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US OPEN

September 2, 2019

Elise Mertens

New York, NY, USA

E. MERTENS/K. Ahn

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You dropped 16 games through four matches to make the quarterfinals. That is not a lot of games. What do you think is working out so well for you?
ELISE MERTENS: Well, I don't know. I'm just trying to focus every time I step on court, just trying to look at point per point.

Yeah, I actually don't know. I was trying to play aggressive, trying to improve myself. That's probably the main key. Just try to focus throughout the whole match.

Q. What adjustments did you make?
ELISE MERTENS: I think she had a pretty good season already. She's really coming up. Fourth round is also, you know, a good experience.

But it was actually a tough match. I didn't really expect me to play so well in the first set probably. I was really playing aggressive, really not letting her into those rallies because she kind of likes to get right, left, into those rallies. Just trying to fight the way through it.

I tried to keep them shorter than I used to in San Jose.

Q. You played a lot of tennis this week in singles and doubles. Do you feel in a zone, as in the zone as you could feel?
ELISE MERTENS: I try to use as less energy as I can in doubles, but I still love to play. I'm just going 100% committed in both. Of course, singles is a priority. Both Aryna and I know that.

I just love to play both.

Q. You're succeeding in both.
ELISE MERTENS: Yeah, yeah (smiling).

I try to look at it match by match. Get those hours of sleep is very important, too, not be in the club too long. Just try to keep it as short as I can.

Q. Back in the quarterfinals. Did you think this would be the two slams, the hard court slams, here and Australia, that would be the ones you had the most success at?
ELISE MERTENS: I don't know. I don't know which surface I like most. But I think I had a pretty stable Grand Slam, four Grand Slams, this year.

But, of course, in Wimbledon I was close to the quarterfinal. Now I'm in the quarterfinal. I'm really happy to achieve this already. But I hope I can go further.

Q. Such a good start to the year winning at Doha. Did you make some adjustments in the summer to find that level again?
ELISE MERTENS: I'm always trying to improve myself. Maybe the results weren't there, especially coming to the hard courts. I didn't really have a lot of matches. Of course, I had to play very tough opponents. So, yeah, they're also doing well here.

But, yeah, just try to look at the bigger picture, just trying to improve myself. That's the main thing.

Q. Can you talk about your next possible opponents.
ELISE MERTENS: Townsend has great hands, coming to the net a lot. I don't really know a lot about her. But I know from juniors actually, so I kind of know her.

Then Andreescu has an all-around game. She's on fire when she's on the court. It's going to be really tough either way.

Q. You're the only player left in your half of the draw who ever made a semifinal at a Grand Slam before. Do you feel like you have experience, it feels familiar, or does it feel new to you?
ELISE MERTENS: I kind of feel like I'm in there for a reason, of course. I kind of feel good every match I play. I try to enjoy a little bit, too. You get stress-y sometimes. That's the experience a little bit, trying to enjoy, trying to play good.

So, well, I wouldn't say that I'm the senior in the draw, the bottom of the draw. No, I wouldn't say that. Yeah, we're all good players.

Q. What do you look like when you're stressed?
ELISE MERTENS: I don't know. You tell me. Do you see it?

Q. No.
ELISE MERTENS: I try to enjoy, try to maybe take a little bit more time. Yeah, I think it's good to look at point per point.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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