AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 17, 2024

Maria Timofeeva

Press Conference

M. TIMOFEEVA/C. Wozniacki

1-6, 6-4, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Congratulation on your result today. Tell us about your match.

MARIA TIMOFEEVA: Thank you very much. Well, of course, I'm very happy. It's very exciting win for me. As I said on the post-match interview, I was going on the court without a lot of expectations.

I just wanted to play there. It was a big honor to play Caroline on that court, against former winner, former World No. 1. Yeah, I was just very happy to be there and just so glad that the match turned out the way it turned out.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The other day you said that you were shocked by how well you played against Alize. Today how would you rate the level that you were able to put together and if you could just tell us what changed to flip the match in your favor.

MARIA TIMOFEEVA: Well, the level for all the whole match I think was really high for me, but just the first set I think I chose the wrong tactic. I started to play long rallies with Caroline, which was a really big mistake because she was overplaying me really most of the times.

Yeah, just second and the third set, also really glad how I managed to be aggressive. Yeah, starting to just be more aggressive, hit more winners. Yeah, just luckily today most of the balls went in.

Q. In terms of just obviously getting that win on that court against the opponent that you did face, what does it mean to you to get these two wins over very experienced players, but also to make the third round here in Australia?

MARIA TIMOFEEVA: Well, these two weeks already for me so far feels very special since it's my first Australian Open, first main draw of a Grand Slam, and everything feels like a dream so far.

Of course, Caroline is very experienced player, and I was just very happy to play against her. Yeah, just enjoyed there on the court, and it means really so, so much for me.

Q. Are you vlogging during this time?

MARIA TIMOFEEVA: From here, yes. Yes, I'm vlogging. I actually expected my vlog to be a bit shorter, but now it looks like it's going to be a really long one and very I would say intense one.

Q. What has it been like for you to just manage the first four days of the -- obviously you've been here longer because of quallies and everything, but physically, emotionally doing other stuff as well, maybe taking your mind off of things, how have you been handling it?

MARIA TIMOFEEVA: Well, the great thing about the Grand Slams I think that they gave us one to two days off between the matches. It really helps you to recover.

The tournament on its side, they're doing everything for you to recover. They offer you massages and all the recovery programs, which is really great and really helps me to be in shape for every match. So, yeah, I think that's the main key.

Q. When you started the match, you had 6,029 followers on Instagram. Now you have 13,600.

MARIA TIMOFEEVA: That's crazy. I just checked the Instagram. I was, like, What the hell happened (laughing)? I was doing mine for like three years. I had 5,000 followers. Now I opened. Like, I gained 8,000 in one match. That's crazy.

Q. Are you a fan of social media? Do use this for several things?

MARIA TIMOFEEVA: I try to use Instagram, and also I have a YouTube channel with my friend. We also do, like, the YouTube channel. So, yeah, I'm checking social media a bit.

Q. Are you doing also professional on YouTube or tennis player or...

MARIA TIMOFEEVA: Well, we're doing this as a hobby like for ourselves. Mostly it's, yeah, just Tennis Channel where we vlog from tournaments and how it's going. Yeah, from here also will be the one, so that's it.

Q. In terms of just being around and being in the locker room are you starstruck at all? Have you seen players that you've always wanted to see and getting selfies? What's that side of things been like?

MARIA TIMOFEEVA: I try not to bother them with selfies, but I think I was only starstruck on my very first Grand Slam, like on French Open last year. When I was walking and surrounded by all these top players, I was, like, oh, my God, that's crazy, like crazy atmosphere.

I had the chance to adapt a bit, so now it doesn't feel as crazy as it is. But, yeah, of course, that's really nice to be just surrounded by them.