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U.S. OPEN

September 4, 2015

Eugenie Bouchard

New York, NY, USA

E. BOUCHARD/D. Cibulkova

7-6, 4-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You played awfully well.
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Thank you.

Q. How did that happen? Seemed like last year all over again.
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Talking about singles? (Smiling.)

Well, I mean, it was just such a battle. I knew going in that she was going to be like that. She really put a lot of pressure on me actually. She was really going for her shots and swinging.

A lot of times I couldn't, you know, dominate the way I wanted to. I just stayed in there. In the third I tried to stay calm. I told myself that I don't have energy to spare on being negative, so I need to save all my energy.

I just tried to stay calm and that helped me out in the third.

Q. Did you feel in more control of everything?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Yeah. I mean, day by day I'm feeling a tiny bit better every single day. That's a great thing, to be able to improve a little bit every single day or every match.

Yeah, I mean, I felt like I could hit some great balls there. Yeah, the times when I wasn't playing so well, I think she played well.

I was just on my back foot a little bit. That's because of the pressure she put on me, as well.

Q. After the year you've had, what do you consider the biggest reasons for your success so far at the Open?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Continuing to believe, putting my head down, working hard, trying just to regain that confidence, that belief.

I mean, nothing specific. It's not like a magical word or something you can just do overnight. I've been trying the whole year to play well. Just doesn't always happen.

So I'm glad, though, that I seem to have found more of my rhythm. Jimmy also helped, as well.

Q. In what way?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: In the kind of mental confidence department, I'd say. He has so much experience, obviously. Just hearing his stories and listening to him speak, you know, I obviously respect him so much. I think he was great mentally when he played.

Just the little tips and advice he would give me. The fact that he told me he truly believes in me reminded me, Hey, I need to believe in myself as well. We just needed to build up my confidence a little bit.

Q. How important is it to have a great player like him sort of vouching for your potential, especially in a year when people have expressed doubts?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: It means a lot, you know. He said, you know, You're too good to be having the results you're having. He's definitely helped me in my time of need.

Q. How would you rate that final set? Looked from the outside looking in like it was some of the best tennis you played this entire season, even back in January. How did it feel out there?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I still, like, have 'mixed' in my head. I still think about the third set of mixed doubles. (Smiling.)

I got broken in the first game. I really just told myself to stay calm and to be a bit more aggressive. I think I had to put more pressure on her 'cause she was really striking the ball.

So I was, you know, having to defend a little bit. She was doing better than me in the second set.

Yeah, I just stayed calm, just keep going, just keep going, just keep believing. That's what helped me.

Q. You and Nick have two different on-court temperaments. Do you have to keep him on a leash at all?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: He was getting frustrated with himself a little bit. He felt like he should have helped the team more, which I expected as well. I said, Look, I'm tired. You have to do most of the work.

I think he was about to, you know, throw his racquet or say a bad word and get his suspension thing. He's like, I'm about to do it, I'm about to do it.

I'm like, No, you're not. Don't do it. It's not worth it.

Yeah, I don't know, he would just miss another return or something.

Q. You guys looked like you were having a good time out there tonight. I wanted to ask you about your chemistry on court. Why does it work so well, and your friendship off the court?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: It was super fun. He's just really like a funny guy. I was laughing like the whole time. That's probably why I'm extra tired now because I was just laughing all the time.

He has like constant conversations with like people in the crowd. So I was just listening. It was just so funny.

But, yeah, we told ourselves we were going to be so relaxed, just have fun. That's all I wanted to do.

Deep down we both really wanted to win, so we were like pretty pumped that we won.

Q. Tough match tomorrow. How motivated are you to keep the mixed run going?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: We are motivated, yeah. I got told as well that I'm the only pair left in all three events. I wanted to keep that going. That was my ultimate goal when I signed up for all three. Very proud of myself for that.

Yeah, obviously a great team. We're just going to go for it and have fun again. You never know what happens in doubles or mixed doubles.

Q. What about your friendship off the court? Seems like you've been a big support to Nick.
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I've known him since the junior days. Seen him around a lot. And, yeah, I just think he's really nice. You know, obviously we talk a bit more now since we're playing mixed doubles together. We've never hung out or anything.

Yeah, I mean, I just think he's so funny and interesting and he's good for the game. So I support him. Yeah, he's very nice and humble.

Q. Did you consider not playing the doubles?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Today?

Q. Yes.
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: No. Not at all. I was looking forward to it so much. After the match I told all the fans to go watch.

Q. How about the Vinci match?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Yeah, I want to do better than last time. (Laughter.) I mean, my goal is to do better than last time, yeah.

Q. Did you learn anything from that match? She's obviously a very different sort of player. Anything you think you're going to know going in?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: "Patience" would be the first word that comes to mind. I mean, I learned a lot of things, maybe not necessarily relating to her, in that match. I think that match was beyond tennis as well, in a sense.

So I'm just going to go out there and, you know, make it about the tennis. I want to try to be patient, be ready for 200 slices, and just try to go for it.

Q. How was that match beyond tennis?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: I mean, for me it was a mental thing. I wasn't patient. I was doing crazy things. I wasn't even playing the right way. Just kind of got a reality check in that match.

It wasn't so much about her, but she's really tough as well because of those off-pace balls.

Q. One of the areas of focus on Serena is how she's able to come back when she's down. For you personally, what are the qualities or thoughts that you most draw upon when you're down in a match? What do you admire most in Serena's ability to come back in a match?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Serena's done it so many times this year it's been amazing. Even in the Grand Slams. She always fights and finds a way. I think that's what real champions do.

Q. How does she do it?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: You have to ask her. I would like to know because I would like to do that more often.

But, I mean, I think she just has that belief. She knows she's so good. The longer a match goes, I mean, the odds go more towards the better player. But, I mean, she just fights and finds a way.

That's what I try to do, as well. But also in the third set for me today, I also tried to be calm and control my emotions a little bit. So that's what helped me today.

I think Serena lets out her emotions so that helps her, but I try to stay a bit more calm.

Q. What do you learn seeing what Serena seems to be able to do?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: So much. Even the greatest player of all times loses sets or is down in a match. It just shows that, you know, a win is never guaranteed. It shows all of us that we have to work for every point, fight for every point no matter what.

Even if you're the greatest of all time, people are not just going to give it to you. It's a great lesson. It's a great thing to see. I admire her so much for fighting, coming back, fighting against girls who she could win in two sets but she doesn't. She just tries to find a way.

Q. Now that you have three good wins behind you and your level is increasing match to match, do your ambitions change at all with respect to this tournament?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: In terms of performance -- or results, sorry - I would say no. I just want to focus match by match. When I was coming into this tournament, one win was a huge thing for me.

I want to keep it that way. You know, every match you try to do as well as you can. If you win, it's a great thing. Every match in a way is, like, really important to me. That's how I'm going to keep looking at it.

Including doubles and mixed, so I have two tomorrow.

Q. What do you think it will be like having Jimmy here?
EUGENIE BOUCHARD: Yeah, will he make it in time for my match? You guys wouldn't know. It will be great. I talk to him every day, though. He's watching all the time.

But, yeah, of course his presence will be greatly appreciated. I think we've had a good couple weeks, so I just want to keep that going.

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