CITI OPEN

August 2, 2021

Vasek Pospisil

Press Conference

V. POSPISIL/E. Gomez

4-6, 6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Did you maybe you feel this is the type of match you needed to get yourself going in the tournament?

VASEK POSPISIL: Yeah, for sure. It's always good to get through a tough one. Yeah, I feel like I kind of dialed in a little bit there in the second set. I was a little bit distracted in the first set. Just glad to get match play and point play.

Obviously getting the win is important, so I'm happy I got it done.

Q. First time you played. Did you know him before, seen him play before?

VASEK POSPISIL: Yeah, first time we played. I just looked at some videos, just like some videos, had a pretty good idea. Yeah, it was pretty much exactly what I expected, what I saw. So, yeah, it was good.

Now you can get a lot of information digitally, which helps.

Q. You get to play against Sebastian Korda in your next match. Thoughts on that matchup?

VASEK POSPISIL: Yeah, it's going to be a really tough one. He's playing great tennis this year, up-and-comer, a great player.

Yeah, I'll have to play really well to win that one. Yeah, I'll see how it goes. He's a dangerous player. I'll have to serve well and return well.

Q. The situation with regards to the Olympics. You pulled out close to when it started. Clarification on the reason you decided not to go to Tokyo?

VASEK POSPISIL: I strained my shoulder. I was in the doubles in Newport. I finished the event there, but then I didn't serve for, like, eight or nine days. I just served for the first time, like, three days ago. It was, yeah, a decision that was probably the hardest one - one of the hardest ones - of my career.

Yeah, I have to look out for the body and the mind as well. Had a few things going on off court, which weren't ideal going into the Olympics as well. It was a little bit of a tag team situation.

Q. How do you feel physically now? Back to 100%, close to 100%?

VASEK POSPISIL: I feel like I'm close. I feel like I'm not a hundred percent, but close. I feel good. Physically I feel good.