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U.S. OPEN

August 29, 2016

Kyle Edmund

New York, NY, USA

K. EDMUND/R. Gasquet

6-2, 6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Given the context of the match, the opponent, and the tournament, was that your best-ever win?
KYLE EDMUND: Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I played really well. Yeah, on ranking I think, yeah, it's probably my best win. And the way I went about it, the way I played, a lot of things went well.

Yeah, definitely one of my best wins in my career. Yeah, very pleasing. Very encouraging the way I played, the way I handled myself, dealt with situations. I thought I was smart with the way I played when I needed to be in certain situations.

Yeah, a lot of good things. Yeah, days like this feel really good. You know, just lots of positives. There is definitely days where they are not like that, so, you know, that's when you put the work in.

I have had a few days like that over the past few weeks on the hard. Really haven't quite found my form, but luckily the match when I needed it it came good against a good opponent.

Q. Was there something about New York that lifted you?
KYLE EDMUND: Yeah, I guess so. It's a Grand Slam, and you always get a little bit more excited about it. Yeah, to be honest, it's just been a really long trip. I haven't really felt too comfortable as much as -- well, coming from Davis Cup where I was playing really well, and then to come to Toronto, I guess you compare -- form was really good.

You're always comparing to how you're playing. Like as I said, I just didn't quite find that. It had been a long trip and stuff, so I just accepted the way I was playing and just, you know, sort of said, Look, this is the situation. You're playing a good player. You've got nothing to lose. Just go out there and play.

I knew after this tournament anyway I've got a bit of a break before Davis Cup in Asia. Either before Davis Cup or after Davis Cup, just depends on how I do.

So maybe that just relaxed me a little bit and made me enjoy it as well a bit more. You know, not playing so tense. Just played a lot freer.

So I definitely played better than I expected to be playing. The last few days actually have been a lot better than the start of the trip. So there were good signs. But it just already clicked today, so I'm very grateful for that.

Q. How has the pressure of playing and winning the Davis Cup helped you when it comes down to the Grand Slam tournaments?
KYLE EDMUND: Those two matches were a big thing for me. Just probably because I value them very highly. So in my head I knew what was at stake or maybe the pressure I put myself under. You know, however you want to put it.

I valued those matches very highly, and I targeted that just because I knew I had a good chance of playing them. And especially when Andy said he wasn't going to play, I knew I was definitely going to play. I was going to have the responsibility of playing two matches.

I really wanted to do well there, and obviously when I beat Lajovic it was a lot of relief because you wanted to do well. So I guess I played in a pressure environment, plus in the final it was an intense environment. So those absolutely definitely helped coming out there. You know, playing the 13th seed in the first round of a slam, you want to do well.

But, yeah, from having those experiences, they definitely do help me. No doubt about it.

Q. As a player, is it frustrating at all that you've put a lot into Davis Cup and the Olympics, and there is no ranking points at stake for those? It's been quite a big part of your summer, hasn't it, and not playing for points?
KYLE EDMUND: Yeah. It's just one of those things. I think -- well, like I said, I value them highly, so I wanted to play them. But, yeah, I don't know the reason why the ITF changed that. There were points last year; obviously not this year. And I would have gotten a nice chunk of points from Davis Cup, but it's just one of those things.

The way I look at it is I am 21. I still do have lots of years. So I'm not hanging on two tournaments for my ranking. You know, that doesn't make my ranking, those two tournaments or anything.

So I see it as building experience. Even though there is maybe not points in there, the experience from that will benefit me far more than the points in the long term.

So, yeah, that's just the way it is. I'm sitting around 80 at the minute, maybe with the points I could be sitting at sort of low 70s, high 60s. So there is a small jump, but as I said, that doesn't really concern me, you know. You want to be 30s, 20s, 10s. That's where you want to be -- 80/60 is not a huge difference, so I think the experience is more beneficial.

Q. Was there any degree of immaturity out there? I remember the Davis Cup final. We all remember it. Started off like a dream. But here, a break down in the third set and brought it back, which maybe you wouldn't have done 18 months ago.
KYLE EDMUND: No, yeah. I think it's, again, getting back to that experience. Just when you're more experienced you're a little bit probably more calmer in those situations in your head. You're more relaxed about it. You're not -- maybe because -- if it's happened the first time you're a bit unaware of what will happen, but maybe you're a bit calmer about the situation.

