AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 25, 2026

Alexander Bublik

Press Conference

A. de MINAUR/A. Bublik

6-4, 6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: We'll go straight to questions.

Q. Not the result you wanted. Look, we obviously follow Alex and we've seen him these last few matches. He seems to have gone to another level. You're someone who's played him a lot recently. Is he hitting a different ball? Does he seem like he's gone to that next level?

ALEXANDER BUBLIK: I mean, it's tough to say. I guess next level for someone like Alex would be nearly slam winner, so we have to see that with the results of Australian Open and further slams that we have.

But I think, yeah, he played a great match today. Conditions were not really fitting me. I played all the matches on Margaret, so it was quite fast out there. On Rod Laver today, it was quite a bit slow. I mean, it was my fault, didn't adjust to the conditions as fast as I usually would do.

You know, that's tennis. He played great match. He deserved to win. Definitely he was the better player today, so I'm just going to take everything that's possible from this match to grow and to get back to the stage stronger.

Q. There were some comments on the broadcast, it might not have been the correct interpretation, but it sounded like you were saying that the court was really slow at one point. Was that correct? What was happening in your head at that point in time?

ALEXANDER BUBLIK: No, the court was really slow. Like, it's one of the slowest courts I think alongside Indian Wells that I played on, but it's not an excuse. It's just a fact.

So, for me, I was not adjusting quickly. I should have adjusted more quickly. I mean, had a game plan in case that would be a slow court, because I haven't hit on Rod Laver before. I only played 1 Point Slam there, which was a great preparation.

But, by the way, I hit it all the time on Margaret or Cain, so for me, it was more similar to -- I thought the conditions would be similar, which was probably my fault not to take it more deeply to check. Yeah, that's the outcome.

But, I mean, that's life. I just try to get better next time.

Q. In those conditions how difficult does it make it to hit past someone like Alex, who can cover ground so well on the court?

ALEXANDER BUBLIK: I guess the scoreline is really saying how tough it is, because I think I served well. I mean, especially second and third set, I served, like, over 70%, and I won, like, what, seven points or, whatever, ten points.

Yeah, it was all one-sided, unfortunately. It's not what I wanted. It's not what I was preparing for, but that's tennis. That's how the results come. You know, I was winning all the matches. I lost one set up until today, and today I lost three in a row.

So, I mean, it's time to recover, time to reset the mind, and get a little vacation for couple of days and go back on track.

Q. What changed for you from 4-All in the first set, because just watching the match, it seemed like you were doing a really good job of keeping him off the baseline, and then once he was able to sort of really establish himself and get that aggressive position and control the points, that's when it seemed to turn. What was it like from your perspective?

ALEXANDER BUBLIK: I don't think so. I think he was not returning really well. I guess he also didn't like the conditions at the beginning, because he was missing second serves, returns like he never missed, because I play him quite a bit.

For me, it was more that he was missing certain shots, and I was speaking to my team. I said, if I play like this, I knew that in five set it would be tough, because I was not making the shots. I was trying to hit past him, and I was always, always challenging.

I was really winning points on this, like, unforced errors that he was making. So once he cleared this up, it was really tough for me.

Q. Tonight aside, it's been a great start to the year for you, to the season, as well. How much can you take into the year, now you're back in the top 10, and the sky is the limit?

ALEXANDER BUBLIK: We'll see. I don't know. It's tennis. You know, a couple of days ago I won three sets. Today you lost, so I guess you just keep working, keep hoping that you're going to win matches, and play and showing your great tennis. I guess that's important.

Q. How would you describe the Aussie crowd? You would have known that the crowd would be against you, being against an Australian, but how tough is it really to be out there when people aren't cheering you on? Yeah, how would you describe the Australian crowd?

ALEXANDER BUBLIK: No, you guys are easy. I honestly haven't felt like I was -- yeah, you should play French in Bercy. I mean, I don't think there is something besides that. Like, there is nothing above that level.

Like, you cannot be hated more than when you play French in Bercy. Like, not at Roland Garros. In Bercy. Well, not Bercy, no.

But I think, no, France was fine, but Bercy was tough. Like, when we had the old stadium, it was tough, no, no.

I think Chile, Davis Cup when we played against Chile, it was quite a bit.

Q. So we're pretty good?

ALEXANDER BUBLIK: No, no, you guys are fine. Totally fine. I mean, when people were telling me I was expecting, like, when someone is against you, you hit the first serve out, and they cheer, like, loudly. The stadium goes on their feet. That's how you play when you play French in France. Like, you hit the first serve, and then they just start clapping and yelling, telling you to serve double fault.

No, today was absolutely great crowd. I enjoyed it, and I haven't felt like I was the one that they hated so much. It was really nice.

I enjoyed it, and it was a great experience.