probably be a little bit more intense what I would have done. Like I said, I was just keeping it super simple, just hitting up and down the middle, cross-courts, just getting timing, feel for the ball, feel for the court, the conditions. Yeah, just trying to get as many reps as possible. Not trying to overdo it. Maybe just trying to play it safe, to come out healthy and not have any injuries.

Q. What are your expectations?

JENNIFER BRADY: Honestly, coming out of that, I feel fresh mentally, motivated, ready to compete. I think I'm using this first tournament as kind of like a platform to just kick-start the AO, just get used to the courts, the balls, conditions.

It's nice to play a tournament before a Grand Slam at the same venue.

Q. How did the partnership with Ash come about? Is it just a one-off this week? Are you going to keep playing together after the Aussie Open, as well?

JENNIFER BRADY: I'm not sure. Depending on the tournament schedule the rest of the year.

We'll play here and Australian Open for sure. Yeah, I mean, our coaches were messaging, thought it would be a good idea. I'm pretty lucky to pair up with Ash. She's a great person on and off the court. I think I can learn a lot from her on court and off court.

Really excited to play some doubles matches with her.

Q. How are you feeling going into the Grampians Trophy?

JENNIFER BRADY: Feeling pretty good. Practices have been good. Played a couple sets. Yeah, body feels great. Yeah, really, really looking forward to starting.

Q. How does it feel to be back in Melbourne? Are you excited to be back?

JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, definitely. Even during the quarantine I was excited to be here. I think Australia is my favorite country. I mean, of course I love America, but I think playing in Australia, it feels almost like being in America.

Just being back here, it's great vibes. The people are so nice. I love the atmosphere, the weather is phenomenal. Yeah, just very happy to be back here.

Q. You had the great run in New York, going to the French Open. After having that pinnacle, another slam filled with expectations, then here is where I am now in my next Grand Slam.

JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, I mean, I don't think after US Open, then it was the French Open, I mean, I didn't really have a whole lot of time to prepare for playing on a clay court Grand Slam after reaching the semifinals in a hard court Grand Slam.

Maybe I didn't have the best preparation for that, but I don't think going into this Grand Slam coming up, I definitely don't take anything away from how I did at the US Open.

Q. Seeing how this country has operated, living in America where things have been pretty horrendous, has it changed your thoughts on how different places approached COVID-19 the last six months, year?

JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, I think what Australia is doing, obviously it works. There's zero cases. They got on top of it right away. Doing the hard quarantine 14 days in a hotel, I think apparently it works.

But, yeah, I mean, kudos to them for sticking to it, for all the citizens abiding by the rules. Yeah, massive respect.

Q. Do you have any Melbourne traditions that you're able to actually take part in or have you not been able to get started on that?

JENNIFER BRADY: I wouldn't say I have traditions. I've definitely eaten out at restaurants. I guess if you want to call that a tradition, eating out with normal cutlery I think is pretty nice.

Yeah, I mean, honestly, I don't really have any go-tos or things that I do here specifically. It's been really nice to be able to go to a restaurant, just walk around outside. It almost feels surreal. It's nice. It's a normal life again.

Q. You said you didn't feel physically as ragged after your first days. What were you expecting as you started the first one-hour hit out of quarantine? Given you haven't felt as maybe you could have, does that bolster your hopes for the next few weeks?

JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, definitely. I thought I was going to go out there and maybe whiff a ball or shank into the stands somewhere. But I was hitting really clean, had a really good first day of practice. I had two good hours of practice.

Yeah, I mean, we're professional tennis players. I don't think we forget how to play tennis over two weeks. I think a lot of us thought it was going to be a lot worse than it was. I think maybe having that mentality, it helped.

I feel fresh.