US OPEN

September 7, 2020

Elise Mertens

Press Conference

E. MERTENS/S. Kenin

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you just talk about the quality of the match that you played. 20 winners, seven unforced errors over two sets against the No. 2 seed and reigning major champion. That has to give you a lot of confidence.

ELISE MERTENS: I felt pretty focused today. I was just very focused on my game, not too much on her game. She can hit those balls, very short cross-court angles.

Yeah, I think I was just mentally prepared for a battle. I think my first serve went pretty well. I think that was the advantage of my game, that I could start with the positive note.

But, yeah, I think everything kind of worked. Also throughout the whole match I didn't really drop anything. That's I think where I'm most pleased at, that I'm stable at every point.

Also just hit the ball and it went in today, so I'm just happy about my performance. Yeah, hopefully I can get another one like this.

Q. Where is your confidence level right now? You've done a lot of winning since the restart. In the past you've had long stretches where you had wins. Right now is this as confident as you feel at a major? Where does it rank?

ELISE MERTENS: The word 'confident' everybody uses a lot. I try to be myself. I try to play the best match I can, try to be the best person I can at that day, player.

I mean, I feel confident, of course, after winning against such a great player. But I'm trying to look at it a little bit differently, just trying to look at myself a little bit.

Q. You play Victoria Azarenka next. Both of you are pretty much the in-form players at the moment. Talk about the challenge. Have you been able to watch much of her over the last two weeks?

ELISE MERTENS: Well, I haven't really watched a lot. When she's on TV here, you watch some games. Yeah, she's on a winning streak. It's going to be very difficult to beat her. It's going to be a great match.

As I said, I'm trying to focus on myself, but also what I can do against her. I have to look a little bit at how she plays, what she does well, what she doesn't do well maybe.

She's very experienced. She's trying to find solutions in my game, I'll try to find solutions on her.

Q. Physically from a recovery perspective, how is the body feeling? Are you concerned about that?

ELISE MERTENS: I'm feeling pretty good actually. Of course, I play some doubles, too. Yeah, didn't really tire me as much. Sleep is very important, but also recovery, I'm going to still have a massage, I have my physio with me. I still have some hours to go today.