MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 26, 2021

Emil Ruusuvuori

Press Conference

E. RUUSUVUORI/A. Zverev

1-6, 6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You have had two really good back-to-back wins here in Miami already, first beating Carlos Alcaraz the other evening and now Alexander Zverev. What are you most proud of your performance this week thus far?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: Well, in the first one, just the fact that I won it. In the end I was able to win the match and get the chance to play a guy like Zverev in the second round.

I mean, I got the chance also last week, and it's very good when you can have these chances this often. Today then I was able to find a way, and of course I'm really proud that I got the win.

So, yeah, just doing things right like making the changes. I didn't start well today and just making the changes. Then mentally was pretty good in the end, so that's something I can be proud of.

Q. What do these wins, the other night against Carlos and tonight against Sascha, do for your confidence going forward?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: Well, of course it does a lot. He's a top-10 player, great player. He came from a tournament win. Of course you can say he was a little down physically and I was able to pick it up and use my chances, but of course it does a lot, these two good wins. Yeah, going into the third round, it makes a difference.

Q. He had a lot of kind of bandage issues during the match. I was wondering if you realized at some point that he wasn't playing as well as he is capable to. Did you notice any restriction in his movement, anything strange in the way that he was playing?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: Well, of course, yeah, you can see the tapes from outside and you never know what's going on. He played a lot of matches.

I mean, of course it shows. So, yeah, I don't know. But that's on his side.

Yeah, maybe in the third, like I said, I was able to just use my chance like didn't really miss any balls anymore and just making him play a lot of balls and maybe he was starting to lose it a little bit and I was able to be stronger, so that was the key today in the third set. But, yeah, I mean, it's tough to say what's going on.

Q. I want to ask you about your tactic game, because you change it a lot from first set to second and third. You finally ended winning the match 6-3, 6-1. Which things did you change from your game to win finally the match?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: Well, the conditions here are really slow. I was just making way too many mistakes in the first set and trying to play too fast.

I mean, he's a really good mover. He puts so many balls back. I was just missing too much but slowly got my way into the match and started making more balls and just tough rallies.

Then in the third I was just playing good tennis and making good choices. That was the key. Also the serve, I served better in the third set, so of course that helps as well.

Q. You only turned pro in 2018. How do you go through traveling to different tournaments, sometimes playing challengers to get your ranking up, how do you keep your mind sharp? Earlier in the month you were in Kazakhstan, lost first round. How do you stay sharp coming to a tournament like Miami during a pandemic to be ready for an opportunity like this to take advantage of it and get this awesome win?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: Yeah, I mean, of course it's not easy, and at the moment it's tough to -- you don't know how the ranking, how they will do it and where to play. It's a little tough to say. We were planning to play as much as possible almost every week and just get as much matches and experience as possible.

Then by week it's tough to say, it's impossible to say before how it goes, and then this week a couple very good wins and you can be happy about those. Yeah, just match by match and try to do your best every day. That's the only thing you can do.

Q. Holger Rune, another Scandinavian, do you guys know each other and have you practiced or played before in the juniors?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: I think we have practiced once a couple of years ago in a challenger on clay. Don't really know him. Just seen some of his results. Seems to be playing really well. I'm sure we're gonna hear from him and hope the best for him.

Q. In the next round you will play against Mikael Ymer. What do you think about this match?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: Well, I'm sure it's going to be -- he had a good win today. For sure he's playing well. Quite slow conditions. I'm sure he likes them.

It's gonna be a tough match. We are going to practice tomorrow and try to recover today and tomorrow and then be at our best in the next match. We'll do good tactics and give our best in the next match.

Q. What can you tell me of Federico Ricci, your coach, and your career importance of him?

EMIL RUUSUVUORI: I mean, the coach is very important. We have been working together for a long time. I mean, almost six years now, coming to seven years. So we know each other very well, and he's taught me a lot of things and still will for sure. The coaches at a young age, it's especially very important.