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BNP PARIBAS OPENMarch 13, 2015Donald YoungINDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA D. YOUNG/P. Carreno Busta THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You have had such an interesting career; done such an outstanding job. Where is Donald Young now with your win? Can we see you as the winner of this tournament? DONALD YOUNG: You know, that's kind of far from now, but, you know, I'm making strides and playing better on a more consistent basis. I would love to win the tournament, but I have a match, a tough one the next round against Jeremy Chardy. That's my primary focus right now. I have to give all my energy and play great to even get through that. Q. You have had a big seed change since last year. What's changed in your game, people around you, or your outlook? DONALD YOUNG: A lot. All of the above, pretty much. The people around me have pretty much been the same with my parents and a few other people. But the way I see myself is totally different. I think I'm fighting a little better on the court and competing. I kind of know myself a little better than I did in the past. So all those things combined, coming together on a more consistent basis, is helping out quite a bit. Q. Why do you think you know yourself better? What's going on in your life? DONALD YOUNG: To be honest, I don't know. Friends told me when you turn 25 your whole mental state is going to change. Maybe it was mental. When that happened I felt like it did. It really did. I know how I play, what makes me tick. The things in my routines have kind of come, and I really am sticking to them and I'm enjoying it. Q. Even though Davis Cup didn't produce a win for you, what positives can you still take away for the rest of the year as being part of a Davis Cup team and that sort of experience and the work that you had to put in as far as being part of that team? DONALD YOUNG: Yeah, for me, the whole selection process was great. It really solidified that I was working hard and it was paying off. Just to get chosen‑‑ you know, in the U.S. it's an honor to be chosen to play with John and the Bryans. It was just great for me. The recent results leading up to that were good, so I got chosen. To go out there in that environment and to play against a former Grand Slam champion at home, those things are just learning experiences you can't get unless you have a chance to play those type of events. Every moment, every day was a learning experience, and I was just honored totally to be there. Q. I know you played a little doubles with Jarmere Jenkins. Are you surprised there is such a bevy of young black female players who are starting to come up? You're still pretty much holding up the fort for the young black American tennis players. DONALD YOUNG: Yeah, it's tough. You know, it's not the sport growing up that's cool to play in. It is quite expensive, and, you know, you don't have tennis courts just around. Even if you do, you don't have people that know that much about the game that can teach you. But mainly it's the cool factor. It's not the sport that, you know, growing up you look at and want to play. So, you know, hopefully, you know, with myself and Jarmere, and you have the guys in the past like James Blake and MaliVai Washington and all those guys that can get on TV a little more and become cool and something you can do and you have better teachers and more readily the courts are available and the racquets and whatnot. Q. You spoke of mental toughness. As I look at you I see a very more mature Donald Young who seems to be more at peace with yourself at this point in time. What has created more of that peace in your life? DONALD YOUNG: You know, it could be a lot of different things. The mental aspect of just, you know, it's my job. I don't have a ton more time left. I'm not 15 anymore, so there's no time to be wasting anymore. The fact of this is what I want to do, what I have chosen to do, and I really want to do well. I tried the other way of, you know, not doing things or being maybe as serious on a consistent basis, and that didn't work. I decided I'll try something different, and it's working so far. Q. Just knowing yourself, I mean, have you gotten your own place in Atlanta? Have you taken other steps to be your own person, becoming independent? Can you talk about that a little bit? DONALD YOUNG: Yeah, I do have my own place. I go home often because I enjoy the dinners and the laundry being done. I have my own place. It's fun to go there. It's great to come home. Yeah, it's just the growing up process. It's great. I'm enjoying myself, and, you know, a little more independence. Yeah, I'm enjoying it and it's great. Q. When did you get your own place? DONALD YOUNG: When did I? I think it was maybe last year sometime I started ‑‑yeah, I got my own spot. Q. Do you ever see a time when you wouldn't be coached by your parents or they wouldn't have some role in your tennis? DONALD YOUNG: You know, they have always been there. You know, they are very important.  I don't think there would be a time when they are never involved. There may be a time in the future where they are probably not traveling all the time, but, you know, they give everything to my tennis. I enjoy them around and I like them around. They know me more than anyone. Yeah, there may be a time when they're not there all the time. I definitely love having them around, support, always. Q. Tony Trabert said a while back if we weren't able to get black and Hispanic kids playing tennis we'd see a downturn in our game. We are seeing a downturn on the men's side, which you have been asked about probably thousand time. Do you agree with that, that in order to maybe see an upturn to American tennis it would be best to get the black and Hispanic players involved? DONALD YOUNG: Yeah, to get more people involved period to play tennis would be great. Me, personally, it would be great to see more minorities playing the game. You know, it's just ‑‑ that would be great. On just a selfish thing, it would be cool just having more out there, hang out or whatnot. But, you know, I think we are doing a good job. It's just ‑‑we have some coming up. Francis Tiafoe, Mike Mmoh, these guys are playing well. They are just a little younger, and in time I think they will be here at this level tournaments. Q. Do you feel there is underlying or above‑ground prejudice in the game when you walk around as one of the only black players on the tour? DONALD YOUNG: Actually, I haven't in a while. I actually feel like I'm pretty accepted and feeling like older and been around and start to know the guys a bit more, little more outgoing, and it's been fun. I have friends on the tour. We hang out. Yeah, so, no, I haven't felt that in a very, very long time. Q. One of the exciting things since I have been here, just to fill in people like the leaders, like Simon and Moore, and Serena spoke of Ellison and those other persons. There is a feel that we want to really create a multi‑cultural type of environment here. Do you have any comments in that regard? DONALD YOUNG: Yeah. I think it's great, you know, that everyone feels welcome. You know, they are happy to come to the tournament. I think it's better because different fans, different demographic coming out and spending money. It's great for everyone when you can see all the different walks of life showing up at a tournament to play or come to watch. It's just great to look in the crowd and see all the different people. It's awesome. I enjoy it for sure. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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