AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2026

Anastasia Potapova

Press Conference

A. POTAPOVA/E. Raducanu

7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. Good win today. Can you talk us through your match?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Yeah, I'm very happy with the win, obviously. It was very shaky start, I think, from both of us, but I'm really happy that I managed with my nerves and kind of held them and got through.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. How is the fractured finger? Is it better, worse, the same?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Same. Nothing is going to change in the next month, I guess. Yeah, it's same, but I tried to make best out of it.

Q. You won't do anything? It will just heal on its own, you're thinking? Do you think it will just heal on its own?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Yes, of course. It's just a broken bone. You cannot do anything, so you just wait.

Q. Do you think you made any tactical adjustments at 5-3 or maybe just settling into the match for you?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Well, I didn't do anything different the whole match. I felt like we both struggled a little bit on serve, because it was, to be honest, not an easy conditions to play. The wind was going, like, in, around, and the ball was always going away from you.

It's not easy, and, yeah, I mean, even though I went 5-3 down, I felt like I can still fight back, and that's what I did.

Q. Are you pleased with the way that you're playing despite sometimes --

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Up and downs?

Q. Yeah.

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: I am pleased with my mental game at the moment more than with my physical game, but I'm pretty sure if you have it right in your head, the rest will follow.

Q. Talking about that, I think at 4-2 you were a little bit frustrated. You dropped a racquet and were a little bit frustrated. You talked about the mental game and how it's improving. Can you elaborate more where you see that and how you are staying composed to come back in these sets and win in straights?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: I mean, as I said, the whole set I felt like I was so close, and, yeah, probably that's what gave me this little extra power to still fight.

I knew that -- I mean, when I dropped the racquet because I missed, again, this much, and of course, it's frustrating. But, in general, I think it's a good match in terms of fighting and not just giving up and walk off court and saying, yeah, not my day.

Q. You're playing Aryna next. She's a tough opponent for everyone, but for you in particular, what challenges does she present?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: I mean, she's my good friend. I like her so much. Every time that we played before, I learned something new after the match, so I really kind of looking forward for the match.

Yeah, I have nothing to lose. I'm in third round. I tried my best. I have a broken finger. I'm still enjoying tennis. Yeah, will just try to go there and make the best out of it.

Q. When players become World No. 1, sometimes there's a temptation for them to maybe become more closed off and more private, but Aryna is out in the public, and she's very social, and she's maintained so many friendships with the other players. I'm just curious what you make of sort of the tone she sets on tour within the locker room to have a World No. 1 be so friendly with her rivals?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Well, I call it normal. I think it's normal. I mean, if you are a good person being, that's what you do, right? If you are becoming a superstar, it will never, like, change you or to make you different, right?

I mean, that's how it's supposed to be. But, I mean, yeah, I think it's just her character. She's friendly in general. She likes to laugh. She likes to hanging out. That's what I really like about her.

Q. What about playing on, most likely, Rod Laver against Aryna? Does that matter?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: I mean, I've been there a couple of times before. I played actually Serena there a couple of times. It's also not an easy challenge, I tell you one thing.

Yeah, I mean, it's nice. I think it's not an extra pressure, for sure, for me. I'm thinking more of a way -- well, that's what I work for, and that's what I want to be.

Q. It may seem like a weird question, but given how the tournament is scheduled, you know, it's a day session, also a night session, do you have a preference on playing day or night, depending on the conditions, weather, external things like that?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Before probably I would say I prefer playing in the night better than in the day, but now it's really doesn't matter. I found my routines before every match. Doesn't matter you play first match, or second, or last.

I guess if you stick to routine, it doesn't matter what time of the day you play. So really doesn't matter.

Q. Just curious how you've been spending your days off or time off when you have it.

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Tomorrow actually we play doubles, so no days off. Only business.

But, I mean, I've got a free evening today, but I'm pretty sure I will make sure I do nothing.

Q. What's it like to play double with Olga?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Yes.

Q. What is it like?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: We are good friends. Again, we know each other since we were 10. We have such a good friendship, such a good life together. We are really enjoying it. We're not trying to put any pressure.

We're not trying to say, Okay, we go for Grand Slam. I mean, if it happens, of course we are the happiest, but first we are enjoying it and trying to fix some things what we want to work in the singles court, which I think it's a great tactic to use doubles for it.

Also, if the wins come, so it's great bonus.

Q. If you can take us through the match.

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Yes, as I said, I felt very nervous in the first set. I felt Emma felt the same way. Yeah, it was just a matter who is going to hold their nerves better, who will break through. I'm happy that I did that, I did it first.

Q. Mentally, are you feeling strong despite going up and down sometimes?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Yes, it's actually true. I do feel strong and probably my mentality is one of the only things that I can really rely on and I can really trust. So yeah, I do feel.

Q. Finally, looking ahead to your third round against your good friend and the top seed, Sabalenka, can you tell us about that, please?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: I'm very excited, as I said before. Every time that we played with Aryna, I learned something new. I found some new things that I need to work on, so I always take this match as an opportunity in a positive way anyways.

I will just go there, enjoy, try to show some good tennis and let's see what happens.