AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 26, 2026

Maddison Inglis

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/M. Inglis

6-0, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Maddy, obviously a tough one out there today, but just how great was it to play in front of all those Australian fans on Rod Laver, and just comment on your experience at this AO as a whole.

MADDISON INGLIS: Oh, that's tough. Yeah, obviously super disappointed. Was hoping I could take it to Iga a bit more than that. But, yeah, she's a pretty good player, and she's had lots of experience on those courts.

So yeah, it was a bit of a tough one, but I gave my best. Yeah, I tried to chase down every single ball I could.

But, yeah, I think it's going to take a little bit, a little bit of time to look back on this AO and be pretty proud of what I've accomplished. Yeah, from being down match points in the first round to play on Rod Laver today, it was a pretty crazy couple of weeks. Yeah, going to try to take the good from it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. If someone had said to you, You'll make a run to the fourth round, what do you think your reaction would have been?

MADDISON INGLIS: No, I definitely wouldn't have believed that. So yeah, no, it's pretty cool. Yeah, even though today didn't go like I had planned, you know, it was, yeah, an incredible two weeks. Pretty life-changing for me.

Yeah, the best result of my career. So yeah, super happy. I'm looking forward to taking it into the rest of the year.

Q. Maddy, I'm guessing it sets up your year for tennis, but in terms of are you going to use that prize money to treat yourself, lash out on the wedding?

MADDISON INGLIS: Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, it's a lot of money. It's, yeah, the most prize money I've ever received in one tournament. Yeah, it's pretty cool.

I'll definitely use a lot of it to invest back into my tennis and have some people on the road with me to support me and make some weeks a bit easier with family or friends, yeah, because it's a long year. Yeah, do that, for sure.

I love shopping, (laughter), so I'm sure I'll buy something nice. I've wanted a Smeg toaster for so long, so long, that I just was, like, no you can't do that. So I think that's going to be my treat, and maybe the kettle, too.

But, yeah, so I think I'll do that. Yeah, just have a chilled week on the Gold Coast, which I'm looking forward to at home. Yeah, before that I'll be out there supporting Jason in the doubles.

Q. We're never going to be on the court with Iga Swiatek, so take us through that. Can you describe the experience of playing someone like that, what her balls are like, the pressure you're put under compared to playing on the lower reaches of the tour? Can you take us into that?

MADDISON INGLIS: Yeah, it's different. It's already a lot going out there on that court. You know, I enjoyed every minute, honestly. It was incredible. The support was unbelievable.

But, yeah, she's just a next-level player. I don't think I've had a lot of experience, you know, playing those matches. Yeah, you just kind of feel that pressure from every ball from her. It's just I've kind of got to do something here. I've got to really take my chances that I get because I'm not going to get too many.

Yeah, there are a couple of things that I can work on to do better in those moments. But, yeah, I thought I did my absolute best out there. I gave it everything. So I am disappointed, but also proud of that.

Q. Is the ball different? She puts so much work on it.

MADDISON INGLIS: I did say to Jason after he maybe should have spun it a bit more in the warmup, because, yeah, I was hitting with him the last couple of days to kind of get used to that, but the first couple of balls in the warmup, I was hitting them up here. I was, like, Whoa. You know, that wasn't what we had practiced.

But, yeah, it's just different. She plays a little different to the other women. Yeah, I thought I handled it all right out there. It's just that, you know, there's a few little things I've got to adapt to better, I think.

Yeah, I want to play more matches against those players, so hopefully this year I can.

Q. Obviously so much expectation for this match. You're out there on the court, big crowd, and the first set just goes in an instant, 6-Love up on the score. When you have those moments in the second set getting a couple of games, and I think you signaled, you put two fingers up in the second game, and you fully jumped after the first one, take us through your emotions in that period.

MADDISON INGLIS: (Laughter) Yeah, you know, she can do that to people. You know, she's done it to a few people where she doesn't let them have a game. It's just a natural thought going out there.

You know, Rod Laver Arena, it's full. It's Australia Day. Once you kind of -- I looked at the ball, I didn't know. I was like, okay, 6-Love. I was in it. I had some game points. They were long games.

