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U.S. OPEN

September 5, 2017

Pablo Carreno Busta

New York, NY, USA

P. CARRENO BUSTA/D. Schwartzman

6-4, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. We were just talking to Diego, and despite his disappointment of the loss, he said what a thrilling experience it was to be out on Ashe to be playing you. Your thoughts on the match and the atmosphere?
PABLO CARRENO BUSTA: Yeah, I think it was a very good, very special match for me, playing Arthur Ashe against Diego. We are very good friends.

I happy for him, also, because he made a really good tournament. Beat good opponents: Cilic, Pouille. He has to be happy about this tournament here in US Open.

Well, of course, for me I'm very excited to be in the semifinals. I think that it was a very good opportunity to do it, to be in semifinals, and I just try to make my best. Well, I think that the match today was very good. I play very solid from the baseline, trying to don't do mistakes. In the important moments, maybe my serve was the difference.

Q. As someone who has said his favorite surface is clay, how have you adapted your game for the hard courts to become this successful?
PABLO CARRENO BUSTA: Yeah, probably I am more comfortable playing, you know, clay courts. But when I was young, when I start to play tennis, I play all the time in hard courts.

So I always comfortable playing on these surfaces. My first ATP title was in Winston-Salem, hard court, and next one was Moscow, indoor court.

So I think I also comfortable playing here. I think that my game is really good to play on hard courts. I have a good serve. I play solid on the baseline, from the baseline, and, well, if you don't make mistakes and you play aggressive, your game will be able to be good in this surface.

Q. Second set he had a chance to go up 5-3. You saved three break points. Did you think that was a key point for you to turn it around?
PABLO CARRENO BUSTA: Of course. Of course, it was most important moment of the match. It was the key, because when I was 4-3 and Love-40, it was really tough mentally moment. I just try to be focus on the next point, step by step, you know, point by point.

Finally, I did it. I won my game, and then I broked. I think it was the most important moment of the match, and I think I played really good.

Q. Sometimes in life things go really well for us; sometimes not. You had a good draw here. What in your life was the toughest break, in your career, either in health or tournament or...
PABLO CARRENO BUSTA: Of course I know that I have a good draw here. I play against quallie in first round, in second round, third round, and fourth round. That's true that Denis was really tough. It's not normal qualifier.

But when you have this draw, you have to do your best to take advantage, so I think that is a really good tournament for me. I know that I didn't win matches against top players, Top 10 or Top 20 players, but I am very happy with my tournament.

Q. But my question is: Has there been a time when you had really sort of bad luck, you had to play Roger first round, or...
PABLO CARRENO BUSTA: Yeah, of course. The draw, sometimes you are lucky; sometimes you are unlucky.

First time that I play a Grand Slam, I play against Roger Federer in Roland Garros. If you are seeded, normally you don't play against another seed until third round. So that's the important thing.

To be seeded here in US Open, I was seeded No. 12 or 11, I don't know. 12? The seeded that were in same part of my draw don't arrive to me.

Q. We don't know who your opponent will be, so if it's okay, I'd like to ask you about each of the two possibilities. When you think about the possibility first of playing Sam, what stands out most about what that matchup will depend on?
PABLO CARRENO BUSTA: I never play against him, but I watch all the matches. This year he's playing really good. He won in Acapulco. He did semifinals in Wimbledon. It will be a really tough match against him.

It's always difficult to play against him, because he has a really good serve and really good forehand. I will try to play to his backhand (smiling).

Q. And if you play Kevin Anderson, you'll go from playing a guy 5'7" to a guy who is 6'8". What sort of adjustment will that be for you?
PABLO CARRENO BUSTA: I play against Kevin in Montreal, the first tournament of the tour here in USA. I lost. So maybe will be difficult to play against him again, but I think that now in this moment I am playing with more confidence. I am playing better than in Montreal.

Q. Why? What gives you that more confidence?
PABLO CARRENO BUSTA: Well, I get rhythm this tournament. I won a lot of matches here in US Open, so that's something important to your confidence. So now I think I'm playing much better.

Q. When we think of Spanish tennis, of course we think of Rafa. Could you just talk about him? Has he been supportive of you? Do you like that he gets all the attention and you sort of less so? Just talk about just being from the same country.
PABLO CARRENO BUSTA: Yeah, of course if you speak with some Spanish people about tennis, everybody knows Rafa. That's true that Rafa is incredible tennis player. Is one of the best ever. That's normal, no?

But there are a lot of Spanish players, good Spanish players. And now I am in semifinals of the Grand Slam of US Open, and I think is as important as if Rafa arrive to semifinals, no?

So maybe it's just easier when, in your country, Rafa has all the attention and you are very without this pressure, no?

I don't know. Sometimes is good; sometimes is not good (smiling).

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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