AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2022

Clara Tauson

Press Conference

C. TAUSON/A. Kontaveit

6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Can you tell us what was working for you out there on the court today.

CLARA TAUSON: I think everything was working (smiling). I felt really comfortable on court. It was a nice court to play on. The weather was really good today. I just felt really good out there. Just went for everything and it worked today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you approach this match and what were you aiming to get from it?

CLARA TAUSON: Obviously I wanted to win, but she's one of the best players in the world so I don't think I can go in with the attitude I have to win this match.

She's playing unbelievable tennis the past few months and has won probably the most matches and has really done some good stuff.

I think I just went in there believing I could win, but it wasn't like I have to win. It was more I can win, but we'll see what happens.

Q. You have a lot of big weapons in your game. How important is it to harness it, that you build points?

CLARA TAUSON: Yeah, today we had a plan that I didn't really follow because I felt really good out there, so I went for everything in my shots.

I think both my forehand, backhand and serve was really good today. It really helped me a lot throughout the match. I came to the net a couple of times when I had the chances, played good up there also. I don't really have any complaints about today.

But, yeah, my weapons were obviously working very well.

Q. What are your goals for the season? Have you sat down with your team to discuss them?

CLARA TAUSON: Yeah, of course, you have to sit down with your team before every season to put some goals. Ranking-wise it's not the biggest goals I have. I'm still young I think. I still need to improve a lot of things in my game to hopefully play on this level every time I play (smiling).

We don't have any concrete ranking goals. More like what I have to improve. Obviously my serve has to improve even more. Even though it's a weapon now, I think it can be even better. Everything just needs to get improved.

I need to be playing better and better even if I'm not feeling so good. Yeah, those are the primary goals right now.

Q. You practiced with Caroline Wozniacki in the past. Are you in touch with a text?

CLARA TAUSON: No. We don't have any contact. I only practiced with her two or three times. She's stopped before we could do it more.

Q. Physically how are you feeling? I believe you had some issues at the beginning of the year.

CLARA TAUSON: Yeah, I had some issues. It's already almost two weeks ago. I feel perfectly fine. I have no troubles now. I feel great on court, feel great moving. So no problems anymore.

Q. Listening to you describe your level and performance today, was this the best that you've ever played a senior level match - junior level match - is this the best match you've ever played?

CLARA TAUSON: I think so. I don't really know. When you play really good, you don't feel like you're playing amazing, but everything is just going how you want it. In my mind that's just how I want to play every time.

Yeah, I think I played a really, really good match today. I didn't miss a lot of shots, even though I was going for them on every single shot.

Yeah, I think it's one of the best at least. Yeah, I'm very happy with the match today obviously.

Q. A couple weeks ago you were saying you were getting it done in the smaller tournaments, now it was time to get it done at the bigger tournaments. How does it feel for you to pull a win like off this over a player that's so hot so early in the season?

CLARA TAUSON: Yeah, I don't really know what to say about that. It's the first time I'm in the third round of a slam. Playing a player like her to reach it, it's a really big achievement for me. Obviously it was one of the things I really wanted to do, to beat the good players in the bigger tournaments.

Doing it in a slam is a really great feeling. It's just a lot of hard work that I've put into it. That it's here already in one of the first tournaments of the year is a really nice feeling.

But I still have some work to do. I cannot be too happy with the win today, but I am really happy (smiling).

Q. You had two of these big matches last year against Azarenka and Barty. Could you feel the improvements from those two matches today? Even though you didn't have the same expectations you might have had against Anett, were you excited?

CLARA TAUSON: I had a little talk with my coach right before the match where we talked about I have to go in believing I could win this match. Last year I don't think I really believed that I could beat those players. Now right before the match he told me, You have to believe you can win. We'll see what the result says, but you have to believe it.

I really did. I think that really helped me a lot today. Even in some of the difficult moments, I believed that I could win. I think that was what happened today, what was the difference from last year.

Q. Facing Danielle Collins in the next round. Talk through that matchup, what you expect.

CLARA TAUSON: Yeah, we played last time in Roland Garros. That day I was pretty injured, but I kept on playing. I don't really have to take too much from my game in that match.

But her game obviously I can take some things. It's been awhile now. I guess she improved some things also. I have to go home and look at her playing and just figure out with my coach how I have to play against her, just see what happens.

She's a good player. She always goes far in the good tournaments. So we'll see. I have to play good again, so I hope I can do that.