AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2023

Jason Kubler

Press Conference

J. KUBLER/S. Baez

6-4, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Jason, congratulations on your first-round win. Must be ecstatic to be in the second round of your home Grand Slam.

JASON KUBLER: Yeah, super happy. Lost year I was able to have a good run in the mixed doubles. Even for me the doubles with the third round there. To be able to win for the first time in singles is super great.

Also I feel like I'm carrying a bit of the momentum from last year. I feel really proud of myself that I was able to win on the singles court.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What does it mean to you to make it through here to the second round in Melbourne for the first time, especially after all the injuries?

JASON KUBLER: Yeah, I'm proud of myself. I wasn't sure last year if I'd be in this sort of situation. Then sort of with my year last year, I was able to win a round at the French, the US Open, then have that pretty special run for me at Wimbledon, as well.

It's kind of cool now just almost the last four Grand Slams that I've been able to win a match in main draw. If anything, I'm more proud of that, but also to be able to play in front of the Australian crowd. I haven't really had the opportunity to do that.

I was fortunate enough with how the United Cup worked where Nick pulled out and I was able to play in Sydney in front of everyone. To be able to play on John Cain, as well, in front of so many people was super special.

Q. It's all happening for you on a hard court. You only lost one match so far this year. You'd only played one match on a hard court between 2011 and 2017. How much confidence have you got in your body at the moment?

JASON KUBLER: Yeah, no, I think it's almost like 18 months now injury-free. Yeah, that's probably the main thing. I'm getting confidence by staying out on court. Like the hard court actually recently is probably the surface I've been playing the most on. I really haven't been playing that much on clay.

When I think of clay, I think of a lot of hard work. I'm quite happy staying on the hard courts at the moment. Even last year, I had that success on the grass. Then I was able to play, I think I made a semi on grass maybe the week after. I didn't necessarily have that great of runs on the hard courts.

I was kind of thinking in the back of my mind was grass became my best surface because I wasn't really replicating that much on the hard court.

To get those two Sydney wins, to win on the center court in Adelaide, I don't know if it's the second or third biggest court here, but on John Cain. I'm able to get a lot of confidence and able to perform on hard courts.

Q. Your next opponent, Karen Khachanov, US Open semifinalist, beat Nick. What do you make of him? What are your expectations? Do you think you can take it up to him?

JASON KUBLER: He's definitely a decent player, that's for sure. I'm not 100% what his ranking is at the moment. He's been top 10, is that right? He's been top 10 before. He's beaten all the big names. He's been around for a while now.

But about the match, I'm just going to go out there, try my best. I hate to always say this sort of cliché, but honestly I'll go out there and try my best. If an opportunity comes, I'm going to try as hard as I can to take it. I can't control if I'm going to win or lose the match, but if an opportunity comes...

Obviously I have to play well and execute my game plan against him. It's going to be tough because he serves well, hits very big from the baseline. I think I watched that thriller he had with (Kyrgios). I don't know how many years ago that was. I'm not the only one that knows how great of a player he is.

I know I'm going to have to play well to even get into the tight situations. Then I feel like in those tight moments, if I can play well, who knows really.

Q. Your live ranking is up to 77 at the moment with this win. Meteoric rise from last year. What are the goals for 2023?

JASON KUBLER: I guess, like, my basic goals are kind of keep getting in the main draw of the slams. With the way tennis has worked out, if I can keep doing that, I'll be happy because they're the tournaments where you make the most money.

But I've never really, other than that, had great ranking goals or anything like that. Right now, it's just to be consistent, stay on court, stay healthy, stay fit and strong.

At the moment I'm still sort of showing myself what I'm capable of. I've never been in this situation before. I've never really had an 18-month block where I've been injury-free. I still feel like I'm improving. I still feel like I'm learning in situations.

Say today, it felt like it was the first time I played on a big court with that shadow. I don't think I've ever really experienced that before. Again, something new.

I'm sure when I play Karen, it's going to be something new. I'm going to learn again. I still feel like I'm learning and getting better. Most importantly, improving.

Do you know why Nick pulled out?

Q. Meniscus.

JASON KUBLER: So his knee.