The last Australian Open champion, Madison Keys, who started defending the cup by beating Ukrainian Alexandra Oleynikova, held a press conference after a successful start in the major:

– Earning your first victory as a reigning champion is never easy. Please tell us about your match and performance today.

“I think I started a little slow today and of course I was nervous, but I have to give credit to my opponent. He has a rather unconventional style and that made the match a little more difficult to start. But at the end of the tiebreak I really found my game and managed to carry that into the second set.

– Congratulations on your victory. Can you tell me what it was like to play the last four rallies of the first set from your perspective?

“I think at that moment I felt that I was playing too passively and cautiously and not taking advantage of the opportunities that presented themselves. And when I play my best tennis, I shoot when I see an opportunity. When I lost it was 6:4, right? Yes, when it was 6-4 I felt that at least I was playing with the right balls and it’s okay if I’m losing points that way. From then on the momentum changed a little bit and then I decided to just play. I’m confident and I can handle the punches.”

– You mentioned his playing style. When was the last time you played against someone who used candles so efficiently and effectively?

– Probably in the under 12 category (laughs). And that’s no disrespect to him, of course, but it’s been a long time since he’s played against someone with that style, even though he plays really effectively. I wasn’t able to watch most of their matches beforehand; There wasn’t much information on the internet. The preparation turned out to be a little deceiving, but already in the match everything looked different. The balls were flying very high and very deep, it was very difficult. Immediately after the rebound I felt like I couldn’t volley or receive the ball because he shot it so well. So I had to wait for the right opportunities. But yeah, I was really impressed with how well he made those shots.

– You talked about the series of points you won in a row to take the first set. What was going on in your head at that moment? This is your first match as the reigning Grand Slam champion and also facing an opponent with an unconventional style can be confusing. What were you thinking?

– I felt like I played too cautiously in the beginning and didn’t trust my first impulses. I was constantly changing my mind about what I wanted to do and this slowed down my footwork. I felt like I was just reacting and not playing according to plan. When I won the first match – I think the score was 0:4 – I relaxed a bit and felt like I was thinking more clearly. Even when I surrendered, I realized what I had done and what needed to be fixed. From then on I slowly started to put everything together and the end of the tiebreaker finally sealed everything.

– Madison, you did a great job today. You didn’t play in the last months of last year. Was it more physical, more mental, or a combination of both? So what was the return process like?

“It was more of a physical thing.” At the end of the season, I felt like I wasn’t one hundred percent healthy and that something was constantly bothering me. When things get tough, it’s important for me to feel good physically. So I focused on recovery. Unfortunately, I also fell ill at the end of the year, but the opportunity to recuperate and prepare as physically as possible was crucial.

– Let me clarify: Was it more about rest or was it about working out in the gym and strengthening weak points?

“It’s more like this is the time to really get involved in rehab.” The season is so long and it’s hard to find windows to maintain strength, conditioning and keep everything working properly. At one point the season got out of control and I couldn’t find the right blocks of time.

– Despite all the mental and physical preparations to defend your first Slam title, how much does everything change when you step on the court? Or does everything disappear?

“I don’t think it’s all going to end.” No matter how you envisioned the moment, no matter how you prepared, you know you did your best. But when they say “get ready, play”, everything hits you in a way that is hard to explain. And no matter how frustrating and stressful it is, I still remind myself how few people get the chance to be in a moment like this. Going on the field today and feeling the support of the stands, I am always ready to accept this stress.

– Your serve used to seem very short, but not anymore. What was the process and rationale behind these changes?

“I tried to speed up my swing a little bit.” Because I served in the same way for so long, it was difficult for me to quickly move into a Cup position. The idea was to make the movement shorter and faster and then rebuild. However, the season does not allow much time for experiments. Before finals, I prepared for the presentation to be different, knowing that I would make changes later. The plan was always to lengthen it again and improve it.

– Madison, do you share other players’ concerns that prize money at Grand Slam tournaments should receive a larger share of the total revenue?

“From my perspective, I would be more concerned about Grand Slam tournaments investing in the welfare of the players. The tours are already doing that – health care, retirement, etc. At the end of the day, we are all partners and we need each other. So, first and foremost, I would like to see investment in the welfare of the players. Of course, I would like the money to go into prize money, but first and foremost to protect the players.”

– The question is less serious. Many women, including my wife, find it a nightmare to attend an event and see someone wearing the same dress. Does it bother tennis players that you often play in the same jersey in tournaments?

– I don’t. I think it’s different for everyone, but personally I always like to wear what I’m told to wear.