ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL

January 14, 2023

Belinda Bencic

Press Conference

B. BENCIC/D. Kasatkina

6-0, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Are you happy with that win?

BELINDA BENCIC: I'm super happy I won the tournament, the first tournament of the season. It's always very nice. I'm happy I could show my work here on the court. I thought I played some great matches from the start of the tournament and also against different kind of opponents so I really could test myself out there in every way and just go confidently into the Australian Open.

Q. On that subject, going into the Australian Open now, is this the best you've felt maybe in the last couple of years going into the Australian Open?

BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, obviously I think it was my best result before the Australian Open for now. I had the most matches going into it. But that doesn't mean anything; once I step on the court in Melbourne, it always starts from zero, so it doesn't matter if you have a losing streak of 25 going into the Australian Open or if you are on a winning streak. You still have to deliver and have a good performance there.

Of course it helps to be confident and to know and to believe in yourself, but still, I think this is great. I won this tournament, but in Melbourne, it starts from zero again.

Q. How important was not having to play yesterday for today? I know both of you were in the same situation, but you avoided 37 degrees yesterday, but you still got 38 today. But not to play back-to-back days with temperatures that high.

BELINDA BENCIC: I mean, even if I would have played, I think it wouldn't have made a difference. But of course I'm happy without having to play. Maybe it was even good going into the Australian Open now that I had a day off. I was able to practice well, to recover well.

I'm not going to complain, obviously, about a walkover, but still, even if I would have played, I think I would be fine, as well. It's not really in my control, but yeah, I'll take it.

Q. Must be nice to know that you're back in the top 10.

BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, it's really nice. Of course it's a big goal for everyone, very close, and I've been very close for I think the last couple of months. I'm really happy I finally made a step back into the top 10, and I hope to go further.

Q. Overall what are your thoughts about the Australian Open? Are you somebody who only looks at the first round and you don't look beyond? How do you approach it?

BELINDA BENCIC: Well, actually like my coach told me who I'm playing. I don't really study the draw so much, but I also don't avoid looking at it. I think I'm pretty neutral with it. I had some Grand Slams where I wouldn't look at the draw and then I would play, I think, the semifinals, and then obviously then you are in the fourth round or quarterfinals, you are watching on TV, ESPN, and you can see how they tell your opponent, and you're like, oh, no, I can hear it.

I think it's not avoidable to know your draw, so I'm not making such a big deal out of it, but it's also not someone, I'm not looking like rounds further, so I'm taking it round by round for sure.

Q. And the conditions in Melbourne? I know you haven't been there yet, but from past --

BELINDA BENCIC: I went to check yesterday.

Q. But from past experience, do you feel pretty comfortable there?

BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, I think in Melbourne it's very different. The conditions can also vary where you're playing and also at one time you are playing. Some days it can be very cool, sometimes it can be very hot. Yeah, it depends if you're playing on the outside courts, it's going to be super fast. If you play on Centre Court, it's going to be slower. If the roof is closed or open, also.

I think we as tennis players, we are used to adapting very quickly and getting off of a flight and just playing.

Hopefully I can kind of adjust quickly and kind of get through my first round and have more time to adjust.