AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 22, 2024

Dayana Yastremska

Press Conference

D. YASTREMSKA/V. Azarenka

7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. You're into a Grand Slam quarterfinal. Just tell us about your emotions and your thoughts right now.

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Super happy and super tired, all together (smiling).

First quarterfinals, but to be honest, it's not feeling like I'm in quarterfinals. I don't know why. Has to be like so special but feels that I've just done, like, small part of what I had to do, what I have done before even, you know.

So moving forward and looking forward for my next match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about today's match. Obviously Vika, it was a very tight match, she had opportunities. You kept kind of reeling her back in and fighting through those opportunities. Can you just talk about what the difference was you think today to get the win.

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Now it's tough to remember what was happening everything on court. But as I said on-court interview is during this match, I thought about that I lost this match, like, 25 times, you know. Sometimes you get these kind of thoughts, like I was winning in the beginning, like, 3-1, and I went for my serve, I lost it, then I was losing 5-3 and she had a set point.

So I felt like in maybe before 5-4, I accepted that I lost it already, you know, and that helped me to continue to play. Like, I felt like I have another chance, you know, to win.

So I don't know. I played pretty aggressive, I think. In some moments I felt like I was too nervous and too emotional, but then I just relaxed and I said, like, it's going to be like it's going to be. Just try to play each ball. That's it. Like, nothing special, I would say.

But the super-tiebreak, it was a little bit under the pressure.

Q. Could you explain what you think people back home will think about this, about your success today, getting this far in the tournament, but also the other girls as well doing so well at the Grand Slam.

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Well, I think they're going to be really proud of me (smiling). I'm sure they're gonna write and ask even themselves where she's been with this kind of game, like three years, the last three years.

So I think it's as well pretty unexpected unexpectable for them. And I don't know. I think they're going to be proud of me (smiling). And I'm happy to make them be proud.

Q. You obviously haven't had that kind of results, as you just mentioned, the last year or so that you probably would have wanted. Do you think the war has had a lot to do with that? You were kind of rather displaced. Where have you been training and how have you been getting on with not being able to go home?

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: You know, the last three years, a lot of things was, a lot of things that happen, but I'm not gonna talk about it right now. Maybe other time.

A lot of things were affected on me, and because of that I couldn't really play like I wanted. Plus I put a lot of pressure on myself, as well.

The war is, of course, it's affected us well a lot, because you cannot go home like you wanted, when you wanted like it was before. You always read the news. You always see the videos.

As I said before, for example, when I was in Brisbane, the rocket arrive on my grandmother house. It's tough emotionally to play, but the worst thing is you feel like you were already accepting this, what is happening. And people are starting to forget about what is going on, and a lot of -- I've been receiving a lot of even strange, like, questions about the Ukraine, about the war, and about, like, tennis and stuff. But, like, I don't really want to talk about it right now.

But just in general, it's tough to play, but after two years you get to manage already how to deal with all the emotions and with everything that is going on inside.

Q. Did you say you put pressure on yourself because you wanted to do Ukraine proud, or is it separate?

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: I was putting a lot of pressure on myself in different ways. In the way that it's the war and I have to show better results, you know, for Ukraine. And I wasn't playing just for myself in the beginning.

Then I was putting pressure on myself that before, like, when I was younger, I was much better than I am right now. In many ways, it's too long, you know, if I will say every pressure that I was putting on myself.

But now I decided that from this year no more pressure, no more, like, high expectations for myself. Just be the way you are, and we will see how it's gonna go.

Q. On that topic of pressure, is that heightened at all when you're playing someone from Belarus?

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: You mean like what?

Q. Does it add as opposed to the pressure you feel when you go on court?

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Playing against the Belarusian player? If I'm going to start talking about it, I think you're not going to like my answers so I'm just gonna say I want to skip this question. Because I think, like, if you're asking this question, I'm sure you know how is it for us, for Ukrainians to play against Russians and Belarusian. I'm sure you know, so I don't think it's a good way to ask about this question.

