US OPEN

September 11, 2005

Ryan Sweeting

Q. I meant when you went to serve for the title. Normally, that would be a point where people would start to look a bit wobbly.

RYAN SWEETING: I was a bit shaky. I mean, at 5-4, I saw the finish line. I went out to serve, and I got the first three points playing like not easy points, you know. Hit like long points, making him make his shots. Got it at 40-Love. Then I made the mistake at 40-Love of thinking like I was already there, you know. Then it got back to 40-30. Then I went to get my towel, started to calm down a little bit. Just said, "I have to do it here, I don't want to get him back to deuce." Just bombed a serve, and that was it. The whole adrenaline feeling just came out right there, just fell on the ground. Was just a great feeling.

RYAN SWEETING: Right.

RYAN SWEETING: I thought I was home-free. I mean, I didn't know the ball was going out. I saw him hit the ball, go in the net, I was like, "This is it." Then there was another late call, the same lady who made two late calls, and that was disappointing. But doesn't really matter now.

RYAN SWEETING: Yeah, yeah (smiling). Don't want to make that mistake too much.

RYAN SWEETING: Yep, that was my mom. She's going crazy right now.

RYAN SWEETING: Yeah, she was crying. My coach was crying, too.

RYAN SWEETING: No. No, I mean...

RYAN SWEETING: I wasn't crying, but...

RYAN SWEETING: A lot of other emotions going through my head. A little overwhelmed and a little relieved as well.

RYAN SWEETING: I played against Carsten Ball first round. I was down five matchpoints and pulled through the match and went on to win the title. I mean, I could have been out the first round, just like that.

RYAN SWEETING: Oh, that was my coach.

RYAN SWEETING: Right. Nicolas Guizar. I've been with him for about six years now.

RYAN SWEETING: He's from Mexico.

RYAN SWEETING: Oh, no. No. I mean, he flew down just yesterday morning to watch me play the semis. (Cell phone ringing).

RYAN SWEETING: He's just going crazy right now. I mean, the feeling, we've been working so hard. And to just have all that hard work pay off, he's just as excited as I am. It's just so great.

RYAN SWEETING: No, I mean, I had no idea I was even capable... (cell phone ringing). Jeez.

RYAN SWEETING: I don't know. I don't know what we're going to do.

RYAN SWEETING: It definitely puts a question mark on it. It doesn't necessarily change everything, but we're definitely going to have to sit down and talk about it and see what the plans are for the future. Because I don't think too many champions of the US Open go on to college in a couple months. I don't think that's ever even happened before. But we'll just see what happens, you know. But your question, I didn't even think I was capable of winning this tournament. My goal coming in wasn't to win, it was just to give 100% and play my best, because that's the only thing you can do the court. I mean, you want to win, obviously. But you can't -- that's not really something you can control. The only thing you can control is playing your best and everything, and that's what I did. It worked this week, and I'm just so happy.

RYAN SWEETING: Oh, I was very nervous.

RYAN SWEETING: I think when I'm nervous I play better. Like yesterday, I was just -- during the changeover, my hands were shaking. And today there was a bigger crowd, you know, the cameras, all of that, the whole works. I felt the nerves. I felt the adrenaline and everything like that. But it seemed to give me that edge, you know, wanting to win the title.

RYAN SWEETING: Yeah, yeah, it prepares well. I mean, I've been playing Davis Cup for a while now, so I'm kind of used to that with the crowds and everything. But this is probably the most important match of my life right now, and I'm just really, really excited how I handled it.

RYAN SWEETING: Oh, wow. Yeah, that's such a great advantage. I mean, you get the experience of hitting with the big guys, with the pros, playing matches with them, seeing how they act, behave on the court. You're there with them, you know, you're one of them during those weeks. It's helped me so much handling myself on the court, behaving, staying calm, focused, acting professional, you know, not like a kid. And it's been great. A great advantage playing Davis Cup.

RYAN SWEETING: Oh, yeah. Mark Knowles, one of the greatest doubles players of all time. I mean, from the Bahamas, such a small country, to have such a great tennis player come from there. I mean, I've watched him play since I was 8 years old. For him to come and watch my match today, it just gave me that edge. Just a great feeling. I'm so thankful that he came out and watched.

RYAN SWEETING: Of deciding?

RYAN SWEETING: It's been back and forth. There are advantages, there's pros and cons. If I want to play for the States, I'd obviously get more wildcards into futures maybe, get treated better due to the funding and everything like that. But maybe not get as much recognition because the USTA is just so big and they have so much talent. Then on the other hand, playing for the Bahamas, where there's less players, less people, so you get the focus and the attention on you. Yet the funding, back to the funding and everything like that, you don't get treated as highly as the United States players do. But in the Bahamas I get to play Davis Cup and everything like that. So, I mean, it's back and forth. I really don't know what we're going to do.

RYAN SWEETING: Well, we'll see what offers come on the table. I mean, I don't really know yet what's going to happen. I mean, I don't even know if I'm going to -- like, I already signed with the University of Florida, and I don't even know what's going to happen there. Just so many decisions now that I have to make. I mean, this is just unexpected. I mean, I don't really know what to tell you.

RYAN SWEETING: Oh, yeah. Since I think it was the quarterfinals, I had that big support group here. They've just made all the difference. They've just been keeping me motivated when I was down, keeping me pumped, keeping me focused, you know. I'm just so thankful for them for sacrificing so much, taking the time to come out here just to watch me play. It's 'cause of them.

RYAN SWEETING: The steel band, oh, outside. I heard that a little bit during the changeover. No, that didn't really make me feel like I was home, but I guess on the changeover it's good to hear a little music (smiling).

RYAN SWEETING: Yeah.

RYAN SWEETING: Ah, it's not real. It's not real (smiling).

RYAN SWEETING: It's not real. It's not 40,000 like Serena. But, no, just -- it's pretty big, though. I mean, I used to have another one, but took it out. Trying to tone it down a little bit (smiling).

RYAN SWEETING: As in what, for today?

RYAN SWEETING: I'm going to John Roddick's academy in San Antonio in a couple weeks to train and play some futures in Arlington and Louisiana. We may play some in California; I'm not sure yet. I'm going to be there for about one and a half months to two. Then come back home, and see what happens there, whether we're going to do the college thing or the pro thing.

RYAN SWEETING: Well, I met John I think it was in Europe this year. It was in the French Open. I got to talk to him. I mean, one of his players is Kellen Damico, and we're great friends. We've been talking a lot. He has some great players there. So just decided to go give it a shot, see what he can do for me, you know. Get to hit with some good players and try and improve my game.

RYAN SWEETING: We were supposed to leave this afternoon at 5:30, but we're sticking around to watch the Federer-Agassi match and see what happens there. Because the trophy presentation is on Ashe and everything like that. So just going to spend the time with my family and friends and just enjoy it, enjoy the day.