AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2026

Maddison Inglis

Press Conference

M. INGLIS/K. Birrell

7-6, 6-7, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations, an amazing win out there. Give us your first reaction on the match and playing your friend today.

MADDISON INGLIS: Yeah, I don't think it's really sunk in yet that I'm through to the second round of Australian Open. But yeah, it was really tough to play Kim. I was kind of not looking forward to it for a few days just because it's just really hard to play one of your closest friends.

But I'm pretty happy. We played a really good level I thought and it was a really good match. Yeah, she's beaten me quite a lot of times. It feels really special to get the win here.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The level you were playing at, do you feel you and the other Australian women, the most they've had go through to the second round since 1992, do you feel like you're playing at a level where you can go deeper? Is there an expectation?

MADDISON INGLIS: Yeah, I mean, I didn't know that about the Australian girls. I think everyone is playing so well. Stormy coming through qualifying and winning, she was playing awesome. I watched Maya this morning who unfortunately had a really tough match.

We have so many girls playing so well. Taylah won today. Ajla had a great match yesterday. So yeah, it's really awesome to see them get through these tough matches. Talia, as well. I forget about the Perth girl.

Yeah, I think we're just pushing each other, making each other believe that we belong here and we can beat these girls. Yeah, I think it's amazing.

No expectations. I can't believe I qualified. First I'm qualifying here, then to win today, it feels amazing. I'm just going to take it match by match and we'll see what happens.

Q. You had a lean few years here. Did you ever give up hope you'd be back here again?

MADDISON INGLIS: I wasn't sure I could get back. It's so tough. It's really hard to get back into the main draw. Ranking-wise I haven't quite gotten the top hundred. I think one day I can. Yeah, maybe I didn't think it was going to be this soon.

I knew coming into this year I was playing some really great tennis. Last year I qualified for some of the biggest events that I've ever qualified for and was kind of getting those wins against the better players.

I knew the level was there. I just needed to keep my body together and do it consistently. But yeah, this is more than I expected this January. Yeah, I'm so happy.

Q. You have Laura in the next round. Do you know much about her game, how you feel you'll measure up against her?

MADDISON INGLIS: I've never hit with her. I've obviously never played her. But I know she's an amazing competitor. She's a little bit quirky with how she plays. She'll make you uncomfortable. She obviously had a great win today. I didn't see any of that. Yeah, she's going to be tough. Like Kim, she's going to be a great fighter. Yeah, it's going to be a really tough match.

I get to play here again at my favorite tournament. So yeah, I'm going to give it everything.

Q. All-Australian first round clash scheduled very late. Must have been a bit strange playing tonight.

MADDISON INGLIS: Yeah, it was. I don't consider myself a night person, so it is different to get going this late in the day. But if it's going to be for anything, it's for the Australian Open. I was so pumped to be on John Cain. It's not every day you get to play on a stadium like that. It was super special.

It was a long day waiting around to play a friend, which was tough. But yeah, just got to do your best to try and distract yourself, have a little nap in the day, which I was able to do. Yeah, I'll be tired tomorrow, that's for sure.

Q. Dasha had some uncertainty about when she ended up playing. She played late. It taxed her in the afternoon. Take us through your afternoon. It must have been hard being around Kim a little bit in warm-ups.

MADDISON INGLIS: I haven't seen Kim for the last few days at all. Normally we text most days. We see each other a lot. Our lockers are right near each other. I did not run into her at all. Yeah, she must have been having another spot somewhere, with her team.

But yeah, today I tried to have a big sleep-in, stay up late last night. It is tough, especially following a five-set match, you don't know when you're going to go on.

But it is what's. I just kind of hung out with my team, chilled in the locker room, just time wasting a little bit. Scrolled Instagram. Honestly, it wasn't too bad. But yeah, it is a hard thing to plan sometimes.

Q. She seemed to say you shouldn't be sorry for winning at the net or something similar. Could you share what she said with you? Have you spoken to her since?

MADDISON INGLIS: Gosh, I don't even know what we said after the match. It was a little bit of a blur. I said sorry, just because it was a crappy situation. Yeah, it's obviously amazing to win, but it's not an amazing feeling seeing your best friend like that.

Yeah, I think I just said sorry. Yeah, she'll be devastated. She's a competitor. She's one of the best competitors out there. So yeah, she'll be really disappointed about that. But hopefully in a few days we'll be able to chat normal again.