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U.S. OPEN

September 7, 2014

Omar Jasika

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

O. JASIKA/Q. Halys
2-6, 7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you pull that off?
OMAR JASIKA: I was just stuck -- I just stuck in there, I guess. This week has been unreal for me. Just sticking in and hanging in got me through a few matches, so I kept it in my head and I hung in and kept fighting.

Q. What's it like to be on the honor roll with some of the greats?
OMAR JASIKA: Hasn't really kicked in yet, but it feels unbelievable. Like very honored to be on one of the lists. Yeah, just happy, very happy.

Q. Have you received some calls from home already?
OMAR JASIKA: Actually, I lost my phone in Canada before I came. (Smiling.) My coach has been getting the calls. But when I probably get back to the hotel I'll probably use my dad's phone and see all the messages on the laptop and just reply like that.

Q. Comment on winning singles and doubles, which is such a rare achievement at the Open.
OMAR JASIKA: Yeah, actually kind of in the third round maybe or fourth round I started to think about it in the back of my head, actually. Imagine if I actually won singles and doubles. As I got closer, started to get into my head. All I was thinking was singles and doubles, singles and doubles. Winning those two. I was actually very happy.

Q. How did you turn the match around?
OMAR JASIKA: I mean, started to get a bit nervous, I guess. I think he was serving for the match and I pretty much just tried to stay composed and try and make the first ball and try and get up 15-Love, 30-Love, so he has to work for the next... Yeah, I guess I tried kind of broke and stayed relaxed and that got me that set.

Q. All started with the win over Donaldson second round.
OMAR JASIKA: Yes.

Q. How much impact did that have, taking you through all that?
OMAR JASIKA: Yeah, that match, I went into that match a little bit nervous because I knew his name was being said around a fair bit and he played the main draw here. I actually watched him and I was like, Oh, okay. This guy is good. So I prepared actually pretty good before the match. I went into the match actually a bit -- tried to be relaxed. And, yeah, got the first set and I actually thought to myself, I can do this. Yeah, got the second set, too.

Q. Do you look at that -- I mean, he takes ten games off Monfils; Monfils has a couple match points in the Federer match.
OMAR JASIKA: Yeah, I didn't try to focus on that too much. I tried to focus on my game and, yeah, just stay relaxed. And, yeah, I was pretty happy with that win actually.

Q. How did the crowd help you?
OMAR JASIKA: The crowd actually helped me today a lot. They got me through. I'll probably say they got me through, as well. And my coach, Liam and my family got me through, as well, which is the main thing. The crowd just helped. Yeah, it was amazing.

Q. Was that the biggest crowd you played in front of?
OMAR JASIKA: Actually, yes, I'd probably say one of the biggest crowds.

Q. Of the Australian greats, who has been the most inspirational? Who has had some impact thus far?
OMAR JASIKA: Yep. Sorry, can you repeat that?

Q. Of all the Australian greats, Rosewall, Newcombe, Cash, Rafter.
OMAR JASIKA: Yep. All those are great players. I have been talking to Cash a bit and Rafter, and they're unbelievable players. I have been watching on TV and just wanted to be like them, I guess in the future. Hopefully I can try and win as many Grand Slams as they did. But, yeah, I'll see.

Q. You were saying on court that it's your first time in New York.
OMAR JASIKA: What was that? Sorry.

Q. You were saying on court that it's your first time in New York.
OMAR JASIKA: Yep. Yep, actually my first time in New York.

Q. Did it hit you like a ton of bricks of what it's like over here?
OMAR JASIKA: Yeah, I have been to America before but never New York, which is pretty -- I was meant to come last year, but change of plan a little bit. But, yeah, I'm happy the first time, and definitely probably gonna come back here again.

Q. What are your plans for the next few weeks? How are you going to celebrate?
OMAR JASIKA: I'll probably take a week off at home and just catch up with everyone. Probably gonna start training again. There is a few pro tournaments in Australia that I'm probably gonna play and see how I go in those. Yeah, that's my plan so far.

Q. Are you planning on playing any juniors next year or do you think this will change that?
OMAR JASIKA: Probably not. I was thinking about playing Australian Open juniors because it's close to home, but we'll see about that. I'm not too sure yet.

Q. How did you get started in it all?
OMAR JASIKA: Into tennis?

Q. Yes.
OMAR JASIKA: Well, actually I don't know. My dad used to play with his friends a little bit. I would wait for him after I got back from school. He'd come home pretty late, and I just asked him if I could go have a hit. He'd take me sometimes. I started hitting on the brick wall back home. I started enjoying it, and my dad took me for more lessons. I started getting into a squad and all that stuff and started playing tournaments like that.

Q. We talk about yesterday that probably this is a twilight of the Big 4 era. Federer, Rafa, Murray, Djokovic. Would you say in the future this can be the Australian era, Kyrgios, Omar Jasika?
OMAR JASIKA: I hope so. Let's hope so. Can't really say anything too early. I guess we'll have to see. Hopefully.

Q. Just touched on names like Newc and Ken. Who did you idolize growing up?
OMAR JASIKA: Well, I kind of -- I liked Cash. Pat Cash was one of my greats. Rafter, as well. I just loved watching him. Yeah, I mean, all those guys. It's not really...

Q. There wasn't any one or two particular...
OMAR JASIKA: No. I mean, all the Australians I guess were kind of my heros. Couldn't really pick. Couldn't really choose one. So, yeah.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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