US OPEN

September 4, 2021

Jenson Brooksby

Press Conference

J. BROOKSBY/A. Karatsev

6-2, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Can you give us your thoughts on today's match.

JENSON BROOKSBY: Yeah, I'm proud of battling my adversity, whether it's my own head or what's going on out there on the court. Yeah, I mean, today was a battle obviously. I don't know how long it was, but I thought I started out solid. Good first set. Still a couple things I could have done better.

The break in the second. I just lost the mental energy way too much in the second set and third set. That's not really easy to come back from, but I just told myself to keep staying in the present moment, keep breathing, keep staying positive, focus on what I'm working on out there.

Yeah, that showed in being able to turn it around today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You mentioned you lost the mental energy. Can you expand on that? Are you thinking about things happening outside the court?

JENSON BROOKSBY: Yeah, no, it's nothing like that really. It's just really losing the energy on being physical, focusing on the strategy I have going out on the court. Just the things I need to focus on, I lost focus on that more. It's never easy to do consistently or else everyone would do it.

That's really what I'm talking about when I lose focus.

Q. What role do you think, if any, did the crowd out there play for you?

JENSON BROOKSBY: No, crowd played a big role definitely. Them chanting, cheering me on, it gave me a lot of energy to come back down two sets to one. It was a rough couple sets. Whether it was just my group, even friends I had here, the whole crowd in general with the full stadium, it was great to see them behind me. I really enjoyed that.

Definitely helped get some energy in me to come back.

Q. Your next match, you'll have a lot of crowd support in a big stadium against Novak Djokovic. What do you make of that challenge, being the next step for him? What would it mean to you to derail that?

JENSON BROOKSBY: Yeah, it will be a great challenge. One of the toughest there can be. But I'm really believing in myself with what I'm showing out there so far. I got a great team around me to help me recover tomorrow. Yeah, I go out there to battle again on I'm sure Ashe probably, I would assume.

Yeah, I mean, that will be really exciting. I'm sure it will be a full crowd. I'm excited to see how well I can focus, see how well I can play with one of the biggest challenges and with one of the biggest crowds in a court that you can get.

Q. What goes through your mind when you think about Novak Djokovic's career and the way he plays?

JENSON BROOKSBY: Uhm, I don't know much honestly. I don't really watch much or think about that too much.

I mean, no, obviously he's been a great player consistently, one of the best games if not the best consistently over the years. But, no, I'll have the best strategy I can going out there against him and I'll believe in what I'm doing, just like any other match.

Q. You play with such a unique game, such variety. Does that give you pride? When did that first develop? How much of a weapon is it?

JENSON BROOKSBY: I think, yeah, just having the variety of shots, being able to place it well in different spots, yeah, is a strength of mine. I've trained like that ever since I was young.

I've been with Joseph Gilbert, same coach since I was seven. We've trained that for 13-years-plus now. Yeah, I mean, I think that's a big part of my game. We keep training that the same.

Q. You started putting your hands on your hip quite early on during the match. Is it a problem that you had before or something that came up during the match?

JENSON BROOKSBY: No, just during the match. It was just getting tight. It was just tight. You don't always feel great out there. I was just trying to get some work on it. But I'm fine. I have all day to recover, so I have a great team, I'll be feeling great going into the next one.

Q. Newport was your first ATP event outside of a Grand Slam. Now you're into the fourth round playing Novak. Did you expect to be in the second week? What were your expectations coming in?

JENSON BROOKSBY: I mean, I believe I have the game definitely to go all the way. I didn't doubt that in my own mind. I didn't put any expectations like reach a second week or anything. I don't really think like that.

But I do have the confidence in myself that I can go really far in whatever tournament I play. Yeah, obviously the next one's another big match, but just try to prepare the same as all the others and try to give the best I can.

Q. How much of a role did the USTA play in your development? Have you been to Orlando much, work with any coaches?

JENSON BROOKSBY: I mean, I've done a couple camps at Orlando and Carson and stuff when I was younger. Not as much because I've just been with the same private coach in Sacramento since I was seven. That's when I started. He's been developing me ever since and hopefully into the future.

It's just been him.

Q. To build upon Joseph, your private coach, was his philosophy one where he wants to incorporate more spin, slice, more variety, or was it something you wanted to do? Do you also notice the difference between your game and other top Americans who usually use a lot of power?

JENSON BROOKSBY: Yeah, I think it's like a combination of both. I mean, like maybe I do have a little more variety than some of the other people he trains. But I think it's definitely just the mindset he approaches of how to play the game, how to train.

Then those things have just come naturally with all the practice over the years, like whether it's the moving ball with the slice, yeah, just a different variety of shots. That's definitely how we've trained. It's part me but a lot of him. That's how it's been, yeah.

Q. Growing up, did you idolize players that had more finesse or more power? Did you idolize any players when you were growing up?

JENSON BROOKSBY: Not really, I would say. But, yeah, I mean, I'd definitely say compared to others I'm not as power-based. It doesn't mean I don't need to work on keep getting more physical, adding strength, things like that. But, yeah, the core of my game like some other people is not power like that.