AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 11, 2025

Carlos Cuadrado

Emerson Jones

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are here with Emerson and Coach Carlos, as well.

How did you feel when you got the news that you'd be competing at your home slam?

EMERSON JONES: I was firstly pretty shocked. I was pretty excited. I wasn't really expecting a wild card because there are so many good girls.

Obviously I was just hoping for the best. Yeah, I was really, really excited, just overwhelmed.

THE MODERATOR: And how do you feel about performing in front of a home crowd?

EMERSON JONES: It's always exciting to me. Like even last year with juniors at AO. And with quallies last year, I was really excited to play in front of the crowd because it's always great, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What do you make of your draw? A pretty tough one first up.

EMERSON JONES: Yeah (smiling). I'm really excited, to be honest, to play against her. I've watched her for years on TV. Great experience for me, especially at a young age, to play against someone like that.

Q. Have you had a chance to compete against anyone as highly ranked as Rybakina is in the past?

EMERSON JONES: No, she's going to be my highest player I've played. Last week was also the highest player of my career so far that I've played.

I'm really excited to play these higher players, yeah. It's great.

Q. How do you describe yourself as a tennis player?

EMERSON JONES: I'd say I'm just an aggressive player. I feel like I'm pretty brave on court. I just go for my shots. I try to have my best attitude every time I step on the court, yeah.

Q. How much of an inspiration was Ash Barty, making it seem possible as an Australian woman to reach the top?

EMERSON JONES: I think it's great when people say that I'm following in Ash Barty's footsteps. Obviously she was a crazy tennis player, unreal results.

I've obviously got my own journey. So yeah, I think it's pretty special when people say stuff like that. Obviously it's going to take a lot to get where she was, yeah.

Q. On that, do you have much of a relationship with Ash? Have you spoken to her much in the buildup to this tournament?

EMERSON JONES: Yeah, like before my junior Wimbledon, before I went over there, I had a hit with her on the grass. Before junior French, too. She's always helped out with hitting and giving me advice before I play, like, bigger tournaments, yeah.

Q. Tennis is a little weird in that girls sort of get thrust into the big time very early. How do you balance wanting to go quickly, but also you mentioned you're on your own journey, and sort of understanding the process? I don't know if, Coach, you want to chime in on that process, as well, where it all fits in.

CARLOS CUADRADO: Yeah, we are definitely focused on the process. We take day by day. We are not in a rush. We are here to learn, to have fun, to compete, to try to win. But we are aware about we are 16 years old and we have a lot to learn.

I think we are going to definitely keep focus on that, training hard. She trains very hard. That is one of her best skills as well and great ingredient to have for the future.

The rest, it will just come along.

Q. There's obviously a huge desire in this country post-Ash for another Australian woman. Seems like there's a bunch of you coming through. Do you interact a lot, help support each other?

EMERSON JONES: Yeah. Well, there are a lot of girls in Australia who are doing really well right now in the women's. They are young. Like Maya Joint, I train at the same place as her. Talia Gibson. Yeah, we all just hit with each other.

Yeah, I think it's pretty good to play with those types of girls who are also trying to break through.

Q. How do you think it will be on game day when you're out in front of the crowd? How do you prepare yourself for being on that stage?

EMERSON JONES: To be honest, I just focus, as soon as I get on court, I just focus on what I need to do. I don't think about the opponent, how big the crowd is. I just need to focus on my game and hopefully play my best tennis, yeah.

Q. Carlos, having been a former junior champion yourself, what advice can you give Emerson?

CARLOS CUADRADO: Just to keep doing the same things she's doing. Keep training hard. Don't change that. Keep competing hard, like she's already doing. Be fearless, like she already is. Just keep going.

Have no expectations now. Keep observing everything from the tour, from the best players as well, watch them play, see what they do well. Just stay focused in herself.

I think we have a great team around us. We are doing things very well. We want to create strong fundamentals. Like I said, the rest will just come whenever it comes.

Q. You had a phenomenal week last week in Adelaide. What did you learn from those matches, particularly the final against Daria?

EMERSON JONES: I think, like, getting to see that level was really good 'cause I haven't really gotten to see that level yet. Knowing that, like, I can compete with these girls and these women, it's pretty exciting for me, yeah.

CARLOS CUADRADO: It made me realize she can beat anybody, which was a great thing to see. I also realized that her level lift when she plays against better players, which is a very good skill to have. At the end of the day, the opponent will push her and give her the level.

In training we create our structure, our way to play, our strategies. But at the end of the day, playing against these great players will push her up. That was great to see in competition.

Q. What would you do differently, looking back on that final match? Because you started so well, and then she got stronger.

EMERSON JONES: I would say that's probably one of the best matches I've played. I was pretty happy with it. But doing differently? Probably just go back and focus on all the important kind of little...

Because there were only a few points between us in the first set and sometimes the second set. I think in training, working on just competing on, like, the littler points, yeah.

Q. Any players you look up to, women you look up to?

EMERSON JONES: I look up to Sabalenka a lot, as well. I love her game and the way she plays, just her mentality on court. I think it's really great.

Q. What is your nontennis-related goal for 2025?

EMERSON JONES: My nontennis-related goal? I'd say just... I haven't really thought about that (laughter).

Well, I don't know. What would you say? Eating better off court. I think I am trying, like especially with Carlos pushing me, to eat better before my matches and everything, have a better breakfast. I think learning what to eat. That will help my performance and be healthy.

CARLOS CUADRADO: Just to clarify. It's not that she doesn't eat well. We understand now the level she is exposed to is demanding a lot from her. The better fuel we can put to her body, the better. But it's just the basics.