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WIMBLEDONJuly 6, 2014Noah RubinLONDON, ENGLAND N. RUBIN/S. Kozlov THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. How does it sound, Wimbledon champion? NOAH RUBIN: It's great to be here in front of you all. It was almost surreal, but hopefully it will kick in in the next couple of days. Right now I just don't want to cramp in front of you guys (smiling). Q. Went three sets. It was a tough one. NOAH RUBIN: Yeah, I had my opportunities in the second. Got the early break. But Stefan is obviously a very good competer, very good player, everybody knows of him. I just had to keep focused and keep it going. Kind of laid off the gas a little bit. Thank God got it back into a third and got the mid‑set break and kept holding and holding, so it was good. Q. What was your impression of playing on Court1? NOAH RUBIN: Didn't expect it to be that packed. I actually thought nobody was going to come out to the match, but that was not the case. They were all very enthusiastic to be out there. Kind of got the crowd into it a little bit. Just the atmosphere was unbelievable. Q. You know they sell tickets for that match. NOAH RUBIN: Really? People paid to watch me? Interesting (smiling). Q. When you came in here ‑ we talked earlier in the week; you were a qualifier ‑ did you ever think in your wildest dreams you could be sitting here as junior Wimbledon champion? NOAH RUBIN: Yeah, I mean, nothing said I couldn't be here. I believe in my competitiveness, my mental capability, and speed. I don't see why not. But I wasn't thinking ahead to this. I wasn't at all. First‑round quallies, playing a big server that day, I was thinking I could possibly lose the first round of qualifying. It was just point by point, match by match. Eight matches later, this is where I am. Q. You haven't had much luck on the grass the last few times you tried it. This year, just experience? NOAH RUBIN: The first year was a tough year. It wasn't the best tennis I was playing.  Last year I was playing a very good player in Luke Bambridge, big server, 9‑7 in the third I want to say. Anything could have happened in that match. You know, it's persistence. It thrives sometimes. That's why we're here. Q. What did you learn about yourself this week? NOAH RUBIN: Just believe in yourself and get out there and never give up. I don't know. Believe that I could basically do anything I want if I really put my mind to it. Truly believe that every time I step on the court that I'm going to win that match, so... Q. Did you at all learn maybe that you shouldn't rush yourself? You thought you were going to go away totally from the juniors last year. Now you came back and look at the surprise you have. NOAH RUBIN: It is a great feeling to be out here winning the tournament, but this doesn't change anything. This doesn't say I made the right decision. I had a great tournament and that's why I'm here. But if I didn't win this tournament, let's say I played futures, maybe that was the right path to take. So who knows what could have happened. Q. Why are you so hesitant to say this was a good move? Seems like it was. NOAH RUBIN: It's a great tournament. I can't say anything. I played well. But, I mean, who knows what could have happened if I had taken any other path. You never know, so should play every match. Q. Which one of you brought the flag? NOAH RUBIN: Stefan brought the flag. It was as I was holding the trophy. He said, I have a flag, I have a flag. I was like, Dig it out. It's been a long time since and all‑American final, so might as well support. Q. Did you sense the significance of that, that there were two of you guys out there? NOAH RUBIN: At the end when we were holding the American flag, I was like, This is pretty special. Hopefully we'll keep rising together and none of us will fall off, and just we'll as a group get to the top and show the results America wants. Q. Do you know the last time two Americans in the final? NOAH RUBIN: 1977. Q. How hard was it for you to play against a close friend of yours? NOAH RUBIN: I mean, we don't really play too often. I guess you could ask Federer and Djokovic about that, I'm sure. They play each other much more often. We know each other for so long now. We both wanted it. Nothing changed by that. We're not going to be all in each other's faces at all or stuff like that. I don't see any difference. We just know each other well. At the end, just a couple hugs and we're all better. Q. You seemed to switch that off pretty quickly. NOAH RUBIN: Yeah, it's the atmosphere. You can't not let it get to you. I expect him to do it. I expect myself to do it. You see Federer and Djokovic do it. It's no difference. But, yeah, you got to get out there. You switch it off pretty quick. I was a little surprised how quickly, but we were just both exhausted. It's been a long week, and it was nice to see him be civil at the end