AUSTRALIAN OPEN

February 8, 2021

Emil Ruusuvuori

Press Conference

E. RUUSUVUORI/A. Rus

3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk us through your match today and how you were feeling on the court?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: Yeah, well, for sure a tough one. Probably the longest match I've ever played and tough five-setter against a great player, but I thought I played a good match. Both were a little up and down, and that's how it went to five, but yeah, I was able to come through today and just really happy about that.

Q. What was your reaction after spending quarantine with him when you saw you were playing him first round?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: Well, we were laughing with my coach because, I mean, it's just -- you spend two weeks with one guy and there's 127 other players, so yeah, to play him it was kind of ridiculous, but that's what it is and, yeah, nothing we can do about it.

Q. I didn't think you had maybe hit with him before; I could be wrong. But how did that come to be that you paired with him and how much did you learn from him over the two weeks?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: Yeah, I never hit with him before, and he actually asked me to do the quarantine and, yeah, I was happy to -- I mean he's a super nice guy and for sure it's never boring with him. Very funny guy and, yeah, we had two good weeks. Pity that we couldn't get the two other guys for the second week, but that's how it is. But yeah.

Q. It was a more than three-hour match. How did you do to stay mentally in the match?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: Yeah, I mean for sure it was tough. Like I said, a little up and down, but that's when the match is that long it's very tough to keep the mental, like the right state of mental at the peak. So yeah, but in the fifth I was able to get the break and hold it until the end, so I mean that's what matters in the end and, yeah, really happy about that.

Q. I remember the Sebi quarter match in New York last year and then you played another long match shortly after that, how much do you love the battle and sort of grinding it out out there?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: Yeah, I mean I don't have too many Grand Slam experiences, but this it's a different sport when you play best-of-five and, yeah, I mean that's what I guess we all play for, I mean those moments, it's just something different. You're so deep into it and nothing really -- I mean, you probably feel terrible after your match but in the heat of the match you don't really feel a thing, of course. Even in this match in the fifth I was tired and felt a little cramps coming and stuff and it's tough, but that's just a battle and, yeah, but I enjoy it somehow and try to pull it off.

Q. Your next opponent will be Pedro Martinez. What can be the key to that match?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: Oh, yeah, I played a couple of times against him, but, yeah, he's very tough, very good physically. He makes a ton of balls and a very tough, way tough opponent. But yeah, I take the good things from today's match and try to put them on Wednesday and, yeah, we'll see how it goes.

Q. How much do you think spending the two weeks with him sort of made you feel more comfortable, if it did out there, knowing how much he was making you hit ball after ball?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: Yeah, I mean for sure I have much more experience. For two weeks, it's quite a long time. You kind of know -- I mean of course practice matches are always different, but you're better prepared, I guess. You can make a better plan. It's just, I played a lot with him. But then like I said, the match is always different and people might play even very different. But yeah, like you said he makes so many balls that it's very tough, just ball after ball, it just keeps coming back, so that's a very difficult thing.