Australian Open Saturday, 6 February 2021 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Sofia Kenin Press Conference

score obviously was 2-2, which is not the score I wanted. THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. I obviously wanted to win. But it was a really good match. Q. How does it feel to be here as the defending champion? She obviously played some really good , played some amazing shots. I obviously was quite frustrated. SOFIA KENIN: It feels good. It's obviously a special You can see all over the pictures. I'm obviously down tournament for me. Coming back here again, it obviously and looking all over somewhat at the crowd. I was quite brings back lots of memories. I'm just super excited to be down. I wasn't too happy with myself. back here. But I was still battling. I tried. I fought. Obviously my leg Q. You said earlier in the week that your focus at wasn't 100% as well. It was a little bit sore. That's not this time would be on channeling your emotions a an excuse at all. little bit more. How do you think you've handled that this week? Do you think that's set you up for next Yeah, she played some really good tennis. I obviously week? did not expect that. I fought. I'd rather do better in AO than here, so try to take some positives out of it. SOFIA KENIN: I think overall it was good. I mean, yesterday maybe not the best way I wanted to handle my Q. You mentioned your leg. How is that? Is that emotions. Of course, she played very well. All credit to something that's going to niggle and affect you? her. She obviously came out, I guess, hungry for blood I guess to win. But I obviously did not mentally prepare so SOFIA KENIN: I mean, I hope not, honestly. It was my well. Obviously it affected me a little bit. Yeah, like I left groin and my left glut, it was completely sore. I think I said, she played really well. was rolling a lot yesterday. Even before the match I rolled probably like an hour before they even finished. I Overall I'm happy with the way I handled everything. was just rolling with the Theragun. It kind of got better, Like I said, I got to get ready for AO and I have to figure but it wasn't the best. out how to handle my emotions there. She obviously played well, so... Q. There have been a number of withdrawals subsequent to your match. Do you feel you've had Q. How have you pulled up from it today? the same level of preparation in terms of match play that some of the other players have had? SOFIA KENIN: It's better, which I don't understand. From a match, now today it's better. Thank God. SOFIA KENIN: Yes, I think so. I played Abu Dhabi. I Obviously I'm not going to complain about that. I want it was able to practice for two weeks, luckily. I got in a to be better for AO. good amount of match play here. Q. There have been some injuries to the big stars so I mean, I'm not complaining about my results. Obviously far. Do you think that could be due to quarantine or wish it would have been better. I'm going to obviously long layoffs? use another day of practice before getting ready for AO. So we'll see. SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, definitely. People who haven't played matches for two weeks, it's obviously not the Q. Yesterday it was a 6-2, 6-2 scoreline, but it was same. Everyone is using this tournament to prepare for the most intense 6-2, 6-2 match I've seen. What was . Yeah, I mean, obviously you can see your takeaway from it? What did you learn that you'd that being in a room for two weeks, not playing, like to work on? practicing, it's not the same as playing a match clearly. After two matches, my leg is completely sore. Yeah, it's SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, every point was a battle. The obviously different.

104349-1-1004 2021-02-06 01:13:00 GMT Page 1 of 3 big toll on me not playing with them. Knowing that But everyone's obviously going to be ready for Australian they're going to be here is just really special. Open, for sure. I'm super grateful to Tennis Australia for doing everything Q. (Question regarding players you beat last year, if to keep us safe. Letting the fans in, I'm just honestly they got a second crack, how would you be prepared super excited. I really hope they're going to cheer for me for that kind of rematch?) even though I play an Aussie-Aussie on Monday or Tuesday (smiling). Yeah, we'll see. SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, definitely. If I play one of those players, then of course it's going to be a rematch. I told Q. What do you know about your first opponent? my dad this morning, I'd rather lose to Garbine yesterday and win Australian Open than lose Australian Open and SOFIA KENIN: I played her, like, in Maureen Connolly win. back in the old days. I lost to her. But that doesn't matter, it feels like it was forever ago. I haven't seen her Obviously I wanted to win. I'm not saying I wanted to play. I don't know much about her. I don't remember lose. Yeah, I mean, obviously it's going to be revenge, much from that match except that I lost. for sure. But according to my draw, I'm not playing any of those players any time soon, so that's fine. I already I'm not going to go into the match thinking that I lost. I'm looked at my draw, so... just going to go into the match thinking I played my best game hopefully. Q. You mentioned the difficulty of the prep with injuries. Do you think those players that were in the Q. You said you saw your draw already. hard quarantine can still compete, could win it? SOFIA KENIN: Yeah. SOFIA KENIN: Definitely, yeah. I mean, everyone is a great player. Everyone is here. Obviously we somewhat Q. What are your thoughts? got through it together. I feel like everyone's just hungry to play and finally get on the court. SOFIA KENIN: I mean, it's tough. I obviously look quite far ahead, I think till four rounds. After that it's obviously I Now with the fans coming in in a day, obviously it's going know who I'll play. I'm not trying to be mean or anything, to bring a different atmosphere, it's going to be more but see who I'd rather play or not play. excitement to the game, for all of us players, everyone, our team members. I feel it's going to be a lot of energy. We'll see what's going to happen. I still got to play my game, worry about my results. Off court I'm going to be I feel like everyone might be injured now, kind of like watching the matches, hoping that I'm not going to play doing everything they can to be ready for the big one, some opponents. Not going to say who (smiling). Australian Open. Q. Do you normally look ahead in the draw or is this Q. You reckon they can still compete? a new thing?

SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, definitely. They can compete. SOFIA KENIN: I do this at Grand Slams. I'm very Any player can win on any given day. Just because they superstitious. I do this in Grand Slams. Yeah, last year I didn't practice for two weeks doesn't mean they don't looked at the draw till the fourth round. Paris I looked at know how to play tennis. Obviously they know how to the fourth round. US Open. Why change the rhythm play. They're great players. (smiling)?

You can't underestimate them, for sure. Q. Defending a major is something brand-new for you. What is the most important aspect you had to Q. All the players have said how excited they are to work on yourself to be prepared? have fans back. Is there any part of you that thinks it's weird after a hard quarantine period, sports SOFIA KENIN: Obviously I would love to defend it. But, events in the rest of the world don't have fans, and yeah, just preparing physically and mentally, knowing Australia is going to let 30,000 fans per day in? Do that I got to be physically there in my game, my you think there's some kind of imbalance or yin and movement, everything. Mentally I got to handle my yang? emotions and understand whoever I'm going to play, they're obviously going to play with no pressure, which is SOFIA KENIN: I'm just super excited for that. I've expected. They're probably going to play better against obviously missed the fans. It's not going to be weird at me, so I have to somehow try to handle my nerves and all. I'm so used to playing in front of the fans. It was a try to stick to my game plan, yeah, hope that I win.

104349-1-1004 2021-02-06 01:13:00 GMT Page 2 of 3 Q. Thinking about United States that has , , and you are really young yet. Do you feel a tennis reference in your native States?

SOFIA KENIN: Yeah, definitely. Trying to be special next to Venus Williams and Serena Williams, they've done so much for the game. Really want them to keep playing because it makes me want to push and be like them. They really inspired me. Fingers crossed they'll keep playing. They're playing some really good tennis now.

Q. Do you remember two Colombians Diego Valencia and Miguel Tobon, what importance they had in your career?

SOFIA KENIN: Yes, I remember them. Hi, Diego, Miguel. Yeah, I just hit with them when I was little. Miguel I have videos hitting with him. Diego, I hit with him on those public courts. He obviously knows where.

Yeah, he even traveled to New York. I don't know if he lives there, but he went and saw me play at US Open. Yeah, I mean, I've got good things about them.

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