AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 12, 2025

Hady Habib

Press Conference

H. HABIB/Bu Yunchaokete

7-6, 6-4, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Hady, congrats. Another history made today after your first-round win here in Melbourne. You are the first Lebanese player to win a main draw Grand Slam singles match. How do you feel? Can you share with us your thoughts and emotions?

HADY HABIB: Yeah, this is probably one of the best days of my career honestly. It's such an credible feeling to get this win not only for myself but for Lebanon and Lebanese tennis. As you guys could see there, the crowd was absolutely wild. It made it even more special to win in front of them.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You mentioned the crowd. I was at Suzanne Lenglen when you met Alcaraz during the Olympics. Can you compare the two experiences? Obviously you won this one; not against Alcaraz. Which one would you rate higher?

HADY HABIB: Yeah, I mean, there was definitely more people in the Alcaraz match. I think there was more Lebanese people today, so...

I mean, today felt a little more special 'cause I obviously got the win and also being, like, an historic win, yeah, it was incredible.

Q. How do you manage to remain always so calm on the court? You seem to never be nervous.

HADY HABIB: I mean, there's obviously a lot of tension and normal thoughts you have during moments like that, but I try to focus on things I can control. That's what seems to help me and just on the tactics and where I need to play the ball. That kind of gets me outside of my head, so...

Yeah, I just try to focus on just being in the moment and playing each point.

Q. What does this victory mean in terms of the current situation in your country?

HADY HABIB: Yeah, like I said, it's a huge win, especially what we've been going through as a country. I think to bring something positive, especially we've been having a rough time with obviously the war. We had our other issues in the past.

Yeah, it's just nice to get this win for Lebanon and for the people.

Q. Do you still have family in Lebanon? Have you had much feedback from fans in the country?

HADY HABIB: Oh, yeah. I mean, the support I've been getting these last couple days have been incredible. My phone has been absolutely blowing up.

Yeah, just all my family back home. I actually have some family from Sydney that came out to watch. It's been a special time for me to have all the Lebanese people join in the community.

Yeah, I felt the energy out there. They definitely helped me get through that win tonight.

Q. I apologize for not knowing a whole bunch about you. I know you were born in Houston, and you played at Texas A&M.

HADY HABIB: Yes, sir.

Q. Could you explain a little bit more about your connection with Lebanon? I read your father is Lebanese, is that right?

HADY HABIB: Yes, my father is Lebanese. From the age of 6 until 12 I lived there and went to school there. I started to play tennis in Lebanon. I still have a lot of friends back there. My parents currently live there.

Yeah, I've been representing Lebanon since I was 15 years old when I played my first Davis Cup match. Yeah, that's the story.

Q. Why did you want to represent Lebanon?

HADY HABIB: That's a good question.

I mean, I grew up and just the values that they have there and the people. I just wanted to represent the country that I've lived in and been a part of the tennis culture and everyone back home.

Yeah, it's a decision I made at a young age. Yeah, just gives me the motivation to keep going. To play for a small country is something special for me.

Q. Can you talk generally about the state of tennis in Lebanon, how many clubs there are? Is it a sport that young kids aspire to play?

HADY HABIB: I mean, I wouldn't say it's at its best right now. Hopefully things will change. I hope that my win today or yesterday would make that change. We have a new president, Alain Sayegh, who is looking to make some changes to the federation and try to have a better development for the younger generation.

There's things to be worked on. Yeah, there's a lot of room for improvement in Lebanese tennis.

Q. Do you have any sponsors?

HADY HABIB: I do have a sponsor. Yeah, I mean, I've been mostly sort of helping myself on this journey, to be honest.

Q. A great payday today for winning this match. What does that mean for your ability to fund your career?

HADY HABIB: Yeah, it's huge to get obviously the financial help to further invest in myself and my team. I think it's going to help me tremendously.

Now I can sort of expand my team, yeah, invest more in myself. I think that it will, like, help my tennis for sure.

Q. This obviously has been an amazing few months for you. How close or far did the second round of the Australian Open feel like a week before you went to Chile at the end of last year?

HADY HABIB: Can you repeat that?

Q. How close or far did the Australian Open second round feel a week before you went to Chile at the end of last year and won the challenger when obviously you hadn't yet made the cut for the quallies?

HADY HABIB: After Chile, I took a little pre-season to train and prepare for Australia. So it was a very short time. Like, I knew after winning that I'm going to play Australia. Yeah, it was a two-week training block.

I played a tournament in Canberra in preparation for this. Didn't get a chance to take a break, but it's paid off. So I'm happy.

Q. Before the challenger, did it feel far away, the prospect of being in the Australian Open, being in the main draw, being in the second round?

HADY HABIB: Honestly, I felt like I could, yeah, achieve these things that I have set for myself today. I've been playing really good tennis at end of last year. We set some goals for this tournament.

Initially my goal was to qualify. I achieved that. Today I just went out there and played each point, played my best tennis I think. Yeah, it got me the win today. I'm extremely grateful and happy.

Q. Why did you become a tennis player? How did you get into the sport? At what point did you think you could try to make a career of this?

HADY HABIB: Will you repeat that?

Q. How did you start to play tennis? Why? At what point did you think to yourself maybe you could make a career out of this?

HADY HABIB: Yeah, I started playing in Lebanon when I was at the age of 9 at a small club there. I just kept playing. I got good really fast.

Then I just wanted to at a very young age, like, be a professional tennis player, just do this as more than just like a hobby. That's when I actually moved to the States at the age of 11 to further continue, yeah, my tennis journey.

Q. Did you start because a parent said, Here, try this sport, or you had a friend to play, you watched it on TV?

HADY HABIB: Yeah, actually it was funny. My dad always wanted me to be a tennis player, for some reason. He never actually played the sport. As a young kid, I was put in different sports. I played basketball. I did swimming. I did a bunch of different sports. I just stuck with tennis for some reason, yeah.

Q. In this moment you'll meet Ugo Humbert. Would you rather stay on the outside court for the more chaotic Lebanese party, or would you rather go inside to some of the closed courts where there may not be the same access for Lebanese people?

HADY HABIB: I think they'll find a way to get in either way.

Q. What do you prefer?

HADY HABIB: It doesn't matter to me. Hopefully there's going to be a larger audience to watch me play my next match. I think it would be better if I played on a bigger court so that more Lebanese people can come out and watch me.

Q. Did you achieve one of your best dreams today?

HADY HABIB: Yeah, for sure. This is the biggest achievement I've had in my entire career, so yes.

Q. You said that your parents are currently living in Lebanon. Are they there right now? Have you had a chance to talk to them since your win?

HADY HABIB: I had, like, a few texts with them. After showering and getting some food, coming over here, yeah, I didn't really get much of a chance to call them. I will do that after this, for sure.