DIAMOND RESORTS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

January 21, 2021

Mardy Fish

Tranquilo Golf Course

Quick Quotes

Q. So two time champion of this tournament. Talk about kind of how your thoughts were coming into this week.

MARDY FISH: Coming into it I had like a back injury that I did unfortunately playing tennis, which I try to not do as much anymore.

And so I hadn't played much in the last couple months. Came down to Florida last Wednesday, because I grew up in Vero Beach just down the road. It was great. I hadn't seen my family or my parents since the beginning of COVID, and so it was nice to see them and hang out with them.

We live in Los Angeles, so quite far away.

And then I was able to play a few rounds before today, so kind of get in the groove a little bit. I've played this course so many times so it's pretty familiar.

Q. Can you describe your round today and some holes that really stood out to you?

MARDY FISH: Yeah, played really solid today. I didn't make very many mistakes at all. If I did, I was able to hit a good chip or maybe missed maybe two greens all day. So that'll help. Maybe two good par putts, and the rest were birdie looks that were pretty comfortable.

So all in all, pretty stress-free round, I guess. But I don't play like that every day, so we'll see what happens tomorrow.

Q. If you can, talk about your playing partners?

MARDY FISH: Yeah, Nelly Korda. I played with Mark Mulder as well. I've played with Mark a ton out here. I love playing with him. He's an awesome guy and an awesome player.

He'll play better tomorrow I'm sure. And then playing with Nelly and all the girls here, the ladies, it's pretty awesome to watch them, just how good they are, how straight they are.

You know, they putt it so well. I play with a lot of tour pros, like on the men's side, and these girls are so good. I'm so impressed every time I get to play with them. It's so fun to be out there and watch how they get around and get the ball in the hole.

Q. Just curious, the Korda sisters are at the top of the board and their brother is doing fantastic.

MARDY FISH: Yes.

Q. Kind of your thoughts on this amazing family.

MARDY FISH: Yeah, incredible, right?

Q. Good genes there.

MARDY FISH: Incredible. They say tennis players are the best athletes in the world, don't they? (Laughter.)

Both of them are -- who is laughing? Both of them are former tennis players. Obviously their father was an amazing tennis player. Pretty cool they all won the Australian Open at one point, at some stage. Sebastian in the juniors and so, yeah.

I'm the Davis Cup captain for the U.S. which is like tennis' Ryder Cup, and Sebastian is certainly on the short list of players in Madrid for later in the year.

I've followed the past couple years his career, and trajectory is pretty incredible. Yeah, amazing family.

Q. For those of us who don't know tennis as well, what has been the biggest part of his rise in recent years?

MARDY FISH: I mean, he's getting more mature. He's understanding his game. Understanding the sort of ins and outs of the tour and the grind of a week-in, week-out thing.

Also, guys are starting to learn his game and who he is. Because if you're young and you come on and haven't seen too much, it's hard to get a good grip on how somebody plays or what to do to beat them.

So he'll come up on that pretty good, and is now. Made the fourth round of the French Open in the fall last year, and now making a final down the road in Delray Beach, first final, is pretty awesome for a kid his age.