AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2023

Linda Fruhvirtova

Press Conference

L. FRUHVIRTOVA/M. Vondrousova

7-5, 2-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Linda, congratulations. Into the fourth round of the Australian Open. How does it feel?

LINDA FRUHVIRTOVA: It feels pretty surreal. Yeah, it's an incredible feeling. I'm just so happy and excited, you know, to be able to say, Hi second week (smiling).

Yeah, I feel good and I'm excited to playing next match here.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. On today's match, what do you think the key was there in terms of coming back in the third set?

LINDA FRUHVIRTOVA: I think it was pretty important for me to keep going for it, you know, to keep pushing her. She gets so many balls back. Just keep pushing, keep pushing until I get the point.

Yeah, just fight and keep believing, because I was down 3-1 in the final set. It was very important that I got the game to 2-3. Yeah, then I got a chance to break her to 3-All, and I took it. It was like I was back in the match.

Yeah, I was like, Okay, let's go for it, let's try to play what brought you the success in the previous set, in the first set especially, so yeah.

Q. You used the word 'surreal' a moment ago. Why did you use that word? What is it that feels that way?

LINDA FRUHVIRTOVA: I mean, I'm still 17. It's my second main draw appearance in a Grand Slam. I'm through to the second week, last 16 in such a big tournament. So, yeah...

Obviously Marketa is a really good player that can beat anyone. She just beat, like, No. 2 in the world two days ago. So, yeah, I'm very happy about this win.

Q. I think last year you said you weren't rushing, you weren't impatient about getting the big results of being the next teen phenomenon on the WTA Tour. You win your first title just a few months ago, now into the second week. Is this happening faster than you expected, on target, or you expected it earlier?

LINDA FRUHVIRTOVA: I would say it's pretty on target. I knew I had the level to compete against these kind of players on this high level, but it's always harder to show it than in the matches, to win these kind of matches 'cause I think the women's level, all the players are very tight. I think top hundred, anybody can beat anybody. It's very close.

Yeah, it's good because you don't get that many opportunities in these matches against top players. When you have the opportunity, you just got to take it or you lose. I'm just trying to take every chance I get and use it and just try my best, fight for it, go for it, yeah.

Q. You said you had the belief that you can compete with the top level. When did that belief crystallize for you?

LINDA FRUHVIRTOVA: It's hard to point out one moment. Definitely Miami Open last year was kind of the first tournament that I really beat a top hundred, top 50 players, like, three matches in a row. Yeah, that was kind of tough. Again, very big tournament.

So, yeah, definitely helped me to get the confidence in knowing that I have the level and I can play these kind of players and I can win these kind of matches.

Q. How are you feeling with the leg? You played the mixed. Is there any concern about that for the second week?

LINDA FRUHVIRTOVA: Well, it's something that I've been struggling with before the tournament started. Yeah, it's just getting better and worse and better and worse.

I don't think it's something that should stop me from playing. It's just tape it and go (smiling). Yeah, I mean, I don't think it should be bad.

Q. In terms of managing your second Grand Slam main draw, what have you been doing to not obsess about tennis, not think about this too much? How are you managing your off time in Melbourne?

LINDA FRUHVIRTOVA: Well, like I said, I only had time to go to the Skydeck before the tournament started. That was pretty nice. We had one nice team dinner. Otherwise, it's very busy. All day on the courts. Yesterday was a long day. Today again.

If I don't have to wake up in the morning, I just sleep the whole morning. Yeah, but I don't mind because I have my family here. I have both my parents, my sister here. I just like to hang out at their apartment and just watch some tennis, yeah, just relax. Kind of, I don't know, relax for the next day, reset, yeah.