AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2024

Katie Boulter

Press Conference

K. BOULTER/Y. Yuan

7-5, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Katie, a close but a really well-fought match for the win. How are you feeling coming off court?

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah, I mean, it was very tricky conditions today. I don't feel like it was my best tennis out there. I feel like I found a way. You know, to be out there winning matches at a Grand Slam where ultimately I'm not quite at the level where I wanted to be, I think that kind of shows how far I've come in the past few years.

I expect a lot of myself, but I'm still here through to the second round, and I'm proud of myself for the way that I fought and found a way ultimately.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Katie, how did you kind of reset after the two match points went away, and how difficult was that?

KATIE BOULTER: Yeah, it definitely wasn't easy. It wasn't easy at all. I felt like that was my moment to really dig in, take a deep breath, and start again. It took a lot of strength to come back from that.

It's not an easy position to be in for anybody, but I feel like for me I feel like I relish in that situation because I know how tough I am and I know that I can get myself out of it.

I think, again, I showed that. I managed to bring some of the better tennis that I played of the day out in the biggest moment. I think if I've learned anything over these years, that's what the best players in the world do, they bring the best that they've got in the most important times. I did that well today.

Q. You were tapping your head with the racquet at the end looking I guess to your coach. What was that about? Was it just that you knew she was going to serve body on that last point or what?

KATIE BOULTER: I did it quite a bit last year where I'm touching my head, pointing to it. For me it's just about reminding myself that I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying tough no matter what the situation is. I'm going to back myself in the best moments.

Again, it takes a lot of strength. It really does. It's not an easy thing to do, especially in a situation like that where anything can happen. Literally anything.

Yeah, that's just my little testament to me and my team that they know that my head has been working pretty hard today.

Q. Just curious, you talked about winning when you're not playing your best. What have you found is key to doing that? Obviously to be a top player, you have to do that, so what have you found helps you do that?

KATIE BOULTER: I feel like it's actually something that I feel good about as myself. I think my head is pretty strong, and it gets me through a lot of matches. It's something I'm very proud of.

I work hard mentally. I work with a psychologist as well. For me it's about the tough moments, the big moments, the moments that you force yourself to get outside your comfort zone, which it's easy to be inside your comfort zone. It really is.

It's getting outside of them and forcing yourself to do things, which is where you grow as a person. Yeah, I'm happy with the way that I did that today.