AUSTRALIAN OPEN

February 12, 2021

Marketa Vondrousova

Press Conference

M. VONDROUSOVA/S. Cirstea

6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Great win today. Can you talk us through the match?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Thank you. So I think it was very tough match. First set I played very well then I think she got better. I had a bit of luck in the end and I'm just very happy to be through like in two sets because Sorana's a great player and I think she played a great match today.

Q. A great first week at the tournament. Can you just talk about how happy you are with how you're playing and where do you think your level is going into week two?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: So first match was tough. I was down like 2-6, 1-3 and that was kind of crazy. But I don't know, I managed to get the win and for me it's, I don't know it's like I'm just very happy to be on court right now and I'm just, I feel like I'm playing good tennis. Also I found my game. And I feel like it can be better serve also. But I don't know, I managed to win in like two sets like the last two singles, so it's nice for me and I'm just very happy to be in the second week.

Q. Did it take you any extra time to adjust to the speed of the courts a little bit? Everybody's saying they're playing a little bit quicker.

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, so we have been here for like three weeks now, so it's kind of a long time. But I mean, for sure like the quarantine also helped us a lot to adjust. I know like some people who are in the lockdown it's tough for them also. But I think for us it's such a long time to adjust, so it's fine.

Q. I was wondering if you could talk a bit about just your last year. You were working your way back from injury and then the pandemic happens, just what was your mental state like and how were you able to stay positive in all of that?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, so I started here in Aussie last year after the surgery and I played just like few matches and I lost I think first round here, also first round in Doha, then second round Dubai. And then like the pandemic happened, so I didn't play very much matches and it was very tough for me. And then we had some matches in Czech, but it's not the same. And then like, yeah, we started to play tournaments again and I lost, I don't know, a few first rounds also like three sets, so it was very tough. Then I was struggling a bit. Also I broke up with my coach like last year so it was also tough, but I have a new one now so it's fine (laughing).

But, yeah, I mean, last year was very tough I think for all of us. I'm just the type that need matches and I didn't have a lot of them last year so it was tough for me.

Q. You played Su-Wei Hsieh just a few weeks ago. You could play her again in the next match. What did you learn from that one that might help you should you end up playing her again?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, so I think I can learn from that match, but I mean, it's fourth round so we will see. But, yeah, I think my coach is watching them now, so we will see. I have also doubles tomorrow, so I don't know, I'll just prepare and have, I think I'll have fun.

Q. How does this experience at a Grand Slam, how does this compare to when you were playing in Paris?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, so it's nice. It's not so new for me this that I can say like, Okay, you did this before, you played fourth round, you played like third round. So it's nice it's not that new and I can like, I have some experiences so it's nice feeling.

Q. Can you just talk through just the coaching switch and when you started with your new coach? And getting a result like this must kind of maybe settle the nerves with working with a new coach, right?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Yeah, so he's pretty young, he's like 28 or 29, so we know each other like for like four years, so, yeah, I know him pretty well and I knew, like, it can, like, work for me here also like we understand each other, like, off court and on court, so it's nice. Of course it's nice for me to have this backup that I'm playing good and I can see like it's working pretty well.

Q. What's his name?

MARKETA VONDROUSOVA: Libor Salaba.