CITI OPEN

August 7, 2021

Jenson Brooksby

Press Conference

J. SINNER/J. Brooksby

7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You have had an incredible run, incredible three weeks between here and Newport. Congratulations.

JENSON BROOKSBY: Thank you.

Q. The one thing I noticed today right away was that Sinner had a much better net game than your prior three opponents. He seemed to be ready for your net game. How did that factor into your loss?

JENSON BROOKSBY: You mean he was ready for my net game, or you're talking about his net game?

Q. No, he definitely seemed to be prepared in anticipating your net game, which you used to quite frankly destroy three much higher-ranked opponents.

JENSON BROOKSBY: I think mostly it was more just whenever I'd come in maybe I'd come in at the wrong time, maybe force it a little bit rather than the other matches. You know, obviously he moves well. He's a good player, no doubt. But the times I lost the points when I came in, I just think I came in at the wrong time.

Q. What would you say is your biggest takeaway from the week here in Washington for you?

JENSON BROOKSBY: I think it's just getting way more comfortable with this atmosphere and these conditions, just really gaining a lot of confidence that I can compete and beat anybody, I believe. Having another week like this, it keeps me believing more and more that I'm doing the right things. I'm treating the trainings right, everything right.

I learned from what also to do today, and I just think it gives me a boost mentally confidence-wise, for sure, I think the most coming out of this week.

Q. Today's match in particular, at 6-5 in that first set, Love-40, three chances you had there, what sort of sticks out in your mind about the way the rest of that game went from your perspective? Do you think it was maybe something that stuck with you a little after that in terms of maybe carrying it through that set?

JENSON BROOKSBY: Yeah, I think, yeah, I played a good return game there. I played very physical. I played the right way definitely the first two points. I don't remember each one specifically. I know I missed a return, maybe two. I'll have to rewatch the tape on that.

I hadn't created any breakpoints until that game, but I played a good game. I thought I was going to take it, but I think I probably got a little softer, just made a couple worse decisions.

I'm going to have to rewatch that and also, yeah, I did my best to rebound in the second set and, you know, just put that in the past, but he got his level up a little bit in the set too. And I also had a letdown, mostly physically I think and also mentally. Kudos to him, but I'll have to learn from that one.

Q. Congratulations on a terrific run. I'm interested as well in how you made that mental pivot from the end of the first set to the tiebreak. Could you tell us a little bit about your level of confidence going into tiebreaks, how you have played them in the past, what your mental state is, and what if anything you want to continue working on.

JENSON BROOKSBY: Yeah, once I got into the breaker, I mean, sure, it looks like he has momentum, but I really thought I did, I was mentally good going into the breaker, because I had created, you know, the break chances before. Obviously it's tough not getting them, but I felt ready to go in the breaker.

I knew I didn't want to have a letdown. I just, couple things in my game I know I didn't do right. It's frustrating, big moments in a big match like that to not -- yeah, I know what I did wrong and did not come away with it, and also the letdown after that. I'll definitely learn from that the most and be more comfortable with those situations as it goes on.

Q. If I could just flip that question to talk about Sinner, at that point did you sense he elevated in any way? Did you feel you were playing somewhat of a different guy in that tiebreak?

JENSON BROOKSBY: No, I don't. I mean, you know, he's fairly strong mentally. He makes good decisions. No, he does a lot of things right. He's a very nice guy also after the match, he seems like a nice guy.

I think it was more I made a few bad decisions and then the breaker unfortunately had a bad time. I'll just have to rewatch it and just learn from that.

Q. Obviously congrats on the week here this week. Watching you play in comparison to your performances earlier, it felt like you played a more aggressive game style today. It felt like you were going for things earlier in the rally. Is that a fair assessment? What led to the tactical changes coming into today's match?

JENSON BROOKSBY: I didn't feel like it was too much different out there from the other matches, but I think the biggest trouble was just my return really. I mean, I think I was going, hitting too hard, going for too much on the returns, not getting close to the ball, those type of things.

I mean, in the groundstroke game, I was just -- sorry, my coach told me not to say that part, so I can't, but, no, I mean, I felt like I played a pretty, I played the strategy okay, and, you know, we always learn from it and see what things I'd change against him next time and also just in the matches going forward.

Q. You got a look at someone like Felix earlier this week and now you have a look at Jannik and the pace they play which stands out so remarkably, what did you think of getting a look at guys who hit the ball that big this week? And again, what sort of adjustments may you make moving forward knowing that that's what the best players on the ATP Tour, that's the speed they play at?

JENSON BROOKSBY: Yeah, I mean, they're good players. I know I'm right there, and I have had way less -- I still had way less tournaments than those guys at this level, at these higher levels. I mean, way fewer compared to them. I'm just excited to have more of these.

With more of these chances and more of these tournaments, I'm only going to gain confidence in the match situations, and, you know, all around. I have wanted this level and these matches for a long time, and I'm glad to be here more often than not coming up and having more of these chances.

Q. Coming out of this week, you're now a top 100 player. You have made your first ATP 500 semifinal, you have a wildcard into a Masters event as well. What does all of that mean to you? How are you feeling heading into the home stretch of this summer hard court season?

JENSON BROOKSBY: I'm feeling good with my game. I'm hitting the ball really well, especially. I'm feeling good. I mean, obviously you never want to lose or have those lapses, but I can't complain. It's been a good week. I have a lot of confidence going into these next ones, Toronto and the next ones after, as well, whatever I'm playing.

Hopefully I'll have a lot more firsts out there. I believe I will. I'm just excited to keep playing and keep learning from all the matches.

Q. You are going to Toronto? You got a wildcard there?

JENSON BROOKSBY: Yeah, I'm playing there. I'm headed there tomorrow. So get ready for that. Toronto, and then we'll see after.