ROLAND GARROS

June 1, 2023

Olga Danilovic

Press Conference

O. DANILOVIC/J. Paolini

6-2, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: We will begin with English questions.

Q. Congratulations on the win today. First time into the third round of a Grand Slam. What are the emotions and what were the emotions right after the match?

OLGA DANILOVIC: When that net went out, so relieved and so happy. Honestly, so proud of myself. It was 5-1 in the second set. 5-1, right? And I just kept being there and just fighting point by point, not thinking of the score. I think I didn't play so great until 5-1 obviously.

I was hanging in there, and I think I'm so proud of myself. Because of it, I just didn't let it go away.

Yeah, I'm so happy to be first time in the third round. It means a lot to me. You know, I have had some ups-and-downs, recently downs, so I'm just enjoying the moment.

Q. I think if a lot of people were to be asked about you, they would assume you have already made it to the third round of a Grand Slam. How does that feel to get that off your back? What was the pressure coming into these last couple of slams feeling like when am I going to break through?

OLGA DANILOVIC: You know, I always talk about that breakthrough moment. You know, I feel like I belong on big stages. I feel like I have game there. I love tennis. That's what we all work for.

You know, I'm just proud of myself I think in this moment, that I'm there and I'm in the third round. I had a lot of matches, and I'm just, you know, just happy. Nothing else.

Q. What did you make of the crowd atmosphere out there today?

OLGA DANILOVIC: I enjoyed it a lot. There are a lot of people, Serbian people, and it makes me so proud. I see our flag. Just people coming here, cheering for me. You know, they play point by point with me, which you all guys saw.

So they can be loud, I know. But, yeah, it's nice to have support.

Q. How difficult is it to maybe want to celebrate a moment like this but know that you're still in the tournament with more matches ahead of you?

OLGA DANILOVIC: It's a nice thing that you have a day off, I think, because you, you know, you enjoy the day that you want, but then the next day, okay, it's another day. You have practice. You talk about the next match.

I mean, before I think the emotions were overcoming me sometimes, but now I think I handled them well. You know, I'm satisfied but I'm never satisfied enough. I don't know how to say. So I always go for more, but I just try to enjoy in this moment, and then for tomorrow I will think about the next match.

Q. Iga, in her preference conference earlier, said she practiced her English by listening to a lot of Taylor Swift. You obviously speak phenomenal English. Curious if you have a similar story where you watched a lot of TV or movies?

OLGA DANILOVIC: I learned English when I went to play Little Mo in Florida, and I didn't know anything. And my mom was like, okay, older. So I'm, like, how?

I kind of learned like that. I listened more Serbian music, so I cannot learn. I listen to everything, but I think also good thing is that I was watching Nemo, that I talked the other day. Just from young age I think I learned quite good.

Q. You deserve to be here. I want to know about your thoughts on facing a top-10 player next game, Ons Jabeur. Did you get the chance to see her playing recently, especially in the French Open?

OLGA DANILOVIC: I watched her obviously. I mean, I know her game. I watched her a lot of times on TV.

I have played once I think a top-10 player, but, you know, I just go there. I will definitely enjoy every moment on court. I don't know. I feel good about my game at the moment, and, I mean, she's obviously a top-10 player so I don't have to talk about her a lot, I think.

But I don't know. I love these kind of challenges. I like them. I play for that. You know, we all play to be on big stages to play big matches. So yeah.

Q. So 15 years ago two Serbian players played for the No. 1 in the world here in this tournament. You were young. Do you remember that moment?

OLGA DANILOVIC: That was very long time ago. I was maybe five or six. I definitely remember. I mean, we had Ana and Jelena for such a long time and they were my idols when I was little, watching them. They were the ones, we were watching them. Also Novak and Viktor and Janko and everyone.

Yeah, I think I'm proud to be in third round, and I'm still with Novak in the same tournament. So that's nice (smiling).