AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2024

Anna Kalinskaya

Press Conference

A. KALINSKAYA/S. Stephens

6-7, 6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: You came from behind today. How did you turn the match around to be on your terms against Sloane?

ANNA KALINSKAYA: Well, it was a bit upsetting to lose the first set, having so many chances to do. I had a few breakpoints to be up in the score. I was up in the tiebreak.

It's a game, and she played really good tennis. She's a great fighter. I just had to reset after the first set and change a little bit my strategy for the next two sets.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What does it mean to you to make the round of 16 at a Grand Slam?

ANNA KALINSKAYA: It's very exciting. I'm super happy to play so many matches and looking forward to the next one.

Q. Did you have any sense when you got to Melbourne that something like this was potentially in the cards for you?

ANNA KALINSKAYA: I mean, everything is possible. I work hard. I practice every day, staying every day doing my things, being professional.

No, of course I didn't know, but yeah, I mean, it's very positive, and I'm proud of myself.

Q. You said you changed a little bit technical or strategic decisions in the second and third set. Can you talk through a little bit about what you changed to get things on your side?

ANNA KALINSKAYA: Yeah, I think the main change was to be more aggressive and to step in more and taking more risk and to finish the point.

Q. Is that like a, not natural, but does that put you in, like, an uncomfortable position to play more aggressively for you, like, based off of your basic game style, or do you have enough confidence in that aspect of your game to be able to pull that off?

ANNA KALINSKAYA: No, I like to be aggressive. I think it's part of my game too.

Q. Did you feel like you were coming out, like, less aggressive because you were trying to see where Sloane was at, or maybe tightness on your side? Why do you think you maybe didn't start as aggressively as you maybe wanted to?

ANNA KALINSKAYA: It was just a different plan. After losing the first set, I realized that it's time to try something else.

Q. There has been a lot of obviously upsets throughout the tournament. A good number of first-time second-week players. Curious if you were paying attention at all to what the vibes were, I guess, with respect to the tournament in the first week and maybe if that gave you any additional confidence going in.

ANNA KALINSKAYA: Yeah, I saw a few upsets, and it just, for me, means that anyone can win. The most important is to fight, and you have to enjoy, and then in the end of the match, you will see how it goes.

Q. Your first-ever Grand Slam win was against Sloane Stephens at the US Open. Does that give you any confidence, or can you draw from that before you step on the court against her again?

ANNA KALINSKAYA: Yes, definitely, because I played her twice, and the score was 1-All, so I had an idea how she plays and what to expect.

So, yeah, it gave me some confidence.