AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2023

Denis Shapovalov

Press Conference

D. SHAPOVALOV/D. Lajovic

6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Strong finish, first-round match today. What do you think about your performance?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, it was definitely a great win. I think Dusan played really well. I expected a tough match from him. I think he's a really tough opponent. He's obviously had great wins.

Yeah, I think in general, the level was super, super high. I was happy I was able to kind of break back in the third and retake momentum and really lift my game from that moment.

Yeah, I think the first two-and-a-half sets the level and the intensity was very high, and I started to notice that he maybe dropped 5, 10% with his energy and just tried to take advantage of that.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What's different about playing in Australia, just the courts and the weather...

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: The time.

Q. Yeah, other tournaments you play the rest of the year.

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: I think any of the Grand Slams are special, especially obviously Australia, it's like the start of the season. It's kind of like a fresh start every time you come here. You know, everyone is ready to go. I think it's one of the most physical slams just because everyone is coming from preseason, everyone is ready, and the conditions here are hot most of the days.

It's tough. So you want to be ready. Normally, you know, you're going to get matches like I did today where the guys are ready to go, they're fired up, playing well. You have to be ready for that. I think in the past maybe I've not made the mistake but wasn't 100% ready in the first two rounds, kind of wanting to work myself into the tournament.

It's not the case in Grand Slams, especially nowadays, there are so many tough players that you have to be ready from the first ball.

Q. You said beginning of the season everyone is fresh. Is your mental approach different? Because everyone is so fresh. Is it different than other Grand Slams or pretty much the same?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Don't ask about my mental, it's always different (laughter).

I think in general always in Australia it's a little bit more fresh, because it's just -- it's always like a clean slate, right, when you start the season. You just feel going into it that it's like the first of four slams. You're like, Okay, I want to do my best.

Yeah, I think it's a little bit different going into this one. You're also unsure how the rest of the season is going to go. It's a little bit of maybe more pressure, you don't want to go out first round. There's a lot of expectation, stuff like that. It's a little bit of mix of everything really.

Obviously I played well here last year. The years before I also felt like my game was good, just wasn't able to really go deep in the tournament.

But I like the conditions here, I like the courts. I think everything is amazing here, you know, from the facilities, everything that the tournament does is amazing. So I always love to come and play here.

Q. I just saw a set and 5-1, but Daniel, I know you played him twice before, what can you say if you do end up playing him?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, he's obviously not easy. He's a super solid tennis player, has a good serve. I played him here once before. I was able to dictate, you know, take it to him. I think I have to play the way that I did today, stay patient, but take my chances.

I know he's going to be steady. He's going to be the player that he is. I have to just play my game and try to do the best I can.

Q. Any thoughts on Felix and Vasek?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, it's crazy. I feel like Vasek always plays a Canadian first round. It's insane. It's actually insane.

But, yeah, I practiced with Vasek actually a couple days ago. He was playing well. Obviously Felix is coming in hot as well, great season last year. It's going to be good tennis. I'll definitely take out the popcorn for that one.

Q. All the Nike people wearing that pattern you were, Bianca had the same sort of thing on her skirt today, does it have a name? What's the idea behind it?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: I'm not entirely sure. Seems like that's the direction they're going. Yeah, it's our Aussie kit. I'm liking it. I'm owning it, you know (smiling).