ROLAND GARROS

June 10, 2021

Desirae Krawczyk

Joe Salisbury

Press Conference

KRAWCZYK-SALISBURY/Vesnina-Karatsev

2-6, 6-4, 10-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Very well done to you both. You look a little bit shell-shocked. I got the same impression watching you on court, that this title has come as a real surprise to you.

JOE SALISBURY: Yeah. Yeah, it really has. I think especially how the match went today just because, I mean, they killed us in the first set, and I think that it was a combination of sort of us getting better, then they dropped their level a bit.

But I think, yeah, all week I think we have just gone into it kind of relaxed, enjoying ourselves and seeing what happens. Yeah, we have come out with a Grand Slam title.

DESIRAE KRAWCZYK: And trophy.

JOE SALISBURY: We weren't really expecting this. Yeah, it is a bit of a shock (smiling).

Q. Can you tell me about your partnership, how you got together playing at Roland Garros?

DESIRAE KRAWCZYK: Oh, well, we have played before. I think we played 2019? At US Open, we played there. And then we played at Oz, and I just kind of kept bugging him. And then, yeah, I mean, we just kind of paired up.

Yeah, no, I didn't know Joe before I came on tour. Yeah, we have been playing a couple times together. It's been fun.

JOE SALISBURY: I think we played, I think it was 2018 the first one we played at U.S.

DESIRAE KRAWCZYK: Yeah, yeah, '18 then. Then Oz.

JOE SALISBURY: Yeah, we have played pretty much every one together since then.

DESIRAE KRAWCZYK: Yeah.

JOE SALISBURY: So, yeah, we've got a good partnership going, although I feel a bit bad because we are actually not playing together at Wimbledon.

DESIRAE KRAWCZYK: He ditched me.

JOE SALISBURY: Because a couple months ago I said that I was probably going to play with a Brit for Wimbledon. I thought it would be good to have an all-British partnership for Wimbledon. So, yeah, unfortunately I ditched her for that. But I'm sure we'll team back up again after.

DESIRAE KRAWCZYK: Maybe we'll play you first round (smiling).

JOE SALISBURY: Yeah. Maybe we'll play U.S. together.

DESIRAE KRAWCZYK: Yeah, maybe.

Q. Congratulations. I was surprised to see you take on Carlos Ramos who is not known for admitting when he's wrong. You were quite angry at that point. Just tell us from your perspective. And also the fact that you did keep your cool and actually seal out the rest of the set, didn't you?

JOE SALISBURY: Yeah, just about. It was good it was 40-Love and not 40-30, because we lost the next two points.

But, yeah, that was a strange one. I just didn't understand his point of view, because I was serving from the ad court, obviously, and then the mark was in the completely different sort of angle to where the serve was coming from. I'm not sure how he thought that that was the mark.

And especially after we kind of thought it was an ace, we sat down, thought we'd won the set, had to get up again, and then when I looked at the mark, and especially as I thought I saw another mark that was kind of half on the line, half not, going in the right direction, but he was adamant that was the mark. That was a bit of a strange one. Yeah, had to sort of try and compose myself after that.

Q. Can you say who you are playing with at Wimbledon then?

JOE SALISBURY: Yeah, I'm playing with Harriet Dart.

Q. What was the key moment in that match? What turned it?

JOE SALISBURY: I think just in the second set we had a couple close games. I think I had a deuce point on my serve. I'm not sure if that was -- yeah, I'm not sure what the score was, I think early on in the set, and I hit an ace on that point. Yeah, that was important to hold there.

I think kind of when they got the break early on in the first set they kind of just felt loose and kind of just went after it and played really well. It was tough to get it back. So I think it was important that we stayed on serve in the second set.

Then, yeah, we played a really good game to break at 4-All, and then, yeah, just hung on from there. I think they dropped their level a bit, and they didn't play as well in the tiebreak, but we also stepped up and played some good points. Yeah, Des hit some great returns.

Yeah, it was just a matter of hanging in there, and then, yeah, trying to keep it close and then take it to the tiebreak.

Q. There is two slam titles in 17 years. Do you sometimes just stop and reflect how well your career has been going? Can you just talk about that? And also presumably now the ambition is to win at Wimbledon? That would be the next target, I would imagine?

JOE SALISBURY: Yeah, I mean, it's great. I mean, I really didn't sort of expect this. Obviously more focused on the men's and Des more focused on the women's obviously, but, yeah, we love playing the mixed. It's a lot of fun. Yeah, obviously it's still a Grand Slam title.

Yeah, it's really special. Obviously I want to win as many as I can. So, yeah, and obviously going into Wimbledon, yeah, playing the men's and mixed, that's, yeah, I'm going to be trying to win both. I think it feels like a long time since we have played at Wimbledon. I mean, I think we played twice here since we last played at Wimbledon, and, yes, my preferred surface on the grass, obviously having a crowd. Yeah, I love playing there. Yeah, it would be great if we can do well there as well.

Q. I know the men's doubles didn't go how you wanted here. But having won the mixed, does that see you head on to the grass in good spirits? How do you feel about your grass court chances with Rajeev?

JOE SALISBURY: Yeah, I think it is good preparation. I was actually joking with Des after our first round saying, Oh, I thought I was going home after this, practice on the grass before Queen's (smiling).

No, it's great playing these matches. I think it's good to sort of be on court in that kind of competitive environment and also really enjoying it and kind of, yeah, having fun on the court as well as competing really hard.

I think it's good to sort of find that balance and you often play better when you're like that rather than being quite so sort of intense, or maybe not "intense" is the right word but quite so serious.

So I can play my best when I'm feeling quite relaxed, so I think that's something I have sort of learnt from this week. So, yeah, I'm feeling good going into the grass.

Q. I understand you're a Fulham fan?

JOE SALISBURY: Yeah, I am. I can't say I'm a die-hard fan, but...

Q. Does that ease the pain of relegation just a little bit this summer?

JOE SALISBURY: Yeah, I'm a bit of a fair-weather fan, so when they're doing well I'm up for it, but when they're not, I brush it off pretty easily.

Yeah, so I'm not -- didn't upset me too much.