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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 3, 2017

Dustin Brown

Wimbledon, London, England

D. BROWN/J. Sousa

3-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What was the key?
DUSTIN BROWN: To be honest, I mean, I knew from the beginning it was going to be a tough match. Joao's a very good player. I think in the beginning it was a little bit unlucky break. In the beginning I could have held serve easily. There were two or three mistakes. He ran off with it. He served very well. Didn't give me a lot of second serves to be aggressive on.

And, yeah, 3-6, 3-5, normally I would have been down two sets to love. At that point I changed my approach a little bit and just said I have to take time away from him. He's a player when you play against him and you give him time, then it's very dangerous.

And especially in the beginning he wasn't missing, he was hitting forehand winners and passing shots from everywhere. My objective at that point was just to try and rush him a lot more, play, serve, and volley a lot more, even though I have a feeling compared to the last couple of years that the balls are a lot slower.

And it was just like, what else can I do? If I play like this from the back it's probably not going to do well for me. It was difficult to take time away from me, having him not hit forehands all over the court. So I just decided to try doing that, and happily I broke at 5-4.

But it was more of just, yeah, trying to get ready for the third set and then hopefully being able to play the game that I wanted to play.

Q. Andy Murray is up two sets in his match at the minute and looking pretty comfortable. How do you feel about the prospect of playing him in the next round?
DUSTIN BROWN: Well, I mean, obviously world No. 1. Yeah, about half an hour ago I came off the court so I'm going to try and relax a little bit and enjoy that win first before I think about anything else.

Yeah, I think I will have a day off tomorrow and then I get time to get ready for that match and I'll speak with my coach and see what I want to do.

Obviously it's an honor playing against him. I think last time we played was US Open 2010. He won in three sets. Yeah, we'll see what happens out there this time.

Q. Do you think that match counts for anything now when you look back on that match? It was a long time ago?
DUSTIN BROWN: Seven years and it wasn't grass (smiling).

Q. You had a famous one here against Rafa. Is that the kind of match you can draw upon you playing against Andy?
DUSTIN BROWN: Well, I'm going to have to try and play the same way, play aggressive. Like I said, it's tough. Andy is one of the best returners out there. Like I said, I feel like the balls are a lot slower and it's not making it as easy to play aggressive and play only serve and volley.

Yeah, just gonna have to try and find a way, yeah, to be aggressive and try and not have him play the type of game he wants to play. Same thing today. Just to try and take them out of their comfort zone.

Q. When you say playing slowly. Do you think that's less exciting? Do you think it should be a bit quicker playing Wimbledon to make it a little bit different, playing on grass here?
DUSTIN BROWN: I'm not sure about exciting. Yeah, it would be nice if -- every surface, yeah, has its own characteristics, and Wimbledon and grass courts should be faster. I had the feeling even the last couple of tournaments I played that sometimes playing at the French Open might even be a little faster just from the balls and the courts.

Yeah, that's a little sad, because personally I think a lot of guys that are attacking and playing serve and volley, I think we have seen it over the last couple of weeks also, Feliciano Lopez or Gilles Muller all playing a lot less serve and volley. I think that's one of the things because everything is playing pretty slow.

Q. Things are being said about Andy's hip. Are you the kind of guy maybe you can take advantage of...
DUSTIN BROWN: Not something I was thinking about. He has a hip problem and I think he was up 6-1, 3-1 not too long ago, or I'm not sure what the first set was but I saw he was up a set and 3-1. So apparently it's not that bad.

Q. Would it be a slightly different challenge for you because you're used to being a real crowd favorite and obviously with Andy...
DUSTIN BROWN: Who said I won't be (smiling)?

Yeah, I mean, I think it's a pretty similar match than if I'm playing against -- when I played Rafa out there, I try not to worry too much out there. I'm hoping no one is going to boo me. I will just go out and try and play my game.

Either way he's the favorite. I can be pretty relaxed and try and play my game. If I lose in three sets no one is going to worry. I will just go out there and try my best.

Q. Can you talk briefly about the Rafa match?
DUSTIN BROWN: Well, it was one of my best matches, a very good day at the office. Everything was working pretty well. But like I said, you know, in a lot of those matches there is a few points here and there. Today same thing. Few points go differently. At the end of the second set I might not win that match.

And, yeah, I just gotta go out there and play every point and see what happens.

Q. You say that ranked as one of the best wins in your career. Would beating world No. 1 on his home slam rank as the best?
DUSTIN BROWN: Depends how I play and depends what happens. These are things I don't worry about because it hasn't happened yet. Like I said, I just came off the court. I'm trying to do my press and then go to the physios after and get ready.

Also in a few days also I have doubles match I have to prepare for. Coming off of the court, I'm going to just speak to my coach and see things that were good and things that weren't good, and try and find a very good game plan for the next match. And I think they are still on the court, I'm not sure what the score is. We'll see everything once that match is done.

Q. You said you were going to give yourself a day off. Will you practice tomorrow or what will you do?
DUSTIN BROWN: I don't give myself a day off. I just wouldn't play a match tomorrow.

Yeah, practice and get ready. Get treatment and then obviously see what the schedule is like, when I would play singles, when I will play doubles.

Q. You play a very exciting game, lots of serve/volley, dropshots, that kind of thing. How much is that a tactic you take into the match and how much do you just play by instinct?
DUSTIN BROWN: That's my type of tennis. For example, Joao wants to hit serves and then hit forehands. Same way I want to play aggressive and go to the net. That's just how I play. That has nothing to do with trying to be exciting or flashy or any of that.

That's my tennis. And, yeah, I have said it a million times that's how I play, and if people like it, then obviously that's a nice thing, but that's not what I think about when I go out there.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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