YARRA VALLEY CLASSIC

February 3, 2021

Garbine Muguruza

Press Conference

G. MUGURUZA/A. Pavlyuchenkova

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Walk us through that match today and how you felt.

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA: I felt pretty good out there. I felt like since the beginning of the match I took the control. I took my opportunities. I think I played very good three, four games that gave me the advantage and the lead in that first set. I feel like in the second set it was the first games more tough, but I felt like I was the one dominating and I could, yeah, take the lead. Also in the second set. Yeah, that's it.

Q. What is it about the matchup with Anastasia that seems to be a comfortable one for you?

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA: I mean, I feel like this match was in the result the less complicated. I think we played tough matches in the past. I feel like we're both aggressive. We both take our chances. I don't know, I feel like it's good rallies, good pace of the ball. I feel like, yeah, I feel good on the baseline and trying to make my game.

I mean, I don't know. This probably was the match that I played my best, also. If I compare all the matches that we played, I think we played many times, so we know each other pretty good. I don't know, I just like it.

Q. For a lot of players this is kind of a new situation, especially top players. Most of you guys don't play the week before a major. Obviously everybody is kind of doing that and there's matches back to back to back to back, as well. Is that in the back of your mind at all in terms of preparing for the Australian Open while you're still trying to obviously find rhythm and get matches ahead of time?

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA: I feel like we have to kind of adapt this year all the time. I feel like I have to stop thinking what I was doing before and just taking the opportunity this year because it's definitely not going to be the same. And yes, probably in the past I would rather get ready and prepare in a different way, but I did that before. Luckily I had two weeks to prepare, so I was forward to competing, no matter if next week there is a Grand Slam. I feel like it's going to help me.

I think I did the work already, so I just have to go out there and just try to put it in the match.

Q. Obviously the next match against Kenin. People will be talking about it just as a rematch and everything. What is your mindset going into that match?

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA: It's a good match to play. We played exactly almost one year ago, right, so it was a tough match. It was a special match, also, being a final.

Looking forward to facing her again, and try to turn the score around. But yeah, excited because it was a match that I think I played -- we both played well and she ended up getting her opportunities, and I'm looking forward to facing those players again, especially the top players.

Q. Is there anything that you take from that match, things that you learned or things in terms of taking that into this match to turn it around?

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA: I mean, yeah. I watched that match and I think that I have now more things to -- I know her a little bit better because we played already twice, so that's normal. But yeah, I'm just looking forward in general just to play again these top players, to get more matches. Yeah, why not play a good player.

Q. In terms of making the finals at the Australian Open last year, obviously a champion on grass, a champion on clay, the two hard court slams had been a little bit tricky before. Did that change anything for you in terms of your mindset in attacking these hard court Slams?

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA: It didn't make a difference because I felt like I also won tournaments in hard court and I'd been playing quarterfinals and semifinals, and yeah, I did a final. That doesn't change my mind. I feel like I'm also a good player in hard court. I also feel like hard court everybody plays well. It's more equal surface. I feel like in grass court you've got to change a little bit. The tactic is more -- there is more tennis. I feel like in clay, also, it's a different surface so you have to find ways to play. And here I feel like, yeah, everybody likes hard court. Yeah, it's less fun, I would say.

Q. Is winning the career slam a goal for you?

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA: Yeah, definitely. I feel like that's a goal for every player once you break the first step to win a Grand Slam and then you want another one and then you want the four of them. It's a process, but for sure it's one of my goals, yeah.

Q. You've been here so often. Have you got into the Australian way of life at all with some of the Australian sayings, some of the Australian foods, like vegemite and things like that?

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA: Oh, I tried vegemite and I'm not trying it again. I didn't like that that much. Honestly, not really. I feel like I'm pretty easy, and I feel like I get good like around people, Australian people. They are nice. I don't feel there is something so different from the way I live. I feel like, yeah, I adapt pretty easy, and no, I don't speak that words. I don't know them that much to add it to my language.

Q. Tried any of the words?

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA: The words? No. No. I feel like that's not the way I speak English. But yeah, I like it. Yeah.

Q. You're saying you don't like vegemite, which is terrible for you to say --

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA: Why? I feel like I tried once and I have to say I was a little bit -- I thought it was sweet but then it was salty and then I didn't know what it was. Yeah, it was a long time ago.

Q. Have you tried kangaroo?

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA: I have not. I would be curious. Culturally for us it would be shocking I feel like because we don't have these animals. It would be like, wow, I'm eating a kangaroo, but I'm open to try it, yeah.

Q. Crocodile?

GARBIÑE MUGURUZA: You're pushing. Yes, I'm pretty open to try a lot of different food. Also being from Latin America I feel like there's also another culture, in Europe there is another culture, but I'm open to try, but is never a good time to try new food when you are trying to perform and to play. You never want to risk that something might be strange to your stomach. So it's hard.