AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 14, 2024

Alina Korneeva

Press Conference

A. KORNEEVA/S. Sorribes Tormo

4-6, 6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations, Alina. Just tell us how you're feeling and how it was in your match today.

ALINA KORNEEVA: First of all, thanks for the congratulations. Of course, I'm so happy about the result what I did today. I think it's difficult when you are 16 and you win first round of Grand Slam. It's so difficult to feel this in my side, like in my body, because I really can't understand that I'm here and I'm not play junior already.

But at the same time I try already think about tomorrow, about the practice tomorrow, and I will watch my opponent tomorrow, and yep.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You say it's difficult. There's two 16-year-olds into the second round, maybe there will be three. Why do you think that's happening? What is it about this young group of players that seem to be pulling off these results?

ALINA KORNEEVA: I'm trying to focus on myself, of course. I'm not thinking about another girls, how they played and when they win or lose. I just try to focus on myself, and that's all.

I think everybody, it doesn't matter what age you are, you try to just to do everything on the court that you can, on the match, and that's all. Of course, if you do everything on the court and if you do everything on the practice, the result will be, and that's all. It doesn't matter what age you are.

Q. I know you are good friends with Mirra. Did you speak to her about how to handle the experience of playing your first main draw match?

ALINA KORNEEVA: No, I didn't. How I say, I stay focused on myself. We didn't see each other here a lot because she has a lot of practice, I have practice and match. That's all. I just try to be with my team.

Q. How did you mentally prepare for such an occasion?

ALINA KORNEEVA: For what?

Q. How did you mentally prepare for your main draw match?

ALINA KORNEEVA: I think the same like I prepared for another matches. Of course, my whole family, my team said that like every match, I just need to enjoy because, how I said, I'm just 16, and I not, like, have to do, have to win this match. I just need to show my best, and that's all, yes.

Q. If I remember correctly, last year when you won junior title here, you were very emotional at the ceremony. Is that right?

ALINA KORNEEVA: Yes, of course, it was my first Grand Slam. Of course, I was emotional.

Q. You were giving a very beautiful, like, winner speech on the final. How do you look back on this experience, and how that kind of experience makes this tournament special for you?

ALINA KORNEEVA: It's not like experience for me, but I'm not trying to think about what I did last year and what I win last year, I just try to think what I have to do now, what I have to do on this match that I have.

But, of course, at the same times it's so good that I played already in Australian Open. I know the organization. I know some people here, some organizers here, and they know me.

Yep, I think that's good that I already was prepare for the Australian Open.

Q. Obviously in the junior tournament you're mixing with the junior players. In the main draw you're mixing with a lot of older women. How does it feel to be in that position?

ALINA KORNEEVA: Of course, it's so different. It start from the mental game. It's so different between juniors and woman's. It's tennis, but sometimes not so important tennis. Mentally is more important, I think. That's all.

I think I'm not have, like, pressure on myself now when I play a Grand Slam because I'm just 16, and the girls at, woman, they have pressure I think more than me. That's all.

Maybe sometimes, of course, I thinking that I have to show my best. And it's a bit of pressure, but it's not like I have to win.

Q. Have you made friends with some of the older players in the short time you've been on the senior tour?

ALINA KORNEEVA: Not like friends. I think it's so difficult to have a friend in sports. But I know somebody, and that's all. I'm not, like, friend girl, I think in sports.

Q. You played on court 6, which was quite unusual because it has a bar and terrace at the side. I'm wondering how that experience was for you? Did you notice the noise? Was there any noise? I saw there was a DJ there as well. Did you hear a famous song or something during the match?

ALINA KORNEEVA: Like, when the match started, of course, it was a bit something new for me. It was a bit loud. But at the same time I was really happy for these fans because people here, the Australian fans, was really good and so energy. Then I just tried to don't think that we have music. No, I just tried to think on myself. And people was really energy, and I think this really help me today.

Q. Did you get asked or told by organizers that you were on a court with that experience, or did you not know until you arrived?

ALINA KORNEEVA: No, I didn't ask. I already play on this court. It wasn't really bad, no. I just wasn't ready for this, but then I just didn't think about this.

Q. She's obviously a very experienced player and a very physical player. She's known for playing three-hour matches every single week. For you to beat her in three sets in Australia in the heat, did you learn anything about yourself, about your game, about what you are capable of doing?

ALINA KORNEEVA: I think I didn't, like, learn something because I saw that she was tired in the third set, and I think I use it that she was tired because I tried to be energy and didn't think that it's already third set, we already played two hours and a half, no.

Of course, she's experienced. Of course, she has much more experience than me. At the same time I just didn't think about this and focus on myself.

Q. Do you think experience is overrated?

ALINA KORNEEVA: What is 'overrated'?

Q. Do you think people care too much and think too much about, oh, experience, this person has more experience than this person?

ALINA KORNEEVA: No, for me it doesn't matter. Like, I had some matches when the girls really was more experienced than me, but it's like lesson for me. It's really good when you play against a really experienced girls because you have a lot of lessons after the matches.