and have him there. Q. How many towels are you leaving with? NOAH RUBIN: Eight. It's got to be eight. The rain delay, then two today. Somewhere around there. A couple family members. Q. You seemed reluctant to do the victory lap. NOAH RUBIN: We were both a little confused like that. I didn't know if that was a tradition or not. I didn't want to break any traditions here, so I just followed their rules. Q. Did you invite him to come with you? NOAH RUBIN: Yeah, they told me to go. I was like, Stefan, let's go. Let's do it together. I thought it was interesting, but it was good. Q. 3‑All, you were trying to get the crowd behind you. NOAH RUBIN: Love‑30, something like that, and they started clapping a little bit. I got little excited. Nothing against Stefan at all. I just felt the crowd at that moment. You know, nothing you can do. It's a great atmosphere. So much tradition behind this tournament. Nothing you can do about it, so... Q. Was it distracting at all when the tiebreaker in the men's match was going on? Could you hear the people outside? NOAH RUBIN: It actually worked out pretty well. It was probably between points. Nothing crazy. In the middle of points, so nothing. Q. The chair umpire at one point asked people to calm down, and it wasn't the people that were on Court1 that were getting all excited. That didn't enter into it? NOAH RUBIN: No, didn't affect me. I think it worked out pretty well. The chair umpire was very good about it. Everybody was pretty good about quieting down when they needed to. I think it worked out pretty well. Q. Who all have you called or talked to? NOAH RUBIN: Grandparents, my coach, my girlfriend, my mom. You name it, it's been called. Q. Who was here with you in the stands today? NOAH RUBIN: My father. Yeah, my father. That's it. My girlfriend was here. She left on Friday after the quarterfinals, so... Q. What's the schedule from here for the summer? Are you going to play Kalamazoo? NOAH RUBIN: I have one future in America in Godfrey. Illinois, a little different atmosphere. And then Kalamazoo. Q. Have you heard from any other players this week? NOAH RUBIN: Talking about the junior players? Q. Yes. NOAH RUBIN: I don't know. Nothing great. Just, Good job; keep it up. In the boys juniors, I find most of us, we're friends, so it's just cheering each other on. There's a few outliers there, but for the most part we're supporting each other. Q. Have the seniors said anything to you? NOAH RUBIN: Not really. No, I mean, I'm fine with it, but it would have been nice. Maybe at the dinner tonight. Q. How about John? NOAH RUBIN: John, I got a couple texts from him. It's good to hear from him. I mean, he is John McEnroe, so... Q. What does the next couple weeks hold in store for you? When is the future? NOAH RUBIN: I get home and I have a week, I want to say, then I get out there, so... Basically take a week off and then get out there. Q. Plans for your week off? What do you expect the reception to be back in the U.S.? NOAH RUBIN: A hug from my parents, besides my father, grandparents. A nice dinner would be nice. See my girlfriend. Don't ask for too much here. Q. Your two weeks here in London, how do you sum it up? NOAH RUBIN: You know, I didn't expect much coming into these tournaments. Just wanted to get out here and enjoy myself. Haven't had the greatest results in the past, as people know. It's one of my final junior tournaments, so it's nice to have this under my belt. I'll always remember this time. Hopefully be back in the seniors shortly, so... Q. Who are you rooting for in the men's final? NOAH RUBIN: Sorry, Djokovic, he's a great guy, but I do want Federer. Djokovic is an unbelievable tennis player, but it would be really nice to see Federer take this one. Q. As you say, you didn't do so well in the other tournaments. What do you credit this year being so successful? NOAH RUBIN: I mean, I want to say experience. I've just been out here for so long now. Besides the Australian, it's been my third year at all the slams. I think I know what it takes just on and off the court to be professional and take care of business and do what I need to do to give myself the best chance to win, so... Q. You played eight matches. Have you done anything that like qualifies as London? NOAH RUBIN: Oh, actually have not had time for that. I see my girlfriend posting pictures of London. Have you been anywhere? No, I've just been trying to do my best at the tournament. I have the past couple years. Changing of the guards and Big Ben, all the usual things that makes London London. Q. Does this change any future plans? NOAH RUBIN: Absolutely nothing. Just a smile on my face. Q. Do you leave the trophy at home or take it off to college with you? NOAH RUBIN: I think I'm going to leave it at home. I don't trust those college kids up there. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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