It was still, you know, like, a 35-minute set. Like, I was in it. So, in a way, I was just like keep fighting, I'll get there, and if I don't, it's not the end of the world. Yeah, I was pretty relieved to get on the board.

Q. Can you explain going down 6-Love in that first set and then to win that first game breaking serve? Talk us through the celebration.

MADDISON INGLIS: Oh, you know, it's not every day you get to play on Rod Laver, so I was, like, let's get the crowd involved and just kind of enjoy it.

I could go the other way and just mope around like I lost the first 6-Love, but yeah, I just wanted to enjoy it and try and keep the spirits up. Yeah, I was happy to win a game, and I wanted to -- you know, I thought after that I could kind of relax a bit and keep going.

I did have a couple of chances to get 4-3 and, yeah, get it a little bit closer, but just, unfortunately, didn't take those, so yeah.

Q. I think you are up to 113th now in the live rankings. How much is top 100 a motivator for you over the next few months?

MADDISON INGLIS: Yeah, yeah, that's actually probably something I haven't really been able to think about, just because, I mean, you know, next match, next opponent. That's pretty cool.

That jump, you know, from 113 to 100 is still a long way. You know, I'll keep going. I'll have a little break now, but yeah, keen to get back into it and keep rising.

I think, yeah, it's a really good opportunity, and I've gained some good points from this tournament. So, yeah, pretty stoked to start the year at almost a career high.

Q. We've been hearing your name a lot over the last week, and I know you had a media event yesterday. Have you had a chance to get out and about in the last couple of days, and are you prepared for people to recognize you a bit more than they used to? I know you probably are a bit disappointed, but everyone is pretty proud. Are you ready for that?

MADDISON INGLIS: Oh, thanks. Yeah, I mean, I don't know how much, you know, people will recognize me, but we'll see.

Yeah, the support from everyone, you know, it's been incredible. So, yeah, I'm happy. It's really cool to sign autographs, and have people wanting my autograph is really cool. Hopefully, you know, inspiring the younger players will be really cool.

But, yeah, no, I don't know. I hadn't really thought about that, but yeah, I guess it will be cool. Hopefully I made a few people proud.

Q. What's next for you tennis-wise? What's your next tournament?

MADDISON INGLIS: To be honest, I also haven't thought about that too much. I've entered a couple of tournaments at home in Brisbane, so we'll see.

I'm pretty tired at the moment. It's been a big couple of weeks, mentally and physically. I've got a couple niggles that I'll take care of over the next couple of weeks, and I'll see if I'm ready for those tournaments.

But I think with the points that come on, maybe my schedule will change a little bit. I hadn't really thought about, you know, Indian Wells, Miami, but maybe now I might be in them, which is really cool.

Yeah, I'll sit down with my team and have a look at the calendar and, yeah, go from there.

Q. You've been so open for the last two weeks, and you definitely have shown your emotions. Coming off court, what was it like? How are your emotions now?

MADDISON INGLIS: Yeah, I mean, I'm proud. I'm a bit disappointed, you know. Wish I kind of could have been a little bit closer.

But, yeah, I'm proud. I gave it everything these last two weeks. I honestly -- going into this tournament, I didn't think that I had that in me. I had a chat to someone close to me the first day, and I was, like, I don't know how I'm going to get out on court. I just feel exhausted, and it's the first tournament of the year.

Yeah, it's honestly crazy if you just get out there and fight every point, and I think that's why my emotions were so high, because it was just, like, I couldn't believe it. I was so happy, so proud.

Yeah, just kind of riding it all. It's not every day you get to play at a home slam, so I wanted to give it everything. So, yeah, super proud. Disappointed.

I'll go out and enjoy some time with my family, because they've put a lot of hours too, and everyone has traveled from everywhere to watch me. So it's been super special to share it with them.

But, yeah, it was a cool couple of weeks.

Q. The toaster, and I'm sure you can afford it...

MADDISON INGLIS: I also really want a KitchenAid. I love appliances, so yeah, that's also been on -- I have a list. Maybe I can take a couple off that.

Q. Buy some more LEGOs.

MADDISON INGLIS: Some more LEGOs. A big dream is a Mini Cooper. I'll keep working on that. I want to be rolling down the Gold Coast in my Mini Cooper, so that's a dream. We'll see how the next few months go, and we'll see (laughter).