When I did go a break down I thought I didn't do too much wrong. I didn't make enough first serves. Maybe he was trying to get something going so he was playing a little bit more freer.

But the way I had been playing, I was playing very consistently and I wasn't playing out of myself. I was very confident with what I was doing, so I knew it wasn't going to take much to get that back.

So I just remained calm. Yeah, I had a good game to break him, and then because I got that momentum, it really helped me kick through towards the end of the match.

Again, those experiences definitely do help, and I think I'm getting some good ones now.

Q. When you beat someone like Gasquet so convincingly, as well, how much belief do you get that you can beat these kind of top players more and more regularly?
KYLE EDMUND: Yeah, it gives you more belief, absolutely.

I had a good summer. I beat some good players, and, well, I beat a guy Simon, but then had a good experience against Andy. Those matches, top players, give you more experience, more confidence with your game, that you are able to take it to him. Especially the way I play my game is very much on the offensive, wanting to take it to the opponent.

So I have to be expressive. I have to express myself, and that's the way I play.

So it gives me confidence doing that. Definitely Davis Cup I expressed myself very well. Was very aggressive on that weekend. And today I thought I was aggressive but playing smart at the right times; not being too overly aggressive. I got the balance right.

That's against a good opponent, so that gives you more confidence about your game.

Q. How did you feel with the heat out there? In the end, did you feel like you would have hoped it went to four or even five sets in those conditions?
KYLE EDMUND: Yeah, I mean, it's difficult to say. I would always back myself to do it. Like going out there, if I needed to play five sets I was ready to play five sets, you know. I had done all the preparation I normally do for five sets and stuff.

So, yeah, I would have felt confident doing it. It's hard to say in hindsight how you would have coped, but, yeah, it was pretty hot out there.

I don't think it was hot as last year. I thought it was more humid last year; a lot of pullouts last year. So I think that just shows in itself.

It's hot but you adapt to it. The body adapts. I have been in America, what, four or five weeks now, so your body does adjust to it.

Yeah, I guess I wasn't out there about an hour and a half or something, so it wasn't that long compared to other people.

Q. Do you know anything about Escobedo?
KYLE EDMUND: No. I actually played him in the first round of Binghamton challenger last year, so I think that was three sets. I honestly can't remember a huge amount of the match because it was a year ago.

I will watch a little bit of tape of him. You see a few things you pick up. You see his game style. But, yeah, I mean, all these matches here are going to be -- you have to get your game out there.

But I'm pleased with the way I played today, so I think the main thing for me is trying to keep that going, and basically what I did today, try to put that in my next match and I'm sure you'll have a good chance.

Q. I think he's a wildcard. Always a tough match. A great opportunity to make round 3?
KYLE EDMUND: Yeah, it's a good opportunity. Maybe, yeah, on paper not as high ranked as someone like Gasquet. But, again, you have to respect the opponents. The worst thing you can do in sport is get ahead of yourself, get too forward thinking, start looking what's going on.

Definitely not -- you have to look at one match at a time, look at the guy in front of you right now, stay in the present. You start looking elsewhere then you'll get called out. I have always done that. You have to give respect to your opponents. He is in round 2, so there is a reason he's in round 2 is: because he's playing well.

But, yeah, I definitely look forward to it for sure.

Q. I know you kind of touched on this the other day, but is there an element of the sort of head-to-head between you and Evo for the second Davis Cup spot at this tournament?
KYLE EDMUND: I guess so like in terms of the last tie and there is not that much time. So I guess it's almost like whoever is maybe doing well at the time or has that bit more confidence.

But, again, it's Leon's decision, how he sees it, how he sees matchups.

Again, we will see what happens. We have actually had a lot of ties over the past few years now because -- and that's a good problem, I guess, because we have been doing well.

It's sort of like another tie that's come up. So, yeah, for me, I will just concentrate on here, first.

But, yeah, it's just really is Leon's decision. Nothing more to say than that, because you do what you do, as in play your match. Results give you a good chance of getting that, getting a pick.

We'll see. I mean, it's just one of those things. I mean, Dan's obviously had a good summer. He's had some good results. I'm sure my result today would have helped things. Yeah, we'll see.

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