WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 15, 2021

Sebastian Korda

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Good to see you in Cincinnati. This year, one of the most important issues in sports have been mental health with Naomi and some other experience. You're working with Andre Agassi, that said he struggle a lot with tennis. I'd like to know if he recommends you some things about enjoying, I don't know, to have a psychologist or a mental coach?

SEBASTIAN KORDA: No, I have never really talked about it with Andre, but he always tells me whenever I play like a big match or something to always enjoy it, and whenever I'm playing a tournament for the first time to really enjoy it.

I think I have done a really good job of that. I have a lot of great people around me, so I'm always having fun, whether it be with my physio or my coach or my dad is with me here this week, or my girlfriend. I think I'm doing a pretty good job with just enjoying basically, not being too, like, locked down in my room and just looking at the wall or watching TV. Yeah, I think that's probably the best thing for me.

Also, all these tournaments are my first time, so it's always exciting to come to them. I know Naomi, she's won a lot of these tournaments and she's been to a lot of these tournaments, so when you do do something for a long time, maybe it does start to wear on you, but always for me there is a lot of excitement, so I can't say that I have had any problems recent.

Q. What do you expect for this tournament? This is the first time you are playing it.

SEBASTIAN KORDA: Yeah, I love playing in America. I mean, the courts really suit me here. They are pretty quick, so I think it's good for me. I have had to pull out of Toronto because I had a little back issue, but I think we figured all that out and everything is good to go.

So it's going to be nice to be back in front of a lot of people hopefully, and, yeah, I'm really looking forward to a good challenge. It's a tricky draw, but I'm always up for it and it's exciting.

Q. There is an American gen, that it's impressive, you, Nakashima, Brooksby. Do you feel that American tennis would be at the top again?

SEBASTIAN KORDA: Yeah, for sure. Especially even Reilly now, he's in the finals of Toronto. Then you had John making the semis. It would have been awesome to see both of them playing in the finals. It would have been some funny tennis to watch with just a bunch of aces.

I think we have a really good group with Jenson, he had a great run in Washington, and then Brandon having a couple of great runs in Los Cabos and Atlanta. It's exciting for a lot of people. We have a lot of great players now, and hopefully we can push each other and do really well.