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AUSTRALIAN OPEN


January 18, 2018


Daria Gavrilova


Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

E. MERTENS/D. Gavrilova

7-5, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. 5-Love up, what happened?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I don't even know. Yeah, I think my level was pretty good in the first set. But I still, yeah, can't believe that it got away from me. It just happened, and it happened quickly. Like I didn't think I changed anything or I wasn't aggressive enough. I think she just played pretty good.

Like the game at 5-4, I hit that shank backhand passing shot that went in. It shouldn't have. It was the ugliest backhand ever.

Yeah, then she just played pretty good on big points. Yeah, maybe I had to step up a little bit. I mean, I've seen it before, girls losing or guys losing from being up 5-Love, ridiculous like I was. I was like, Surely she could have hit a winner or something. Clearly I couldn't. It's a new experience.

Q. The debate, the controversy over the review that was denied?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Well, I don't know exactly the rule, but I challenged it within three seconds, so I wasn't sure what was going on.

Q. Do you understand why it was denied?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: She said because my coach, that my coach told me to. He did go like that (putting finger up). That could have meant anything. Usually that means out. Normally when you're told to challenge the ball, the coach would probably go like that (palms down).

Q. You talked about how you felt it slipped away so quickly. Did it feel at any point in the first set that it was slipping away?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: No, it didn't. I had chances literally every single game. Didn't I have like a set point in every single game?

Q. You had eight total.
DARIA GAVRILOVA: How many did I have?

Q. Eight.
DARIA GAVRILOVA: It sucks. But, I mean, I was getting frustrated. I felt like I could still get that freaking set.

Q. How hard was it having to sit around till midnight before walking on the court?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, it was a bit weird. But I've had this experience before. Obviously a few people had left. That was a bit different atmosphere. Still I felt the support from the crowd.

Q. How difficult is it to prepare for a game starting that late? What did you do while you were waiting?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Well, I had an hour hit. I treated it as a session, not just a warmup. That was at 5:00. Actually before Mackenzie. I was, like, why is he hitting after me, he's playing before me. Yeah, then I had food, treatment, tape. I just was waiting around.

Q. Was it frustrating waiting for so long?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: Yeah, it is frustrating. But that's how it is.

Q. Would it be better to play on Thursday?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: No. Yeah, I was ready to go.

Q. What is the overall feeling as you sit there now? Still a bit stunned, disappointed, opportunity lost?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I guess I don't deserve it if I didn't win today. I was probably in a better draw section, too. I looked at it just then (smiling).

But there's still some flaws in my game that need to be improved. Yeah, my main goal is to win a slam one day. I really need to improve in a lot of things. I'm just not ready yet.

Q. What do you feel let you down today?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: I'm not going to say it.

Q. What about your service game, the double-fault?
DARIA GAVRILOVA: That let me down, as well. I definitely need to get my second serve better. Usually my service percentage, for me to win matches, I need to have it pretty high as well. So I'm definitely going to work on that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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