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ROLAND GARROS

May 29, 2018

Noah Rubin

Paris, France

J. ISNER/N. Rubin

6-3, 7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. So thoughts on that match. Obviously, over two days, how do you feel like this match played out?
NOAH RUBIN: Yeah, I mean, there was one thing I had to do, and that was capitalize, and I didn't do that. So that's kind of the theme of the match. It's one of those things that you can take with you for the rest of your career. You know, I haven't been at this level too often, so I want to keep pushing. And I know I'm here.

You know, serving for the second set, you know, getting his serve back and having that backhand on the top of the net in the third, that's just the stuff. You know, you have to make him play. You have to put them in.

It's just the way it goes and it sucks right now. It is what it is. And I don't think I used all my opportunities, and it will be with me for a while.

Q. You've had ups and downs. You poked up onto this level quite a few times now but then gone back down. Is most of that down to health do you think?
NOAH RUBIN: Yeah, I mean, I've been pretty unfortunate. I'm not going to say I'm the only player, but I've been pretty unfortunate to deal with two injuries. I've yet to have a full year on tour. You know, about five months for the first injury, six for the second.

It's not easy. I'm playing with six months of a schedule and trying to get the same amount of points that these other guys are getting.

So now that I've had some more time, and hopefully a full year will come my way, I think I can progressively move up. And I have nothing to defend for two months now, three months, and I think this is where I start making pushes.

Q. Is there anything you can do to maintain your health better? Knock on wood or whatever kind of luck you can do?
NOAH RUBIN: Yeah, because they've been freak accidents. It's been nothing -- you can ask my trainers. I take really good care of my body.

Last year I just fell on my wrist. It just was one of those things. The Houston courts weren't up to par, and it was just that day. So it's just one of those things that you have to deal with. You know, you're careful, but that's all you can do.

Q. Pretty good tournament for Wake back home. I don't know how much of that you followed?
NOAH RUBIN: Yeah. I mean, it was a pretty good year with national indoors, ACC title, ACC regular season, NCA team, and NCA singles, final in singles. It was a pretty impressive year, so I'm happy to be a part of it.

Q. They don't usually ever give wildcards at the U.S. Open to guys who aren't American who win the title. What do you think of that policy?
NOAH RUBIN: I think it's okay. You know, you protect the Americans. It's kind of what it is.

Now that that wildcard is up for grabs for other players, you know, that could be me. How am I supposed to say it's, you know, not a good rule. It is what it is. It's something you have to deal with.

And I have already gotten hate for getting the wildcard here. You know, I get it all the time.

Q. From who?
NOAH RUBIN: Oh, on Twitter all the time I get hate. They're like Hugo Dellien won two tournaments. You only won one. Why are you getting it? I'm like, I don't have to talk to you.

It's an ongoing thing and everything. You just have to deal.

Q. French Open, main draw. What do you do to prepare. What does your life look like getting ready for this in the weeks leading up to the tournament?
NOAH RUBIN: I've played a lot of matches. You know, starting from the Future that I played, that was five matches. Then, winning Tallahassee, another five matches. And it's just getting a lot of matches in. And then, obviously, I had a pretty solid week with three wins in Geneva last week.

And it's all about playing at this level, getting the matches when you need it, and getting your body in the right form to play four out of five.

Q. Being here in France, what is different? You know, obviously, every country's got its own different flavor. Playing on clay is different. What is the same and what is different?
NOAH RUBIN: I think I find myself fitting in here pretty well. You know, you scream, come on, you get ramped up. In Wimbledon, it's kind of frowned upon, in a way. Here the crowd loves it. It's that grittiness, that dirty feeling.

And, you know, I've had some great successes at junior. Unfortunately, I haven't played as many times as a pro due to injuries and other things, but I'm happy to be here now and keep improving.

Q. I think the crowd was really getting behind you. You fought off a ton of break points there. What do you tell yourself? I think you fought off a ton of break points, set points, other just big points where there was a lot on the line. You just plowed through it. What do you tell yourself in that moment?
NOAH RUBIN: Just keep playing.

I also lost a few. It's just one of those things that if a big guy like him is going to go for his shots, whatever that means, I'm going to put myself in every point, give myself a chance, and that's kind of the way it goes.

Q. What's unique about playing Isner? First time. Obviously, his serve is decent, to say the least. I mean, what do you -- how does that change things?
NOAH RUBIN: Yeah, I haven't -- I mean, the guy, you know, closer to my ranking right now would be Reilly Opelka.

And I really haven't competed against him too often. Practiced a few times. And, you know, even he has a little bit of way to go to get to -- you know, Isner's serve is something else. Even the second serve, the thing is jumping up. It really is.

So it's something that I think I did pretty well with in the second set -- in the third set, I'm sorry, and some in the second.

Just maintaining, and I gave myself the opportunities that I needed. I just didn't capitalize. That was kind of the issue. So, you know, the second and third were possibly my sets. Obviously, it could have been his set because he had so many set points, but it was on my racquet at certain points.

Q. Anything to say at home to the fans in New York playing out of Sportime Randall's Island or any local club who are all pulling for you?
NOAH RUBIN: I've had some incredible support whether it was Instagram, texts, or e-mails, whatever it was. And they always root for me and stay up at all hours, wake up in the morning, whatever tournament it is. And they're always with me and I'm so thankful to have them. So hopefully every step of the way they'll be there.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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