AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2026

Talia Gibson

Press Conference

T. GIBSON/A. Blinkova

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Talia, congratulations. I believe the first completed match at this tournament. How does it feel to progress through at your home Grand Slam?

TALIA GIBSON: It feels amazing. I'm absolutely over the moon. It's always the best feeling to get through that first round at your home slam. Yeah, to be able to be the first match to finish and the first Aussie through in the main draw today is a really great feeling today for sure.

Q. Talia, in terms of your performance today what was most pleasing for you?

TALIA GIBSON: I think just being able to go out there and fully play my own game. I knew that this matchup today, I was going to be the more aggressive player out on the court. So I think that was exciting for me, you know, to be able to go out there and be in control of most of the points. You know, that's really what I want, what I look for, a game like that.

I'm really happy that I was able to execute my game really well today.

Q. Is that mentality something that you want to or need to take into your second-round match, or is it a wait-and-see, or a different opponent, a different style?

TALIA GIBSON: No, not at all. I think, you know, I have my own game, and every match I intend on, yeah, performing the way that I want to. I know that I'm a very aggressive player. It's what I do best on the court.

No matter what, no matter who I play, I'm always trying to play that way for sure.

Q. You mentioned on court that I think you said that you're realizing more I guess the amount of damage that your game can do. Could expand on that a little bit?

TALIA GIBSON: I think just, you know, over the last year I've been able to play against more of these players who are in the top 100. I think it has been really great for me to be able to see how much I'm able to compete with these players.

The game that I have, I think I find myself in positions a lot of the time being in control of points and everything like that, and giving myself a lot of opportunities on the court. So I think it's very exciting for me, and I hope to develop that a lot further.

Q. The difference in your consistency, you've obviously been able to hit big winners and the rest of it, but is it being able to do it at that level that has helped you evolve?

TALIA GIBSON: Yeah, I think for sure. And I mean nobody's game is ever going to be perfect, so there's always something that you're continuing to work on.

For sure, that's something that I'm always working on being able to maintain that high level, try and maintain that for a full match.

Obviously, there's going to be some highs and lows throughout a match. But, yeah, definitely continuing to try and work on being able to maintain that high level for a long period of time.

Q. Looking at your 2025 season you came through qualifying to make the main draw Wimbledon. Do you feel mentally tougher than you were, say, 12 months ago?

TALIA GIBSON: Yeah, I definitely think so. I think the experiences that I've had over the last 12 months, I've been able to learn so much and grow mentally as well as physically.

So, for sure, I find myself often being able to look back on those experiences that I've had and being able to tap into what I learnt on some of those days and use that in my current matches.

Q. What can prize money winning a first round of the Australian Open do for you across the remainder of the year?

TALIA GIBSON: It goes a huge way. And I think super grateful for the opportunity and the wildcard to be able to play in the main draw.

I think there's obviously a massive difference in prize money at Grand Slams compared to the lower-level tournaments. I think a lot of people know how expensive it's to be on tour for a whole year. So it goes an extremely long way for sure.

Q. You're one game in obviously to your '26 campaign, but what do you think you're capable of this year? Do you draw confidence from Maya Joint who has been up the rankings?

TALIA GIBSON: Absolutely. It has been really exciting to see some of the Aussies girls really thrive over the last year and shoot through the rankings. So I think definitely try and take some confidence from that, but also at the same time know what I'm capable of and remind myself of the achievements that I've had over the last year and having that in mind.

I think for me the main goal over this next year would be to try and get into that top 100 for the first time and stay in there.

Q. Is there anyone in the game currently or formerly that you have modelled your game on or look up to?

TALIA GIBSON: Nobody in particular. But I think definitely more so looking at the most aggressive players on tour, like Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, the girls who play in a more similar way to myself.

So I think I often find myself watching those girls play and try and learn from what they are doing. But at the same time, you know, I'm not trying to model my game to look like anybody else's. I have my own game and, yeah, just trying to develop that in my own way.