AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2026

Priscilla Hon

Press Conference

P. HON/M. Stakusic

1-6, 6-4, 5-3 (Ret.)

THE MODERATOR: This is the press conference for Priscilla Hon. Obviously a lot going on in that match, but tell us what it's like to progress through to your home Grand Slam.

PRISCILLA HON: Yeah, I mean, obviously I didn't want to win like that, but yeah, I do feel very relieved that I'm through to the second round.

I mean, I really hope she does feel better. That was quite a scene out there. I had quite a few people come up to me and be, like, wow, that was so dramatic.

Yeah, I'm just happy to get through to the second round.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I was just wondering if you already knew each other, because when you went over to help her, you seemed quite friendly, or if you were just showing some good sportsmanship today, help her off the court?

PRISCILLA HON: Yeah, I mean, I played her once a couple years ago. Obviously we've seen each other around. We're friendly, like say hi and all that stuff.

Yeah, I mean, we're not like -- I don't want to be mean. Like, we're friends. We're friendly (laughing). We're like co-workers, so yeah.

Q. You appeared to have a bit of a situation with your shoulder. What was that?

PRISCILLA HON: I think I'm just getting old, as well. I feel like everything hurts.

But, yeah, no, it's definitely something I've had to deal with for a while. It's just there's better days and worse days, so yeah. Just sometimes it gets not as good, yeah.

Q. I think it's been six years since your last singles at the Australian Open. Even though you had a good run at the U.S. last year, what's it like for you to get through to the second round at your home slam?

PRISCILLA HON: Yeah, I saw that on the stats in the warmup. I thought, why did I look up? That's not what I want to be thinking about.

But, yeah, there's something about, obviously, playing at home. You just want to do well, and you have your family, and you have all your friends there. You just want to make them proud.

So I was very nervous going out there for that match today. So, yeah, I do feel a big relief to get through that, yeah.

Q. I wanted to ask about Amanda Anisimova, who just won her match. What's your relationship like and what she's like?

PRISCILLA HON: Amanda? Sorry.

Yeah, I mean, she's one of my best friends. Yeah, we've been friends for a long time now. It really helps having her on tour, because obviously the year is long. To have a person that you see all the time, and you can get through ups and downs together with, it's massive.

Q. What do you make of how she has sort of grown as a player and a person since taking that time out? The year she had last year was incredible.

PRISCILLA HON: Yeah, I'm so proud of her, honestly. For her to even take that year off, it takes a lot of guts to do it.

You know, she was young. She has contracts. She has all of these things, and for her to put herself and her mental health first is huge.

Yeah, I mean, it's clearly showed that it's helped a lot. I can't be happier for her, yeah.

Q. What were the conditions like on court, because people look and say, oh, it's 29 degrees in Melbourne today, but there are three retirements already today.

PRISCILLA HON: Really? Wow.

Q. Was it bad, or was it...

PRISCILLA HON: I mean, I'm Australian, so I should be quite used to it (smiling).

Yeah, it was definitely warm out there, and I think as well with the nerves, the stress levels, it just all impacts it.

Obviously everyone is really stressed with playing in a Grand Slam, so it doesn't help in that way.

Q. When it's clear your opponent is struggling so badly, is it difficult to stay focused thinking maybe she's going to retire, maybe she's not? What do you do?

PRISCILLA HON: Exactly. You're trying to put the ball in, but then she's obviously going to go for more, because she can't run. So you are, like, you can't be hitting it too soft.

It is really hard when it is a situation like that, but I was just, like, just put balls in the court. Then I started drop shotting a little bit to, I guess, kind of test if she is moving or not. Yeah, but the thing is if I hit a bad drop shot, she can probably run up and smash that away.

So it messes with your head a little bit, but yeah, she struggled towards the end, so yeah.

Q. You said you hope you didn't see looking up in the Grand Slam first rounds here, but now that you have gotten over that as well, are you putting limits on yourself this week?

PRISCILLA HON: No, not at all. As well, just having that experience from US Open last year definitely helped me in a lot of ways.

Yeah, I mean, I just really want to get past that first round. Now I feel a lot more relieved. I feel like I'm more comfortable, and I can back myself more in the second round.

Q. Do you think it allows to you play with more freedom? Did you feel like it inhibited you today?

PRISCILLA HON: Yeah, definitely. I feel like going into the next round I feel like I can play with a lot more freedom, definitely, yeah.