AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2024

Barbora Krejcikova

Press Conference

B. KREJCIKOVA/M. Andreeva

4-6, 6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Barbora, congratulations. Your younger opponent gave you a bit of a scare, but talk to us about the experience on court. Did that count for something today?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I mean, first of all, thank you. I mean, I'm definitely happy that I was able to get it on my side.

I think that, I mean, I was feeling well. I think I was playing solid tennis. I think I was serving quite well. I think I was just -- I was trying to be, like, a lot aggressive than in my previous matches.

Yeah, I mean, I think that I was improving throughout the match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You had a long conversation with your team after the first set during the break. What did you discuss and what adjustments did you think you were able to make in the second and third sets to get it done?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I mean, we discussed a little bit of everything. I mean, I felt that I was playing well. I felt that the important points we were playing, that they weren't really going on my side. We had pretty much discussion about that.

Q. I think you were working with a sports psychologist a lot last year. Are you still working with that person? Is there any tools that you learned that you would share with regular tennis players, anything you used today?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, yes, I'm still working with the person. I mean, I think there wasn't really anything that was, like, that specific that I used or that I was thinking about it.

Q. Can you talk about the challenge of playing Sabalenka, your next opponent.

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I mean, yeah, it's going to be difficult. I mean, Aryna, she's playing well. She likes it here. She's been playing here really well, I mean, since the last year.

I'm expecting it's going to be difficult, but on the other hand I feel I'm improving with every single match, and I'm looking forward for this matchup.

Q. Navigating through the first four matches, how pleased are you to get yourself back into a quarterfinal here? How different does it feel this time around than compared to the first time?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I mean, it's great. I mean, I'm really happy that I'm in a quarterfinals because I had really difficult matches. I mean, to compare it with the last time, I don't really remember the last time, so I don't really remember the feelings and the emotions that I had.

I mean, this year, it's a new year. I mean, it's a different tournament. I just go on and I just fight for every single ball.

Q. Aryna stopped playing doubles to focus on her singles. Is that something you would ever consider?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: Well, I think that I got to the top of tennis because I was playing doubles. I feel that it's just part of my game, it's just part of me.

I mean, sometimes I get these questions, and I'm getting asked this a lot. I mean, the way it is right now, I'm very happy with that and I'm enjoying that. As long as I'm going to enjoy it like this, I'm going to keep playing any competition that I decide to do.

Q. Did you watch Iga and Linda yesterday? How happy are you to see another Czech woman doing well here?

BARBORA KREJCIKOVA: I mean, I watch a little bit. Not really the whole match. I think she served it out really, really well.

I mean, I know Linda since she was 11. We kind of play like in the Czech Tennis Extraliga together in the same team. I remember when she was there. She was getting her first experience. She was very young, also tiny and small.

I'm really proud of her that she is this young and she has such achievements already.