AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 17, 2023

Caroline Garcia

Press Conference

C. GARCIA/K. Sebov

6-3, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on your win today. Just give us your overall thoughts on your performance in the match.

CAROLINE GARCIA: Yeah, I'm pretty happy with the first match. You know, it's never easy to start the tournament. Today was tough condition out there, and a couple first game rallies a bit tight and I was able to play better and better. Very happy to get through in a quick match at the end.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. What was the heat like today in Melbourne compared to other visits?

CAROLINE GARCIA: I have to admit on the Rod Laver it was pretty nice. Obviously it was warm. It was nice to be able to walk in the shadow a little bit when you were able to serve, but I didn't feel that such warm weather. I don't know in the crowd there is some AC or whatever, but it felt warm, but it felt okay.

Q. Just in terms of getting the first match under your belt, were there more nerves than normal? Was it pretty standard walking out there? How did you feel before walking out on court?

CAROLINE GARCIA: There were nerves. Obviously there is. I think there will always be some. That mean I care also about what I'm doing.

I was not expecting at the beginning to play on Rod Laver, so I was a little bit surprised when I saw the schedule out. It's actually my first win on Rod Laver, so it was pretty nice.

Yeah, I mean, I was a bit stressed, the ball was not going out of the racquet very fast in the first couple of games. Then with time it got better and better. I'm glad I stayed calm and just focused one point at a time to be able to improve and stay positive.

Q. How have you kind of over the course of your career changed how you manage a two-week slam? The day off in between sometimes in the past you obviously had doubles as well, but at this point, how have you locked in your kind of routines, I guess, at a major?

CAROLINE GARCIA: Yeah, I think last year I obviously did better in slams. Even US Open I was playing the doubles, so it's going to be a different routine for this tournament.

In Wimbledon it was like I want to be here. I think you learn more how you want to manage your day off, your afternoon after the match if you finish early. It's also easier as a top seed to book practice and everything in case if it's raining and everything so makes your life easier.

Melbourne is nice because you stay close by. Just, you know, take a chill day and don't focus too early on the next match.

Q. Looking ahead, obviously you're facing Leylah. What do you make of that matchup?

CAROLINE GARCIA: It's a great second round obviously. You know, she did great in the slams in the past, and she's very young player, very talented lefty, so you don't play as much as lefty.

Yeah, it's a good challenge. I will have to play my best tennis for sure. Try to take the second set of today, a good practice tomorrow, and then just go for it and try to be more aggressive than her.

Q. A random question about scheduling. Obviously you have been a top-10 player, have been lower ranked, younger, et cetera, what's the most surprising thing do you think that people from the outside might not understand about how you guys plan your schedules, how you decide what tournaments to play, especially when you're lower ranked and there is maybe some strategic decisions that you might have to make to chase points, chase prize money, et cetera?

CAROLINE GARCIA: When you are lower, you already want to enter in the tournament, you know. Like sometimes you don't really choose where you go, because in some weeks there is two tournaments and sometimes some are stronger than the other ones. So you just go in the lower ranked one where you are going to get in in the main draw. I think it's more important to get in the main draw obviously.

When I was lower ranked at the beginning of last year, I always thought about where I can get points, how is the draw going to be and whatever, but you never really know. I never chase prize money, I have to admit (smiling). It's more about the points and how you can get the wins to make you able to get in the bigger tournament.