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U.S. OPEN

August 31, 2017

Jennifer Brady

New York, NY, USA

J. BRADY/B. Strycova

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Wow, that was pretty dominant. Was that surprising to you at how one-sided that was?
JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, you know, I came out. You know, once I think I got the first break I was, you know, pretty happy about that, and then I was just focused on holding my serve. Eventually I broke again. Yeah, I was kind of steam rolling.

Q. You seem casual and laid back offcourt. How does that help you handle all the pressure and the hype around playing these big matches?
JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, you know, I'm pretty chill. I don't really have -- I don't really put too much stress on myself off-court. Life's pretty good, so I don't stress about that.

Yeah, I mean, at times it can help, and at times maybe it would be good if I, you know, had a little bit more, you know, stress -- not stress, but a little bit more energy, yeah.

Q. I'm curious as to what you think were the biggest things you gained in your two years at UCLA in terms of confidence and your game.
JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, you know, those two years were pretty crucial for me. You know, if I were to do the whole process again, I would stick to what I did and go back to UCLA. Yeah, I learned a lot off-court, just learning how to be on my own.

You know, I was at an academy for basically my whole life when I played tennis, so, you know, I had the same schedule every single day. Nothing outside of that changed.

So it was good to have a change. I learned a lot from that off-court and on-court.

Q. Have you had to change your hotel reservation like you did in Australia yet here? Or were you more confident and booked it longer? Also, have you seen or had any conversation with Chrissie? I know you spent years at the academy.
JENNIFER BRADY: Well, the hotel is booked until the 6th (smiling).

Q. Confident?
JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah. Ask me that when it's the 6th.

Yeah, so, Chrissie messaged me the other day. Yeah, it's great hearing from her, you know, knowing that she supports me.

I was very privileged to, you know, train at the academy and have her there. When I was younger, she hit with us. It was a lot of fun.

Q. What does she give you the most? What do you look at that your time with her has helped?
JENNIFER BRADY: I mean, I think it's just, like, you know, an honor to know that somebody, you know, who is a legend in the game, you know, knows who I am and supports me and, you know, believes in me.

Q. She mentioned Australia. Do you think your success there has helped you this week, knowing what to expect, pressures of the Grand Slam? You haven't done it here, but you have been through it a little bit once before?
JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, I think that helped a lot, you know, making the second week there, being in the third round here.

But, yeah, you know, I'm just playing well, focusing on what I have to do. You know, taking it match by match.

Q. Before Australia, would you have ever imagined you'd have won six Grand Slam matches this year with a chance for more to come?
JENNIFER BRADY: Probably not, no. Before Australia, yeah, I was just -- I just wanted to qualify at a Grand Slam. That was my, you know, first step.

Q. I'm wondering what you think of the experiment that was tried in the juniors with the coaching and whether that seems to be a good idea as opposed to what they have in the WTA. And also, do you use the WTA coaching system?
JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, I do use the WTA coaching.

I mean, I don't know what the junior thing was, so... Was it the stop clock and stuff like that?

Q. Well, my understanding was what they are experimenting with is instead of calling for the coach that you can actually communicate with the coach in the coach's box on your side, and then when they are on the other side, there would be like hand signals or something, pull your ear lobe or something.
JENNIFER BRADY: I mean, I think, you know, I guess it's different for everybody, but, you know, I feel like when you're out there competing, you're the one out there playing. Regardless, I feel, of what your coach is doing or telling you to say, things like that, it comes down to you. I feel like you should be able to figure that out on your own, yeah.

Q. Do you like this New York atmosphere? It's frenetic here and everything. Just in general, New York, have you done anything that's touristy?
JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah. I mean, I love the atmosphere. Being an American, having that extra support is great.

I haven't done anything touristy yet. Hopefully I can (smiling).

Q. Anything in particular?
JENNIFER BRADY: I would like to go see a play. Yeah, I heard that Wicked and the Book of Mormon is good.

Q. I just talked to Stella at UCLA about you, and she said that she thinks your potential is pretty much unlimited, top 20 for sure, probably even better than that. What do you see as your potential and what is it going to take to get you there?
JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, I mean, that's great to hear. But, you know, ever since I was young I have always been told how good I am, and, you know, recently I feel like over the past year or so I have really put in the hard work and kind of showed myself that, you know, I can play at this level and, you know, I have the potential to play at this level.

You know, one of my goals is to just, you know, have fun and play and, you know, just to see how good I can be. I'm not playing for a number or a ranking or anything like that. It's just to see, you know, how good I can really be.

Q. You were born in Harrisburg. How old were you when you moved to Florida? Was that strictly a tennis thing or how long did you spend in Harrisburg?
JENNIFER BRADY: I think probably eight or nine years old.

Q. You started playing tennis in Harrisburg? They saw your potential and moved down there?
JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah. Not strictly for tennis, but it worked out.

Q. Your family?
JENNIFER BRADY: Uh-huh.

Q. Speaking of Stella, did Pete ever stop by in your two years there or come to watch?
JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, I have seen Pete there a couple of times, yeah.

Q. Do you have any relationship with him?
JENNIFER BRADY: No. Not -- no.

Q. Not even hello?
JENNIFER BRADY: I mean, I don't know. Maybe, but...

Q. Being on these big stages, Australian, here, French Open, really great match there, do you feel like the big stages really help bring out the best in your game? If so, how difficult is that to replicate it on a week-in, week-out basis where you might not have that spotlight on you?
JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, I mean, playing on the big stage, obviously there is more anxiety. You know, the atmosphere is what really makes it good.

Just almost forgetting about that and just focusing on what I want to do on the court and, you know, not getting too caught up in how many people are watching, how many people are cheering for me, things like that. Just going, playing, getting the job done and going home. Yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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