AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2025

Daria Kasatkina

Press Conference

D. KASATKINA/Y. Putintseva

7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: I think you probably don't like to see Yulia name against you. She's always a tough opponent. What were you pleased about with your game today?

DARIA KASATKINA: Honestly no one wants to see her name in the draw (laughing).

Exactly, especially in the first set happened what I expected. Tough beginning. Then, you know, fighting. Was hot today, tough conditions, you know, long rallies.

But at the end very happy with the win and how I turned the first set around. I was down, but still came back. Really happy to not going to the marathon match today, and finish it in two sets.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. In terms of turning that first set around and then ultimately getting a pretty strong win, especially in the second set, what do you do? What are the adjustments you do to reel in a player like Yulia?

DARIA KASATKINA: Well, you know, as I said, the conditions today was a bit different to the ones I played the last match, even though I played the same time. It was much cooler. Like, I think the difference was 9 degrees hotter today. It's a big difference, especially you feel it on the tennis court. So the ball is faster. Everything felt a bit more without control, let's say.

So just really, like, happy with myself how mentally I stayed there and how I supported myself and how I kept going, because it was a tough moment. She was playing good, better than me. I was struggling a bit. Also emotionally I was nervous, of course. But then, yeah, as soon as you start the engine, it's getting better. Yeah, really happy.

Then in the second set surprisingly for me, I got few presents, let's say. Like the few games on I think 3-0 in the second set she made couple of unforced errors, which for me I was, like, Thank you (laughing).

Yeah, really happy, as I said, to finish this match in two sets because normally with Yulia it's not that easy.

Q. You obviously had an outstanding season last year, and so I'm curious, after the break and everything and restarting, how different did the start of this year feel? Did it feel like any other year you start from zero and, you know...

DARIA KASATKINA: I feel like there was no break. It's so fast. Like was holidays, a bit more than two weeks, and then the preseason went just like a flash and we are here. It's already almost second week Australian Open. It's with the blink of an eye, honestly. I feel like the time just go too fast in general. Yeah, that's the summer actually.

Yeah, as I said, so fast. I didn't even have the time to reflect on the last season. It's already, like, we're in the middle of the third tournament. So we're going to be in Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, and then it's Miami. Yeah it is very fast.

That's why you probably have to try to be in the moment, which also goes very fast.

Q. I know you want more rest. Everybody wants more rest and need an offseason, all that, but can there be a benefit, maybe more mentally, to not have to close the book on last season for a player who had a great season last year? You know, you just kind of pick up and go. You don't have time to...

DARIA KASATKINA: You don't have time at all. As I said, in tennis in general, we don't have opportunity to celebrate our achievements at all. That sucks actually because it doesn't matter. You won a tournament, any tournament. It's a big achievement. No break. You have to go play next week. It's tough. It's tough.

It's like we are putting a lot of pressure on ourselves because it's like it's never enough because you won something. You are thinking in the moment it's a good result. But then in two days you lost first round. Everything is bad again.

Yes, this is tough. This is tough. But this is tennis.

Q. I just wonder, have you seen the animation thing that the tournament has been doing with the players as a computer game?

DARIA KASATKINA: I saw (laughing).

Q. What did you think of it? Do you like it?

DARIA KASATKINA: I don't know how it works. I was wondering how this thing is working because it's in the realtime.

Q. Yeah.

DARIA KASATKINA: First, I was concerned. Is it just, like, I don't know, sometimes on YouTube they do a re-game of the match, like whatever games. I was, like, no, but it's the point, which was just right now. Daniil is hitting the net. I'm, like, Wow, it's interesting.

Some of them are so funny also. I think it's nice. It's something new, also. It's for free. More things like this we have, I think it's better because it's interesting for the people because everyone is different. Some people prefer to watch animation than to watch real match, I think, for example. So I think that's fun.

Q. Are all the players aware of it?

DARIA KASATKINA: No idea. Never spoke with anybody about it.

Q. As a content creator, as you and Natalia are, how aware are you about the rules about content creation, especially on YouTube, like X number of minutes per ad? Is that anything that controls or impacts the decision-making about your videos, or do you just do exactly what you want irrespective of YouTube's algorithm and things like that, and you are happy with that?

DARIA KASATKINA: In terms of content, we are doing everything we would like to do. As Natasha sees the picture, as she wants to, you know, the video look like, she's doing that.

The only annoying thing sometimes is copyrighting because sometimes even we record some music like just the artist on the street singing the song, and we put it in the vlog, it can be copyright. You have to always keep in mind these things.

Sometimes it's too much and difficult because we never meant to steal someone's work, never. But sometimes you just want to add a little bit something, I don't know, a little sweetness or sourness (laughing). But you cannot because it's prohibited. Your video will be blocked.

We are always worried, you know, to get this -- how do you call this -- this strike. That's the only thing which is annoying, but it's all fine. We respect all the rules. We understand. But sometimes I think it can be a bit more flexible.

Q. Is it weird as well that you can't use footage of yourself playing?

DARIA KASATKINA: Yeah, this is something I am a bit not agree with because it's not like we're streaming, you know. It's something what happened two weeks ago, you know? Plus, it's me. Goddamn it's me playing the match. I was waiting there outside running, and now I cannot use the footage of myself just to, you know, make the picture how it is.

But some of the tournaments are fine. For example, if we use the footage from WTA, they're fine with that. It's completely okay. Some of the tournaments, like Wimbledon, for example, they are pretty strict with that.

But in my point of view I think to make our things more popular, to make people want to watch it, we have to share those things because it will make it more interesting.

Plus, as I said, we are not streaming the match, which is happening right now, which you understand, okay, the television rights and stuff, it happened. Everyone already know and watched it 20 times. It's not controversial. I don't see it controversial.

Q. Maybe you should do an animated version of yourself. Then you could have the rights.

DARIA KASATKINA: Music as well, I don't know. Have to check. Now you have to check everything.

Q. Just looking ahead, you face Emma Navarro. What do you make of her kind of rise. You guys were neck and neck for the finals last year and all that sort of stuff, but what do you make of her game and what is a challenge to you to try to solve?

DARIA KASATKINA: I mean, I can say that we've got some similarities in our game. Also, in terms of game style, like to keep the ball in, moving, running, yes, spin, all this. So I don't know what to expect. We practiced just once. One vlog appearance, so let's see what we're going to have.

No, I mean, Emma, I think she's nice girl. I'm going to be very happy to share the court with her in the fourth round of Australian Open. First time for me, which I'm very happy about it.

So, yeah, for the moment I'm enjoying this day right now. Tomorrow going to prepare. Then, as I say, with the blink of an eye, I will find myself being on court playing the match (laughing).

Q. Just, finally, what it's like at the moment playing Aryna and the kind of unique challenge that she presents?

DARIA KASATKINA: Sabalenka?

Q. Yeah, here going for a third title.

DARIA KASATKINA: Because there is an Aryna Siarhiejeuna, don't forget that. My friend.

Of course, Aryna is a huge challenge. Honestly, she's got the power. Like, she's moving now on court much better than few years ago. She's now also very good in defense. She's got more variety than before, and her serve goes 200 kilometers per hour. I mean, that's tough. That's tough.

To handle this attack during the whole match, I mean, it's difficult. Plus, mentally she becomes very strong. Like, before she could have ups and downs. Now she's much more stable.

With the results, we can see definitely that she's -- now she's No. 1, right? So she's now the best player in the world. Well-deserved.

Q. Does the ball feel very different from...

DARIA KASATKINA: Her ball, it's a rocket. It's a rocket, yeah. Pretty much.