AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2026

Storm Hunter

Press Conference

H. BAPTISTE/S. Hunter

6-2, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Storm, how do you reflect? Obviously a long journey to get to where you are right now, qualifying. Yeah, a lot of emotions. How are you feeling?

STORM HUNTER: Yeah, I'm feeling good. Obviously disappointed with today's result. Obviously never fun losing, and not just losing, but yeah, just feeling like I got completely outplayed today.

Yeah, you know, it was a tough battle. Just felt like I couldn't find my range on the court, and I think that's a credit to Hailey's quality of ball. The ball was moving a lot, very heavy off her forehand and flat off the backhand using the slice.

Yeah, didn't quite find my feet out there, but at the same time, you know, I'm not going to complain about playing five singles matches at a Grand Slam. I'm very happy to have had those experiences. And the main thing, my body feels really good.

So, yeah, super pumped with how it went. I've still got two more events here, which I'm excited about.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You must be really proud of your season, starting obviously with the United Cup. The Australian crowds, can you just talk a little bit about them and how much they really help out there and the support that they give you?

STORM HUNTER: Yeah, honestly, it's unbelievable. I think a lot of the Aussie players talking underneath and in the locker room were just like, wow, I can't believe how packed it's been and how loud, as well, and also just how much they've been getting behind us.

You kind of know that coming in, but when you are getting out there and it's full house it's, like, Oh, my God, this is unbelievable.

Even just starting in Sydney, it was full house at Ken Rosewall for all our matches there, which was awesome and also good preparation for coming here.

Then even during quallies, it was packed for my matches, which was really cool. Yeah, it just makes it so much fun to play there. You obviously want to do well for the fans that are sitting out there in the heat and, you know, cheering you on.

Even today, when things weren't going my way, they were, yeah, super loud and really trying to get me through, get me into the match, which I really appreciated and wanted to do a better job for them, too.

But, yeah, honestly so much fun. Just really tried to embrace it, because obviously, when we leave here, we're on the road basically until November. So, yeah, you don't get those crowds anywhere else. So just wanted to enjoy it today and enjoy it for doubles and mixed as well.

Q. What goals have you set yourself for 2026?

STORM HUNTER: Honestly, I haven't thought about it, to be honest. I haven't even really thought about it or talked about it with my team. The main thing, to be honest, is to stay healthy. We're still kind of -- you know, even just playing these matches, we weren't sure how I was going to pull up with my body. Not just my Achilles but the rest of my body getting used to playing at a high level again and also backing up matches.

The good thing is I feel really good. Everything feels great, other than a bit tired, but other than that, it's fine. So really happy with that. But honestly, the main goal is I want to be main draw here next year and not have to go through the stress of qualifying (smiling).

That's the main goal. Yeah, we haven't really sat down and mapped out schedule and goals, so yeah, we'll do that probably post here.

Q. Do you think you can get back to the level that you were playing at before you suffered your Achilles injury?

STORM HUNTER: Yeah, I think so. I think probably the last few weeks has probably shown me that I can. I think I'm actually kind of close to that level in a way at some of those matches, which I'm really happy about, and I think in a way I'm a better player in terms of probably how I'm analyzing the matches, as well.

Even my coach has mentioned that to me, too. I'm kind of seeing the court a bit better and understanding what's going on and able to adjust quicker to what my opponents are doing and how I'm feeling, which I think is also, when you have a long-term injury, you spend time working on other things. I did a lot of commentating, so I actually was watching a lot of matches that I generally probably wouldn't watch and having to also watch and then also analyze what's going on and being able to talk about it to obviously, yeah, on the commentating world feed.

Yeah, those experiences I think actually helped me with, you know, even playing now. So, yeah, I think for sure I can get better. There's still a lot that I can improve on.

Yeah, I'm really happy with -- probably the main thing is how I'm moving. I'm moving, feeling a lot better, and I know I can get faster and more explosive and being able to maintain that longer in matches, too.

Yeah, it's all for me really exciting.

Q. I guess from a resilience standpoint, obviously it's been a difficult sort of 18 months for you. What have you sort of learnt through this week and a half or even throughout that journey, basically, you know, being able to get from where you were to be able to, yeah, be back here on the big stage?

STORM HUNTER: Yeah, I think the biggest thing is probably just that confidence in my game and my level. You know, I've spoke about it previously that the last probably six months on the singles court especially has been really difficult for me.

I definitely was really struggling in those first matches back. A lot of doubts. I was feeling really exposed. Couldn't move as well as I wanted to. It was very frustrating.

I was crying mid-match being, like, I just wasn't enjoying it at all. Honestly, like, it was quite funny. I had a practice with Coco Gauff in Beijing in September/October. I played in Beijing with my protected, and it didn't go well.

I had a practice with her lined up, and I was, like, you know what, if she completely destroys me in this practice and I feel like I'm completely outplayed, like, I'm done with singles. This is obviously a world-class player. If it's terrible, like, I'm done. This is going to be my, like, kind of test for myself.

I went out, had a really good practice with Coco. You know, we played some points, and even just hitting the ball, striking, I was, like, oh, actually I feel okay. Like, I feel like -- you know, it was very relaxed and everything.

But I felt more confident in myself, and I was, like, okay, no, you've still got some stuff here that you can, I guess, use and keep going.

Then the preseason went really, really well, so that helped, too, just practicing with the girls here in Melbourne and getting some work done with my trainer. So that just kind of gave me the confidence that, okay, I've still got more to give in my singles game.

Then, yeah, United Cup helped massively. I got very lucky to play that singles match and back it up with the mixed and played well, thrived in the environment, representing Australia in a full house.

I was, like, okay, this is what I play for. I've missed this feeling in front of the home fans. Kind of just wanted a bit more of it, to be honest.

Q. Do you sort of have this feeling where you are sort of at this point and you are, like, wow, I've achieved this in such little time?

STORM HUNTER: Yeah, a little bit. Probably more just, you know, this time last year I was not even close to playing. I was, yeah, commentating here, still struggling a lot with my Achilles, not moving much on the court, still felt like it was a long way away.

So to see how far I've come in 12 months, yeah, is really special. Not just for me, but for my team. They've worked incredibly hard with me to get to this level.

So for them as well, it's a credit to all the work that they've put in and the belief that they've put into me as well. So I'm really happy to have the results for them, too.

So, yeah, looking back, it is still a bit crazy. It's like I can't believe I did that. Qualifying for a slam is not easy even when you are playing the best tennis of your life. I feel very proud. For me that was a huge moment to be able to do that, again, here in Melbourne.

Yeah, like I said, I would love to not be playing quallies. That's the ultimate goal for my singles.