US OPEN

September 9, 2020

Alex De Minaur

Press Conference

D. THIEM/A. de Minaur

6-1, 6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk about how devastating that might have felt on court, the way Dominic Thiem was playing?

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, look, obviously right now I can't really think hindsight. Obviously the way I'm feeling now, it's just disappointed with the way my US Open campaign has finished. I would have loved to put more of a fight.

He played at a very high level, and I wasn't able to lift mine up to meet his. Still got lots of, lots of things to work on. I guess that's an upside.

Q. He also never gave you any opportunities in that match, did he, apart from the opportunity in the third set when you came back?

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, well, as you said, he played a very solid match. The one kind of chance I had, I had a 15-30, then I had a let cord, which I'm not saying the match would have changed in any way, shape or form, but who knows. I just broke him, held from Love-40 down. If maybe I broke him 5-3 serving for the set, who knows.

He played well. I didn't get chances. The one little chance I got, I just got unlucky.

Q. In this situation, I know you just gout off court, but how long does something like this sit with you, when you consider you were trying, and he wasn't giving you those chances?

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, well, look, at the end of the day there's a big thing that you can kind of tell, and that's the six years' difference. I think that's one of the biggest things you can just tell. Not just experience, but also physique, fitness. He's grown into his body. Now I've got to match that.

I'm not satisfied with where I am. This is where I want to be, but I'm not satisfied just coming here and getting to quarters any more. I want to keep on pushing. I'll strive for bigger and better things. I just got to keep improving.

Q. That's the positive then, isn't it?

ALEX de MINAUR: Of course. I mean, that's why I like to think I'd made quarters in this tournament beating some quality opponents, and still just going with what I've got. Hopefully with years to come I'll get bigger, I'll get stronger, I'll grow into my body a little bit more, then it will just be another level.

Still, I don't want to wait for those couple years. I want to be making strides as soon as I can. I'll put in all the work I can to keep putting myself in these positions.

Q. How much confidence does this give you ahead of the French Open? Are you comfortable making the transition to clay? It's a real quick one.

ALEX de MINAUR: Yeah, well, it's probably the quickest transition I'm ever going to have to make. I'm not used to this. I can't tell you how it's going to be. It's a little bit of just wait and see. I'll probably be on a flight to Rome tomorrow and get ready for that one.

It's a very quick transition. I guess it's a good thing because it meant I went deep here.

Q. What did you start to do well in the third set that helped you get back into the match?

ALEX de MINAUR: I think I just lifted my intensity a bit more. I started to go for it a bit more. I mean, one of the things with Dominic is obviously we all know the strength he's got, the power he's got. But second night match, very sort of heavy conditions, it's tough to get a ball past him.

He's got the strength to just still hit through the court. Obviously with my body, I probably don't have the power to just hit through the court as well. I just had to find ways. That's a bit more intensity, trying to hit the ball a bit earlier, trying to dictate a bit more.

Q. What would you do tonight then? Obviously you want to go to sleep, I'm sure. Would you talk about this with your coach or just leave it for the moment?

ALEX de MINAUR: I'm not really sure, to be honest. I mean, probably not a lot worth talking about. In a match like today, I think it was pretty clear the things I've got to work on. It's a step, a learning curve. I'll learn from this like I've been doing my whole career.

I wish I could just all of a sudden flick the switch and start winning slams. It's a slow process. I'll keep learning and I'll keep improving. That's the only way to keep moving forward.