ROLAND GARROS

June 10, 2023

Alina Korneeva

Press Conference

A. KORNEEVA/L. Perez Alarcon

7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Alina, congratulations. Second Grand Slam title. How are you feeling right now?

ALINA KORNEEVA: I'm so tired (smiling). Because I just finished the doping control. I didn't have a shower yet, so I'm happy about result, but I want to go to the shower (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Alina, please. In English first.

Q. Congratulations for a great tournament. Your second Grand Slam title. Does it feel different this time than the first one?

ALINA KORNEEVA: Yes, it feels so different, because the first time, you know, it's like it feels Grand Slam. It doesn't matter, junior or not junior. It's first Grand Slam, and it feels maybe more surprised. I think now I'm not surprised.

I'm coming here to win the Grand Slam. In Australia, I just wanted to enjoy the atmosphere of Melbourne and of Australian Open. Here I'm happy just like I'm win the normal tournament.

Q. Can you talk about the final a little bit. It was very tricky in the first set. You were down a break twice. Then there were four set points. Some emotions going on. Can you talk us through what you were going through and feeling during that set?

ALINA KORNEEVA: Yes. Today was so emotional match for me. I was so energy -- so-so, I think, because we played with a lot of crowd, a lot of people watched us. I was a little bit nervous about the crowd, but not so much.

It was the most difficult match, of course it was in the first round, because my opponent has a match ball. I think so nervous. It was just set point, but I know that if I didn't win the first set, I think it had to be like difficult for me to play three sets, because the four matches I play like, without first round, I played every matches, I think, just one hour. And today we played first set one hour and some minutes.

So, yes, I was so tired. It was so warm, hot today. Because of this, I felt myself not really good, not really energy in my like physical, but I feel energy in my mental game. Yeah.

Q. Congratulations. How do you think you made the difference today? Tactically, what specific things you think you have done extremely well to win that match?

ALINA KORNEEVA: I think I had a plan for today like yesterday and the day before, because the girl simply the same. She run a lot, a lot, and so far from the baseline. My plan was to do the dropshot, to play my game.

It was good for me today like my tennis game, wasn't like yesterday. But I think today I won more because of my mental game, how I already said.

My tennis game wasn't like I wanted today. I missed a lot, but I had a lot of good shots, a lot of good dropshots.

Q. Winning in Australia and now here, does that make you want to go to the professional tour earlier than you thought earlier before?

ALINA KORNEEVA: What?

Q. Do you want to play even more already professional than -- because you told me maybe you were going to come back juniors next year for one or two tournaments but maybe you're changing your mind now.

ALINA KORNEEVA: I have to play juniors, because I think I have just 12 professional tournaments so I have to play Grand Slam juniors, I think so, and pro tournaments here, like I said before to you.

Q. What is your goal, your objective for the seasons in the pro circuit and even in the junior circuit?

ALINA KORNEEVA: This year, you mean?

My goal I think to play the junior Grand Slam, but my secret goal, it's to play qually for US Open. I wanted to play. I will try to do my best to play there.

I don't know. I don't think yet about my tournaments. Just play the tournament, and how my father every time said, enjoy my game. Play active with not a lot of energy.

Q. What do you think of Mirra Andreeva? You're some close friends, I think? You have beaten her in the Australian Open final, and you saw her run here in the tournament. Do you want to achieve the same...

ALINA KORNEEVA: No, I don't want to do like she. I'm Alina Korneeva not Mirra Andreeva (smiling). But I'm really happy about her result. She's really deserve it because she worked a lot.

But I know now I won my second Grand Slam. I don't think about Mirra. I don't know what to say more.

Q. When Djokovic was here and win the first two Grand Slams of the year, we were asking him about the calendar Grand Slam, winning the four in the same season. You won the first two.

ALINA KORNEEVA: No, I don't think about this. I said I wanted to play qually in the professional already US Open.

Q. How do you feel on grass? Is that a surface you feel is suiting you too?

ALINA KORNEEVA: I would like to play grass. I don't have visa yet. I will try. I never try grass court. Somebody said to me it's so fast; somebody said to me it's so slow. I don't know yet but I will try. I want to try it. Yeah.

Q. What would you say is your tennis dream for the future? Where do you see yourself in five or ten years maybe?

ALINA KORNEEVA: I would like to win every Grand Slams. I think it's the most important, and that's my only, it's my dream. I don't have dream but I just want to win the Grand Slams.

Q. At your age, how do you manage pressure? Are you under pressure? Is it easy to be a tennis player at 15 years old?

ALINA KORNEEVA: Not yet. I'm just 15 (smiling). You know, yeah, yeah, when I will be I think like 20 and when I will have a family that I have to -- I don't know how it's called -- to buy everything? You know, this is pressure when you already have to have money. But now I'm just 15. I already said I just enjoy the tennis now.

Q. Did you consider that you are strong mentally speaking?

ALINA KORNEEVA: What?

Q. In the mental part of your game, it's huge. You are strong in that part?

ALINA KORNEEVA: Yes, yes, I think I'm strong in this part, and this is really help me every time.

Q. About the match today, you said you had a lot of emotions. Maybe some frustration. Do you think you play better when you're angry?

ALINA KORNEEVA: Yes. Yes, I play better. I didn't play today good for me, but maybe without emotional I lost this first set and maybe the second. I don't know yet. So I think with energy, with emotions, every time I walk a lot with my legs, and every time, I don't know, want to win every points with emotional.