BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL

December 30, 2023

Daria Saville

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Dasha, welcome back to Brisbane. How does it feel to be able to start your season with a spot in the main draw?

DARIA SAVILLE: Very grateful for my wild card. Thanks, Tennis Australia. Yeah, it's nice to be back. I've had some great memories playing here. I qualified a few years back here, then won my first round, played Angie Kerber on this court. It was a very close match. That's when I felt like, Oh, my God, I'm pretty good, I can do this.

I think after this Aussie summer and my result here, I actually had my breakthrough year. Hopefully something like this is going to happen again this time around.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What's the injury taught you in terms of perspective?

DARIA SAVILLE: I think I surprise myself with, like, my perseverance. I also found myself curious about what I'm going to do post-tennis. I still haven't figured it out. I've tried a few things here and there.

It's more like the things I've tried, I'm like, Well, that's definitely not my thing. I haven't really found something that, Okay, this is what I'm going to do.

Yeah, I think the tennis players that have been playing on tour for, like, weeks in and out, for years, sometimes forget that there is a life after tennis. Unfortunately, I had to be reminded about that a few too many times.

I guess this way, when I'm done for good, I'll have somewhere I can start from. Does that make sense?

Q. What goals do you set for yourself at this stage of your career?

DARIA SAVILLE: I think I really want to come back inside top 20. That was my best ranking. I think one of my other goals for this year is to become the No. 1 Aussie. Yeah, these are my goals for 2024. And, yeah, make Olympics. It's going to be tough, but that would be a goal as well.

Q. We talked to Naomi before. Obviously in Tokyo you did your knee. She showed a lot of concern for you. Are you glad to see her back? She said you were one of the players that, even when she used to walk around with headphones, put that wall up, that you tried to engage her. Have you noticed some of those changes, maybe she's a little bit more open to having those conversations?

DARIA SAVILLE: I haven't come across Naomi too many times. Obviously when we did see each other, we said hello. We were just passing. Everyone's so busy.

I just remember I saw her crying in the locker room. I was like, Oh, my God, this is sad. She shouldn't cry. She's such a great tennis player. I was like, You're probably going to win the next slam, you'll be fine. And I think she won.

Yeah, I think I'm pretty friendly off the court. Yeah, I empathize with people, players, 'cause actually the tour, we're one big circus. Yeah, I think it's good to be kind to people. I'm not talking myself up, but...

Q. You talk about your goals for this year. How important is it to get off to a good start? What is it that makes playing at home such a good place for you?

DARIA SAVILLE: Well, I think, like, defining a good start is different for everyone. Some people would say that's just, like, result-orientated.

I think for me a good start would be bringing the game that I've been working on off the court and giving myself the best chance, like, every day, every point. It's something to I'm looking forward to.

I think not many players will be like, Okay, I just want... It's silly for us to just think about results 'cause every time I've thought about I need to make third round here, fourth round there, I've never done well.

I guess I'm just going to focus on the process more than the result. Normally when that happens, and you go through the processes, compete well, good things happen, so...