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U.S. OPEN

September 2, 2017

Coco Vandeweghe

New York, NY, USA

C. VANDEWEGHE/A. Radwanska

7-5, 4-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your confidence seems to be on the up with every game, especially after beating someone seeded ahead of you. Is that the case? Are your expectations higher?
COCO VANDEWEGHE: Well, Aga is a difficult opponent for me. I think for anyone really. And she poses a lot of problems. She gets a lot of balls back. She hits a lot of tricky shots.

It was a tough-fought match. I can't help but to be proud of myself for the way I competed and continued to fight out there. So I think in doing that, that gives me a lot of confidence.

Q. Your second win over her, but a great stage to get that win. What did you learn from previous matches with her that you brought today?
COCO VANDEWEGHE: Well, I'm not really going to count the Toronto match as much to learn off of anything. I would say, you know, I know what she's capable of doing in putting me in uncomfortable situations. It's more of just, What am I going to do to counteract that?

I decided today, you know, I was going to hold strong in the rallies, fight for the long games was a big focus of mine, compete really hard. I think it translated to my tennis game, was really the competing really hard moments. I was making a lot of long service games for her. I think that eventually started to wear into her service games the longer and longer the match went on.

Q. This is your first second week. Did you bring a different approach to this fortnight that you hadn't before?
COCO VANDEWEGHE: Now that the mixed is canceled, I can actually appreciate I'm in the second week. I was still in match mode all of, like, 20 minutes ago.

But, no, I'm really happy with getting to the second week. It's a step closer to what I would like to do here. My approach hasn't been much different. Maybe a little bit mentally. I've been more selfish with just kind of my time, what I'm willing to do, what I'm not willing to do as far as being an American in New York. For me, I have lots of friends and family. It's, like, kind of pick and choose my time wisely.

Q. You made a decision before the match that you were going to stay in the rallies and show as much patience as she has shown, not only today but over the years?
COCO VANDEWEGHE: Well, no. Today was a main focus for me, more so than probably previous matches. I think previous matches, first of all, I was under a different coach, so it was a different idea to my game. So I think today was, first and foremost, the amount of patience.

Q. You're playing Safarova. What do you think about that?
COCO VANDEWEGHE: It's fun to play a lefty. I like playing lefties. There's not enough of them on tour to really kind of get to play a lot against them.

I'm excited to have the opportunity to play against Lucie. I know she's a tough competitor. She's former top 10 in the world, finalist at a Grand Slam. She's definitely no slouch at all.

Q. How has your relationship with your coach Pat progressed since you brought him onto your team? If there's any one area you think he's improved in your game in this short period of time, what would you say it is?
COCO VANDEWEGHE: I would say harnessing the tenacity that I already have in the right way. I think Pat gives me a very specific goal of what to do with the energy and fire that I do bring to the court. I think it's worked very well.

Q. How do you think about how some of the Americans are doing? Is there an opportunity to kind of show people, with Serena out, that there are other Americans that are doing well and the future's bright?
COCO VANDEWEGHE: I think the other Americans have always been doing well with or without Serena. I think Serena's a very hard person to catch in what she's been doing.

But I think we've been progressing. I think the girls all around my age have been moving up through the rankings, doing better in Grand Slams. I haven't seen the results for today, so I can't really speak on the results of the Americans today. Sorry.

Q. What do you remember of your expectations when you won the girl's championship as far as what you might do in the main draw eventually?
COCO VANDEWEGHE: Well, I already had my main draw shout that year. I kind of had a little bit of a taste. I was definitely expecting a way different kind of professional career at the get-go. Unfortunately, it was not to be, with injuries, learning curve, and also a learning curve of what the professional tour is.

I think a lot of that is not shown. I think it's getting shown more and more, about the lower-level tournaments, the challengers, how difficult it is to kind of make your way into the tour, not only financially, but mentally, physically.

I mean, I was 16, still growing, still maturing. It took some time for me. I was a very immature 16-year-old as far as development-wise. I think I took some lumps definitely to get to where I am now.

Q. What did that championship mean to you then and what does it mean to you now?
COCO VANDEWEGHE: The junior championship?

Q. Yes.
COCO VANDEWEGHE: Well, the trophy's still in my bedroom. It's a nice Tiffany's trophy. It was special. I never really played junior ITFs. I didn't really get it as far as what being No. 1 junior in the ITFs meant. It was more important for me to be nationally ranked No. 1, and also in California to be ranked No. 1. That was what was important back then.

At least for the Americans, maybe I was just closeted, but it wasn't really as important as it is now to be ranked ITF-wise. So playing ITF events, I only played a few, a handful. I was going to regular school. I couldn't skip that much school, so...

To win, it was great. I really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed having my moment out there with the trophy, winning my first gold ball. That was exciting. I really liked it.

Q. That year you actually played under the lights playing Jankovic. Seems like you fed off the crowd. How have you adjusted to being under the spotlight, maybe even being the favorite today?
COCO VANDEWEGHE: I don't think I was the favorite by any means. 5-1 in the head-to-head.

But totally different. I think I'm improving as far as settling in in a moment. Arthur Ashe Stadium is one of the biggest moments in tennis, aside from probably Wimbledon's Centre Court. Both those moments, my first try, Ashe at 16, then against Maria at Wimbledon, were both nerve-wracking, to say the least.

Thankfully it rained for all of 10 minutes against Maria, and I was able to collect myself, actually have a restart. I was thankful for that.

I mean, it's different. Still when I play the night match, it's different. It's electric. The stadium's buzzing. It's hard to put into words what it's like where you feel the goosebumps when you hear everything going on, the lights go out, you walk out. It's wild.

Q. You were talking about your development. In your mind what has been your biggest hurdle? What are you most proud of that you developed or have overcome?
COCO VANDEWEGHE: A lot of things. It's hard to pick one. I think I'm still developing as a person and also as a player.

I think my biggest goal is to develop as a person, a person that my family can be proud of, and also someone that I can be proud of at the end of the day.

As long as I'm moving in the right direction there for myself, I'll be happy.

Q. You follow Stassi Schroeder, Vanderpump. How much of a Bravo fan are you?
COCO VANDEWEGHE: I am a huge Bravo fan. I watch most of The Real Housewives. I watch Vanderpump Rules. I really do enjoy Stassi Schroeder Insta Stories. They've been good, funny.

Q. Do you see yourself cameo-ing on one of those shows?
COCO VANDEWEGHE: Hopefully not. You never know. Maybe The Real Housewives will want to play tennis one day. But you never know.

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