AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2022

Barbora Krejcikova

Press Conference

B. KREJCIKOVA/V. Azarenka

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: The win today clearly meant a lot to you. How are you feeling moving into the quarterfinal?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Thank you so much. I mean, it's really amazing. I mean, I think I was doing really well today. I think I was just handling Vika's play really well. I think I was overplaying her at some important moments. I think I just did a really good job. I'm really happy with the win today and with the scoreline, too.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That kind of match against a player who has won here twice, what does that mean to you about how you're playing right now?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I really respect Vika. I think Rod Laver Arena is like her living room. She really likes it there. She's really experienced on that court. For me it means a lot, it's really special.

I think it really gives me a lot of, like, power for my next matches to keep going and keep improving on the court, to keep improving as a tennis player.

I mean, yeah, I'm just trying to enjoy everything that is happening, how I do things on the court. Yeah, I mean, it's amazing that I can say that I'm a quarterfinalist right now.

Q. Seemed an element of disbelief in your reaction to winning today. Do you think that will ever wear off?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: I don't know. I wouldn't say it's disbelief. I would say it's just something special and magical. Couple months ago I wasn't even top 100. Now I'm here and I'm playing on the biggest stadiums with the champions. I'm actually able to beat them.

I mean, I wouldn't really say it's disbelief anymore. I would just say it's like a very nice surprise. Not surprise. I don't know the English word. Yeah, I think it's just really, like, amazing and special feeling that I go there and I want to win and I'm actually able to win against her.

Q. When did that change? Does it feel different than it did before Paris last year?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: I think during the off-season. Like I had some time off. I was able to think about everything that happened last year, about the way where I am right now. I think it really changed during the off-season.

Q. There have been a lot of fit players struggling in the heat today. You seemed fine out there. How did you find it?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: I mean, it was hot, for sure. It was very hot. I mean, I just tried to do the best thing. I used the equipment that we have to cool down. I mean, I think I was really good with that.

I mean, on the court actually I like the heat, I don't mind the heat. I like the warm conditions. I like it more than when it's cold. I mean, also I expected it is going to be a brutal weather.

Yeah, I think I did well. I expected it worse.

Q. Now that you've won a few matches on that court, winning on Arthur Ashe last year, Chatrier many times, do you feel comfortable on the big stages now? Is it more familiar?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I always wanted to play on a big stage, so I always wanted to play on a big stadium where there are a lot of fans there giving us a nice atmosphere. It's like a very nice motivation.

I really want to keep playing on these big courts. I really want the tournaments to have me there. I mean, I always loved it. It's not really something new. I always loved it (smiling).

Q. Madison Keys next. What are your thoughts?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: I mean, Madison, she's playing great. I've seen her today. She was flawless. She was really playing well. I mean, I'm following a lot of tennis matches, so I know what is happening.

First I have to soak in this victory, I have to really celebrate it, enjoy it. I think tomorrow after my doubles match we going to look with my coach at some videos, we going to see what she's doing, how she's playing, what are her strengths and weaknesses. I think we going to go from there.

Q. How quick did you find the court today?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I think I played different stadiums. I played also outside. I practiced there. I find all of them very, very similar. I find them, I mean, they're not as quick as US Open, but also they're not slow. I think they're somewhere medium. For me, it's a nice pace.

Q. You mentioned you saw Madison play. Without looking at the videos, what impresses you most about the way she is playing now and what are the biggest challenges?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: I think she's really powerful. I think she's always been very powerful. I think she does her things well. I think she likes to be aggressive.

I mean, today she was really serving well and she was also hitting her forehand really well. I mean, this is what she was doing really, really good.

We have to find a way how to eliminate these things, how to give her my game.

Q. Quite a few players when they describe your game say that you make it look easy.

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Thank you.

Q. How do you feel about that? When you are on the court, it is more instinct or are you really laboring at it but it looks like it's easy?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: I think it's never easy. There's like a lot of hard work behind that. I mean, maybe my tennis looks easy, and I'm happy with that. I think, like, scaries other people, it scaries other players. It's good for me. I mean, there's a lot of hard work behind that.

What was the other half of the question?

Q. You answered it.

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Yeah, okay.

Q. You've now played a lot of the top players, and you watch a lot of tennis as well. What makes you a special player? What do you think you do that is better or special?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I don't want to tell you my secret weapon, so I'm sorry (laughter).

Q. Fair enough. I'll ask it differently. Your ability to adapt in the matches and in the points seems to be high level. How much of that is experience on the doubles court of being able to react at a high speed, or how much of it is experience and how your game has evolved over time?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I think, I mean, it's already started when I was little, that I was playing different shots, that I was receiving different shots. When I was little actually my first coach was a person, he's still there, and I really like to visit him. He was the one that -- he wasn't like a super coach, so the balls were just flying everywhere. I was, like, running from one side to another trying to put the balls back. I think maybe it started already there.

With other practices, with other matches that I used to play, everything with the juniors, now with the doubles, with the mixed doubles, so many different matches, situations, I think it's just coming from there.