CITI OPEN

August 3, 2021

Brandon Nakashima

Press Conference

B. NAKASHIMA/A. Popyrin

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Happy birthday, Brandon.

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Thank you.

Q. What do you attribute to your incredible run thus far on the hard courts of the US Open Series?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I think it's just like a combination of all the hard work that I've put in on the practice court, and also all the tournament experiences. Especially when I was over there in Europe for the clay court season, also Wimbledon, just all those experiences I think has helped me get through these moments and helped me on these hard court matches.

Q. How do you sort of go about maintaining your focus? Obviously you showed you did it in Atlanta, but then after reaching two finals, coming here, obviously a tougher to play a solid match.

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, it's always tough, especially when you're playing the final of one tournament and then having to bounce back the next day or a couple days later and play another new tournament against another top player.

I just try to tell myself to just stay calm out there, just focus on what I do best. All these hard court matches has helped me with my confidence in my game, knowing that I can compete with all these top guys if I bring my best game out there.

So I think it's great that I'm able to back up these good weeks with another good run back to back, and hopefully I can continue here.

Q. This is your third consecutive week of play, third consecutive week at the ATP level as well. How is your body feeling? How are the legs? How have you adapted to competing at this level?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I mean, the legs, the body may not be as fresh or as ready as the beginning of these three tournaments before. But, you know, I've tried to manage it as best as possible with the recovery after matches and also just taking care of my body as much as possible, knowing that when I'm going out there I just try to compete as hard as I can. No matter the outcome, I know that I'm just going to give it my best effort out there.

So I think it's just a combination of things with taking care of the body and having good recovery after these long, tough matches to keep moving forward, to keep producing good results.

Q. For you of late it feels like these last three weeks the thing that has clicked the most is the serve. Have you felt that as well? How has the development in your serve helped you progress through these past three weeks?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I think my serve has definitely improved these last three weeks. Before the first tournament, which was in Los Cabos, we had kind of a week training block in San Diego. We were kind of just tightening up the technique a little bit on my forehand and also on my serve to just get it better and to keep getting some free points off of it.

I think it has progressed nicely these past couple weeks. It definitely has gotten me out of certain situations out there when maybe I'm not feeling as well on the groundstrokes or on the return, to have that serve be able to back me up and know that I can rely on it when I need it most.

Q. I'd like your perspective. US Open quallies, a lot of players and fans say it's a special time, a lot of families show up. Whether you're rich or poor, you get in for free. The USTA has announced that the quallies will be closed to the public and main draw will be open at 100% capacity as long as you can afford a ticket. Do you have any thoughts about that?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Sorry? You said this tournament or the US Open?

Q. The US Open quallies are closed to the public. They say they're doing it to protect you. What do you think about that?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I think, I mean, last year the US Open, they did a pretty good job of managing the tight bubble there, protecting the players to have the event take place. But, you know, some things have changed since then I'm sure.

I think it's tough when there's no fans being able to watch us play live matches. At the same time I do understand that they do have to take the safety precautions for the players and also for the fans as well.

I think if they're able to have fans come in during the main draw, I see really no reason why they shouldn't be able to come into the quallies as well.