AUSTRALIAN OPEN

February 6, 2021

Sofia Kenin

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How does it feel to be here as the defending champion?

SOFIA KENIN: It feels good. It's obviously a special tournament for me. Coming back here again, it obviously brings back lots of memories. I'm just super excited to be back here.

Q. You said earlier in the week that your focus at this time would be on channeling your emotions a little bit more. How do you think you've handled that this week? Do you think that's set you up for next week?

SOFIA KENIN: I think overall it was good. I mean, yesterday maybe not the best way I wanted to handle my emotions. Of course, she played very well. All credit to her. She obviously came out, I guess, hungry for blood I guess to win. But I obviously did not mentally prepare so well. Obviously it affected me a little bit. Yeah, like I said, she played really well.

Overall I'm happy with the way I handled everything. Like I said, I got to get ready for AO and I have to figure out how to handle my emotions there.

Q. There have been a number of withdrawals subsequent to your match. Do you feel you've had the same level of preparation in terms of match play that some of the other players have had?

SOFIA KENIN: Yes, I think so. I played Abu Dhabi. I was able to practice for two weeks, luckily. I got in a good amount of match play here.

I mean, I'm not complaining about my results. Obviously wish it would have been better. I'm going to obviously use another day of practice before getting ready for AO. So we'll see.

Q. Yesterday it was a 6-2, 6-2 scoreline, but it was the most intense 6-2, 6-2 match I've seen. What was your takeaway from it? What did you learn that you'd like to work on?

SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, every point was a battle. The score obviously was 2-2, which is not the score I wanted. I obviously wanted to win. But it was a really good match.

She obviously played some really good tennis, played some amazing shots. I obviously was quite frustrated. You can see all over the pictures. I'm obviously down and looking all over somewhat at the crowd. I was quite down. I wasn't too happy with myself.

But I was still battling. I tried. I fought. Obviously my leg wasn't 100% as well. It was a little bit sore. That's not an excuse at all.

Yeah, she played some really good tennis. I obviously did not expect that. I fought. I'd rather do better in AO than here, so try to take some positives out of it.

Q. You mentioned your leg. How is that? Is that something that's going to niggle and affect you?

SOFIA KENIN: I mean, I hope not, honestly. It was my left groin and my left glut, it was completely sore. I think I was rolling a lot yesterday. Even before the match I rolled probably like an hour before they even finished. I was just rolling with the Theragun. It kind of got better, but it wasn't the best.

She obviously played well, so...

Q. How have you pulled up from it today?

SOFIA KENIN: It's better, which I don't understand. From a match, now today it's better. Thank God. Obviously I'm not going to complain about that. I want it to be better for AO.

Q. There have been some injuries to the big stars so far. Do you think that could be due to quarantine or long layoffs?

SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, definitely. People who haven't played matches for two weeks, it's obviously not the same. Everyone is using this tournament to prepare for Australian Open. Yeah, I mean, obviously you can see that being in a room for two weeks, not playing, practicing, it's not the same as playing a match clearly. After two matches, my leg is completely sore. Yeah, it's obviously different.

But everyone's obviously going to be ready for Australian Open, for sure.

Q. (Question regarding players you beat last year, if they got a second crack, how would you be prepared for that kind of rematch?)

SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, definitely. If I play one of those players, then of course it's going to be a rematch. I told my dad this morning, I'd rather lose to Garbine yesterday and win Australian Open than lose Australian Open and win.

Obviously I wanted to win. I'm not saying I wanted to lose. Yeah, I mean, obviously it's going to be revenge, for sure. But according to my draw, I'm not playing any of those players any time soon, so that's fine. I already looked at my draw, so...

Q. You mentioned the difficulty of the prep with injuries. Do you think those players that were in the hard quarantine can still compete, could win it?

SOFIA KENIN: Definitely, yeah. I mean, everyone is a great player. Everyone is here. Obviously we somewhat got through it together. I feel like everyone's just hungry to play and finally get on the court.

Now with the fans coming in in a day, obviously it's going to bring a different atmosphere, it's going to be more excitement to the game, for all of us players, everyone, our team members. I feel it's going to be a lot of energy.

I feel like everyone might be injured now, kind of like doing everything they can to be ready for the big one, Australian Open.

Q. You reckon they can still compete?

SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, definitely. They can compete. Any player can win on any given day. Just because they didn't practice for two weeks doesn't mean they don't know how to play tennis. Obviously they know how to play. They're great players.

You can't underestimate them, for sure.

Q. All the players have said how excited they are to have fans back. Is there any part of you that thinks it's weird after a hard quarantine period, sports events in the rest of the world don't have fans, and Australia is going to let 30,000 fans per day in? Do you think there's some kind of imbalance or yin and yang?

SOFIA KENIN: I'm just super excited for that. I've obviously missed the fans. It's not going to be weird at all. I'm so used to playing in front of the fans. It was a big toll on me not playing with them. Knowing that they're going to be here is just really special.

I'm super grateful to Tennis Australia for doing everything to keep us safe. Letting the fans in, I'm just honestly super excited. I really hope they're going to cheer for me even though I play an Aussie-Aussie on Monday or Tuesday (smiling). Yeah, we'll see.

Q. What do you know about your first opponent?

SOFIA KENIN: I played her, like, in Maureen Connolly back in the old days. I lost to her. But that doesn't matter, it feels like it was forever ago. I haven't seen her play. I don't know much about her. I don't remember much from that match except that I lost.

I'm not going to go into the match thinking that I lost. I'm just going to go into the match thinking I played my best game hopefully.

Q. You said you saw your draw already.

SOFIA KENIN: Yeah.

Q. What are your thoughts?

SOFIA KENIN: I mean, it's tough. I obviously look quite far ahead, I think till four rounds. After that it's obviously I know who I'll play. I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but see who I'd rather play or not play.

We'll see what's going to happen. I still got to play my game, worry about my results. Off court I'm going to be watching the matches, hoping that I'm not going to play some opponents. Not going to say who (smiling).

Q. Do you normally look ahead in the draw or is this a new thing?

SOFIA KENIN: I do this at Grand Slams. I'm very superstitious. I do this in Grand Slams. Yeah, last year I looked at the draw till the fourth round. Paris I looked at the fourth round. US Open. Why change the rhythm (smiling)?

Q. Defending a major is something brand-new for you. What is the most important aspect you had to work on yourself to be prepared?

SOFIA KENIN: Obviously I would love to defend it. But, yeah, just preparing physically and mentally, knowing that I got to be physically there in my game, my movement, everything. Mentally I got to handle my emotions and understand whoever I'm going to play, they're obviously going to play with no pressure, which is expected. They're probably going to play better against me, so I have to somehow try to handle my nerves and try to stick to my game plan, yeah, hope that I win.

Q. Thinking about United States that has Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and you are really young yet. Do you feel a tennis reference in your native States?

SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, definitely. Trying to be special next to Venus Williams and Serena Williams, they've done so much for the game. Really want them to keep playing because it makes me want to push and be like them. They really inspired me. Fingers crossed they'll keep playing. They're playing some really good tennis now.

Q. Do you remember two Colombians Diego Valencia and Miguel Tobon, what importance they had in your career?

SOFIA KENIN: Yes, I remember them. Hi, Diego, Miguel. Yeah, I just hit with them when I was little. Miguel I have videos hitting with him. Diego, I hit with him on those public courts. He obviously knows where.

Yeah, he even traveled to New York. I don't know if he lives there, but he went and saw me play at US Open. Yeah, I mean, I've got good things about them.