AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2022

Maddison Inglis

Press Conference

M. INGLIS/H. Baptiste

7-6, 2-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: You're putting a massive body of work together. You must be happy with your result today.

MADDISON INGLIS: Thank you. Yeah, I'm stoked. To get another one here in Melbourne is really, really special. I'm excited to play again on Saturday.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Getting used to this, press conferences in the main room?

MADDISON INGLIS: I hope it becomes a regular thing. It would be incredible. It feels a little bit surreal at the moment to be in the third round of a slam. To play out there on Margaret Court is something that you dream about. I'm feeling really grateful and lucky at the moment.

Q. In the deficit situation in the match, how did you turn it around and get through?

MADDISON INGLIS: Yeah, I felt like I dropped a little bit in the second, and Haley picked up and started serving really well. Yeah, I just felt like I dropped my pace a little bit and she was able to dictate the points a lot compared to in the first where I felt like I was the one being aggressive.

In the third I tried to make that a big focus. Getting more first serves in, getting the depth back in my shot, the pace. I think we were both feeling it a little bit physically in the third. The crowd really got me going and gave me some energy.

Yeah, was really happy to finish it off.

Q. Have you had a chance to think about how this might change anything in your career?

MADDISON INGLIS: Honestly, no, no, not really. Just enjoying this moment, enjoying being here at a slam. This is my favorite tournament. So, yeah, I'm just trying to soak it all up at the moment.

Q. Are you allowed to think about the money?

MADDISON INGLIS: I actually didn't know the amount until somebody just said something in the interview before this.

I mean, yeah, it's incredible. The prize money is something that I try really hard not to think about. I actually haven't this tournament very much at all, which I think has helped me out there. If you're thinking about stuff out there, it's hard to focus on the things that you need to be focusing on.

But it's going to be a huge help for me this year. It's going to take a little bit of pressure off just me financially. It's obviously quite expensive traveling, hiring a coach. Not being able to come back to Australia, you're on the road for a long time. I'm pretty grateful to have some of that stress taken off.

Q. In the last set down 2-Love, what was the mindset to be able to get yourself back in and reel off six games in a row?

MADDISON INGLIS: I think going down an early break was disappointing because I knew Haley was serving very well.

I think it was a crucial game there in the third game. I think I faced a couple breakpoints. Getting that game, then breaking her in the next, I just felt like I was feeling it. Even at 2-Love...

I think as the scoreboard got more even, I started playing my game a bit more. I was a bit more aggressive, served a lot better in the end there.

Yeah, I think just played well at the end.

Q. What is your experience with the COVID protocols?

MADDISON INGLIS: Yeah, I mean, I'm trying to think. I've been in Melbourne since November, really early November, so I haven't had to do really any tests because I've been in Melbourne.

I want to keep myself and my team safe and everyone around me. So I am doing weekly antigens just for precaution. Just being really careful. I'm pretty much at the tennis and at the hotel. I haven't eaten out for a month or two now leading into this.

Yeah, just trying to be really careful and give myself the best opportunity to play the tournament.

Q. This is probably not going to come out the way it should, but you come across in here sweet and nice. How do you transform that into being so focused and tough on court?

MADDISON INGLIS: Yeah, well, thank you. I just think I'm pretty competitive when it comes to being out there. This is what I have been doing for so long. I want to play well and I want to do well.

I think out there the competitiveness comes out a little bit. I still want to be a nice girl on the tennis court, nice to the opponent, nice to everyone around. But, yeah, just trying to be a bit of both.

Q. Are you competitive at everything you do?

MADDISON INGLIS: I think. Like not overly, but a little bit, yeah. Little bit.