AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2026

Anastasia Potapova

Press Conference

A. POTAPOVA/S. Lamens

3-6, 7-5, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Anastasia, how do you feel about progressing through to the next round?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Tired, if I can say. Obviously, I'm very happy to get through. It was very tough match. Suzan played unbelievably well. And she also deserved this win as much as I'm. But, yeah, I'm very happy that I got through.

Q. Can I ask what you were thinking down a set and 5-1, and is your finger okay?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: First of all about thinking, I didn't think about anything. I think that was literally the key. Yeah, I think I let go the situation. I completely relaxed. I started to swing. I said, okay, if I lose, I mean I was almost in the locker room. You know sometimes it makes a good tricks.

But also in the end it was not easy to stay in these conditions because then you're thinking, okay, I'm getting closer, it's 5-4, maybe I can win this set.

But I'm very happy with the level of the mentality I had today and I think it really helped me.

Finger? Well, I was a little bit unlucky in Adelaide. Unfortunately I have a fracture in my finger. Does it bother me? Yes. Does it stop me? No. It's okay. I don't think it affects my game this much. Obviously I do have a pain, but who doesn't. So, it's okay.

Q. Does it like adjust your grip on the racquet?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: I had to adjust, yes. I'm not holding the racquet fully. I'm playing like this with my backhand. As we saw today it's not bad and the power is still there and the groundstrokes is still there. I'm pretty happy still with this unlucky injury I managed to play and showed my kind of best tennis.

Q. How did you do it?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: It happened in the second qualifying match in Adelaide. In the second game I hit a serve and I was unlucky, and I hit it straight to my finger. So, yeah, shit happens I guess. Sorry (laughter).

Q. I saw a couple of days ago you were practicing with the tournament with Talon. What is it like practicing with him and how does it help both of you before a tournament with that combination?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: I don't think I help him as much as he helps me in this case, to be honest. Maybe I just help him more mentally when we are on court together. We really take it easy. We have a good atmosphere on court, we are laughing.

It always turns out being a good practice. Yeah, we don't really practice as much as maybe you can see, but especially that day I needed emotional lift and that's why we did it. So, yeah, it's nice.

Q. Can I ask about your switch to wearing Wilson. Have you been following those looks over the years?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Yes, I have been following the looks. And I really loved every piece that they have. It's beautiful, especially for girls. It's kind of a rare thing now to see something what I really like to wear on court.

I was really excited to sign with Wilson. Yeah, it's just my first month being a Wilson athlete. I think in future we're going to have some fun, I would say.

Q. Any experience designing wedding dresses, a little far down the road, but if it ever were would you go to her?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Let's keep it private.

Q. Back to the match. What was the difference from the first set to the second to the third and the way that you played and felt?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Well, honestly, as I said before, and as we talked with my team, I didn't feel much difference in the level. The only difference maybe it was that I started to making those balls when I was going for the winner. Because it felt like almost I was doing everything right and all of a sudden I missed the ball this much, you know. All match it was this much, this much, this much there.

It was frustrating because especially when you feel that you're doing everything right, but you still do some little mistakes, it's really annoying.

But yeah, I really believed it will change because I played well on practice court. I didn't do as much silly mistakes as I did in the first two sets. And I knew that at some point it have to come, and yeah.

Q. How often have you won a match from 1-5 down and a set down? Can you recall?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: I think from the set down, I win pretty much everything when I go set down. Maybe I should start the match already with a set down. There is no point playing the first set.

But yeah, jokes aside, I had couple of matches when I was match point down or huge difference down and I turned it around. I have experience in that, let's say.

Q. I saw there was at least one fan at the end with an Austrian flag.

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Yes.

Q. Now you are a new Austrian, how does it feel to play for Austrian and see someone with a flag, you know, for your new country? How did that feel?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: To be honest, when I saw it I got little goosebumps on the court.

It feels amazing, to be honest. I really do feel the support from people. I'm getting a lot of messages from Austrian people. I really feel proud of representing this country now. I swear I'm going to try to do my best.

Q. How did you choose Austria? You are very global person, but how did you decide Austria?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: I have been living there for last couple of years, actually. I didn't happen all of a sudden. We have been working on it for long time to be honest.

I actually do like Austria, and Vienna especially. Yeah, it's my second home. Especially now it's my first home. So, I really like it.

Q. I want to ask about your statement. There was some people noticing the similarity between your statement and Kasatkina's statement. I'm wondering how that happened?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Well, I don't find anything wrong with that because you cannot say it in a better way. And why not? And yeah, it was perfect words. I loved it. We loved it with my team, with everyone.

So, yeah, we gave it a shot. I don't think that it's something terrible happened. I think the media just blew it up just because they didn't like me with the fact of it happening. I mean, who cares about posts, right?

Q. Have you talked to her about it?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: To Daria?

Q. Yeah.

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: We talk a lot. We're actually good friends.

About especially this, no, because nobody cares. I tell you one thing. Yeah (laughter). There is nothing much to say to be honest.

Q. Do you plan to play in Linz, given it's the home tournament in Austria?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: Of course. I was a champion of this tournament before. Every year I coming back to play this week because it's literally one of my favorite weeks. Also the conditions that is there indoor. This year is going to be clay court. Even better. I love it.

Yeah, of course I'm going to be there.

Q. How much contact have you had with the Austrian Tennis Federation so far?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: We are in contact. We are talking personally with me, also with my agent. Yeah, we are in a pretty good relationship, if I can say that. There is literally no bad things or some problems.

Q. Are you already eligible to play in Billie Jean King Cup or do you have to do more paperwork or something?

ANASTASIA POTAPOVA: We are still working on it.