AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 14, 2025

Carlos Cuadrado

Emerson Jones

Press Conference

E. RYBAKINA/E. Jones

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Emerson and Carlos, just talk about the experience of playing on MCA today and also from your perspective as well? Do you want to start, Emerson?

EMERSON JONES: I think it was a great experience for me. I haven't played on that court before, and I haven't played that high of a ranked player before, so I think it was pretty exciting, yeah.

CARLOS CUADRADO: Same. I think it was a great experience for her. I mean, like, two minutes ago she was playing juniors, and today she's able to play on that court.

Obviously the result is not the one we wanted. We could have done things better. I feel like when the ball was in the middle of the rally, we had more chances, but we just didn't get to that point as much as we wanted.

Well, obviously Rybakina is an incredible player. Yeah, I mean, best of luck for her.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Were you surprised how good she was, Emerson? You've got to hit with terrific players, but was she even better than you expected?

EMERSON JONES: Yeah, well, like I said to Carlos when I was eating just then that I didn't really -- I went out there not expecting the level. I didn't really know what to expect, so I was a bit, like, wary on what will happen. So the whole match I was a bit nervous because I didn't really know what to expect.

Now I think it's great that I've had that experience, and hopefully I'll do better next time.

Q. What was the biggest lesson that you took out of that match?

EMERSON JONES: The biggest lesson was to probably work on my serve, get that better. Now I know the level, so that's probably the highest level that anyone could get. I think now, knowing the level, I think it's exciting that we get to go back and work on all the things that I need to improve.

Q. Are you going to continue playing juniors, or are you done with that? Where are you going to go?

EMERSON JONES: I'm playing juniors next week, and I'm only just doing the slams this year, but that's mostly it, yeah.

Q. Are you going to be playing quallies or challengers to try and get your rank up in pro tennis?

EMERSON JONES: Yeah, I'll do a lot more women's in the following years to come, which is exciting, but I think after this I've got two 75s in Brisbane.

CARLOS CUADRADO: Yeah.

EMERSON JONES: Brisbane, so yeah (laughing).

Q. Is there anyone else on the WTA tour you're going to try to hit with while you're here this week?

EMERSON JONES: Yeah. I mean, it's hard. No women yet wants to hit with me because I'm new (laughing). No one wants to hit with me just yet, but obviously I'm going to try to find really good hits. I know a couple of the really good juniors that are here, as well, so I can also start hitting with them, yeah.

CARLOS CUADRADO: That's probably my fault. I'm probably organizing it too late, and then everybody already has somebody to hit with.

EMERSON JONES: They don't really want to hit with me, but anyway (laughing).

Q. There was obviously a lot of focus on your Grand Slam debut. How did you handle the build-up of it and dealing with the nerves and all that kind of thing that you can take into games in the future?

EMERSON JONES: I mean, knowing I was playing Rybakina for four days before I had to play, I was trying to mentally prepare for it. It was pretty tough because obviously I didn't know what to expect, but I think it's -- wait. I forgot the question.

Q. How did you deal with the nerves and all the build-up?

EMERSON JONES: I thought I dealt with it pretty good, and on court I thought I handled myself really well. Even in the moments when I wasn't playing my best, I still think I tried to stay positive and handle it pretty good.

Q. You seem inspired to have witnessed that level and that you want to get there. Is that what you take out of today?

EMERSON JONES: Yeah. Well, I mean, knowing I didn't play my best tennis today, it was hard too because of her tennis, too. I just think I need to take out of it that it's exciting to see the top level, and that's probably what we're definitely going to work on when we get back is we know the level now, so we know what we need to improve and we can just do that, yeah.

Q. Can you compare what it was like walking out in Adelaide for that match against Kasatkina compared to walking out for a major?

EMERSON JONES: Honestly, it was the same feeling to me, because they're both massive tournaments I haven't played before, a 500 and a slam main draw. Both I was very nervous and both top-10 players.

They are kind of the same feeling. Different players, but I just think I handled them both pretty well before walking out on court, yeah.