US OPEN

September 3, 2021

Daniel Evans

Press Conference

D. EVANS/A. Popyrin

4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Your thoughts on today's match.

DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, it was obviously a great match. It was a long match. I played very well throughout the match. I thought Alexei played great, as well. Just happy to have come through the match, yeah, in such a good fashion. The tiebreak was extra pleasing.

It was a very difficult match. It's important now I recover and get ready for my next match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You've reached the last 16 of a Grand Slam before in Australia, but never here. You've had a few close ones here. Does it feel like you've overcome a bit of a hurdle here today?

DANIEL EVANS: I think winning that match is a big, big match. I'm not sure if it's a hurdle, but it was something you don't want to lose that match. That would have hurt. It just feels good to come through the match really. I wasn't thinking about anything apart from coming through.

Always love playing in New York, so it's nice to get through to the fourth round.

Q. Before the tiebreak in the fifth set, the crowd was going nuts, everyone was really into it. What was going through your mind? Are you thinking tactics or...

DANIEL EVANS: No, I mean, you take it in. You know it's something pretty special you've been a part of. It was an amazing atmosphere. That's why you want to be out on that court playing such a good match.

Then you sort of get back into, when it's all calmed down, you get back into the focus of how I'm going to try and get through this tiebreak each point at a time. After his ace, it was obviously two good points for me, then I played really good from then on in.

Q. Into the next match, world No. 2. Do you go into it with the pressure slightly off? Does that help you?

DANIEL EVANS: I mean, I've got as good a chance as anyone to do some damage. I think my game is in a good place. Listen, he's a great, great player, unbelievable competitor, good mover. He's been playing some unbelievable tennis this year.

But if I go on the court and think I've got no chance and there's no pressure on me... I think in the pressure situations, if they do arise, you're not ready for that. You've got to go in believing you can win. There will be pressure situations.

I think if you do think you've got a chance, you'll deal with the pressure a bit better rather than this is no real pressure, a free match. I don't really like that sort of terminology or thinking. I mean, I've got to play aggressive but I can't just start wailing away at balls.

Q. Players give different reasons for why Medvedev is so tough. What do you view as the strongest part of his game?

DANIEL EVANS: I think his serve's an amazing, amazing weapon. His serve and his movement, two of the best things. I think his serve is underrated. He rolls through his service games very quickly. Yeah, he obviously puts a lot of balls in court on the opponent's serve. Those three things are probably his best.

Yeah, I mean, I don't want to keep going on how good he is. I think his ranking gives that away.

Q. Were you needled out there before? You got into a little bit of thing with some of the guys in his box. I know you hit him early on but you said sorry.

DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, I got him with a good one. He got me with an even better one. To be honest, I didn't try to hit him, I just went down the middle. He went cross and got me as well.

No, it's always nice to beat an Aussie. I think I had Tim Paine behind my chair in every change of end nattering away, an Aussie behind me.

It's always good to play those guys. I got to be honest, I thought he competed unbelievably hard, like all the Aussies do.

Q. If two and a half weeks ago someone said to you in Cincinnati, You're going to go to New York, win two four-setters in your first two rounds, come back from two sets down in the third round, would you have believed them?

DANIEL EVANS: I mean, I knew I wasn't too far away. It was more the physical aspect of it.

I mean, there's probably a bit of irony in this. I started reading Ricky Ponting's book at the start of this trip. I wasn't feeling great. Yeah, it's been pretty inspirational, motivational. I took a few things from that. He had some pretty tough times when he was captain. That's the reason why I took to the book, because I'd been told about it.

I've looked to learn a bit along the trip. I've got to know probably a bit more about myself. I'm not never that far away from, you know, getting to a decent level. But I have to be patient. It was not easy by any stretch of imagination.

I didn't know how I was going to feel first round. I really had to go to the well in the first round. It was tough. After a set and a half I was looking at, Geez, I'm not sure if I finish this match, but I've come through.

It's been a good learning experience so far.

Q. Cricket connection there. When you said Tim Paine was nattering away behind you, are we talking about the cricketer or somebody else? Can you say any more about what you took from Ponting's book.

DANIEL EVANS: No, it was like I had Tim Paine behind me. He obviously wasn't here (laughter).

No, I mean, yeah, I was low on confidence. I think from his book, back yourself. He writes a lot down the night before on what he wanted to do, how he wanted to go out the next day. Really reminded himself what he needs to do.

I think just especially with the way I play, if you're forgetting certain things, which when I haven't played for a while I obviously did, how I can be effective. Yeah, a really tough character, really helped. In best-of-five sets, being tough is one of the main things you need to be, hanging in.

It's obviously a very different game, but I just enjoyed it. I took some things which I'll probably use now for the rest of my career.

Q. Physically obviously you had the doctor out today. You withdrew from the doubles yesterday. Is there any concern going into the next match or do you feel you can hold up okay?

DANIEL EVANS: No, I just needed -- a few hours have passed since I last took some paracetamol. No, I feel fine. See how my body recovers tomorrow, overnight. I've still got a job now to get treatment, stretch and treatment, back at the hotel, get some food into me.

I feel pretty good now, but we'll see how I go tonight.

Q. This may or not be true, but it's been kind of an interesting week for British tennis. The women did well to qualify. Obviously Raducanu has generated a lot of interest. Andy had a good fight against Tsitsipas. Cameron has had a great year. Has that kind of helped you at all in any way or are you just minding your own business?

DANIEL EVANS: I think you know me a bit better than that (smiling).

I mean, yeah, it was a good effort. Makes no difference to my life if they're doing -- they're winning or losing. It's great everybody's doing well. Obviously Emma is doing unbelievable. But it's not going to make me win any more matches.

I haven't got to watch any of their matches unfortunately. So, yeah, I mean, I'm happy for those guys. Cam's had a great year, unbelievable tough draw here.

What I do take is we've got a hell of a strong team for Davis Cup, and that's where I'm pretty interested to see how we go at Davis Cup. It's me, Andy, Cam, three good singles players. We have the three dubs guys, whoever might get picked. The end of the year, it's something to really look forward to, the Davis Cup. To be honest I think we've got a strong hand.

Q. On the court you mentioned you were disappointed after your performance in the third round of Wimbledon. Obviously it hadn't gone well for you at slams since 2019. Did this win feel like a step forward in any way, kind of being able to perform your best at the biggest tournaments?

DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, I put a lot of work in to do well in the Grand Slams. I think I really got it well last week by playing in Winston-Salem. It was important to get some matches. When I hired the coach I hired, it was to do well in the Grand Slams and focus on that.

I've done a good job on when I've had bad losses or not a great week to keep the focus on the bigger picture. I think that's been a real big help to come in here this week and doing well.