Q. Have you been in touch with Marta? You both have made the quarterfinals, which is amazing for Ukrainian tennis. First time it's happened.

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Yeah, I'm proud of Marta as well and I'm proud of us, of Ukrainians, and we are showing good results. She had tough matches. She also had to deal with playing with Russians.

She showed a good job, and I think it's great that we are here and we are, like, showing good results.

Q. You played Serena Williams five years ago. You lost that game. You were devastated which I guess showed your fighting spirit and competitiveness. You were only a teenager. Can you just explain your growth and maturity since that moment both on and off the court since then.

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Yes, of course I grew up (smiling). I became a bit more mature, but I would say honestly today when I entered the court, I felt a little bit (indiscernible) from the last match that I had with Serena.

So that was a good experience before, and this time I told myself that I have to win this match today. You know, I played a second time at Rod Laver, and I did feel a little bit uncomfortable in the beginning, but then I felt like -- I felt on court like at home a little bit, so that helps me a lot. And the support, as well.

Q. There has been talk in the last year or two about combining the men's tour and the women's tour, the two sporting bodies into one overall kind of like organization. How would you feel about that if they were organized all together, all the tournaments?

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: You mean like all the tournaments... So there was, like, one organization?

Q. That's right, yeah.

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: I don't know. I'm not the one who decide about it (smiling).

Q. Do you think it could work?

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: I don't know. Like, you can say it would be good or not good. Only after you trying any, you know. So there wasn't experience like that, so I cannot say how it will be, good or not good.

Q. What are your thoughts on Linda Noskova and the way she's played? She's only 19, and the campaign she's had so far at the AO.

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: She's a good player. I saw her couple matches. I think it's going to be a tough match but interesting match, and I don't have much to say about her. I need to be more focused on myself, because it's gonna be everything depending on myself.

But she's great player. Good person (smiling).

Q. After the first round, you said, talking about your new outlook this year, that you wanted to be like a river, just kind of go with the flow.

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: Yes.

Q. So how different have you found yourself, like, approaching your tournament this time compared to maybe in the past, like, trying to apply this river analogy to your perspective? Is it that much different than how you used to treat Grand Slams or big tournaments?

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: I don't really want to go into the past and remembering now how I was before. I do feel like I didn't do much, you know. It's just quarterfinals, and I had experience already in playing in a Grand Slams.

Because I couldn't play great and showing good results, it's just because something was inside me, and I was talking about it, about the pressure and stuff, and nothing changed. I just relaxed (smiling).

Q. Obviously maybe you like to attack the ball. You are kind of like aggressive player. The surface of this stadium, it's called medium fast. Do you think this kind of surface, like, a pretty fast court suits your play style?

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: I don't really feel the difference between the courts, you know, when it's too slow and when it's too fast. So I always try to play my game, no matter I play clay, hard, grass, or carpet, whatever, you know. I always try to follow my game. Sometimes, you know, you can go wrong direction, but I always try to remember myself that I have to be on court, same like my personality, you know. Because if you go different way, then doesn't really work on court.

Q. I think you donated your Lyon Open prize money to the Ukraine war effort. Just wondering if you have plans for your AO prize money. Also, you wanted to say something on court but you forgot. Just wondering if you remembered.

DAYANA YASTREMSKA: I don't remember what I wanted to say on court. I don't remember. Really. When I went to the locker room, I was thinking, what I wanted to say? Because I was ready, you know, to say, and I forgot. Like sometimes it happens like this, and killed me, but I don't remember.

Sometimes this happens, but I'm sure when I will be done with all the questions, I will go out and for sure I will remember. Always happens like this.

About the prize money in Lyon, yes, I remember that. That was the first tournament when the war just started, but I'm still not, I don't even know how much I earn here. I didn't look, to be honest.

But, you know, I have my foundation, and we already helped a lot of people. We did huge humanitarian help, and I've got already plenty of diplomes [ph.], you know. I try to do my best as I can to help Ukraine, and for sure I'm gonna continue with that as much as I can.