NEXT GEN ATP FINALS

November 12, 2021

Sebastian Korda

Press Conference

S. KORDA/B. Nakashima

4-3, 2-4, 1-4, 4-2, 4-2

Q. I was speaking to your coach earlier today and one of the things he was saying is about your sort of on-court attitude, trying to stay calm and not showing too much to the opponent. How important was that tonight against Brandon, who does that really well?

SEBASTIAN KORDA: Yeah, I think Brandon does it one of the best on Tour. He's incredible when it comes to not showing any negative emotions and only positive.

So it was a really tricky match, he was playing some really great tennis, I was kind of losing my patience and my mind a little bit, but then I gathered it all together in the fourth and fifth set and started being a lot more aggressive and it worked out really well for me.

Q. It's been quite a great week for you, a great season, second seed here, have you felt the pressure in terms of you playing guys who also had great years, but you're 39 in the world, a little bit higher than some, have you felt pressure to go find this tournament, whereas maybe at other tournaments you played you've maybe been a little bit lower down because there's been some older guys there?

SEBASTIAN KORDA: No, I don't think there's any pressure. I just am really enjoying myself whether I'm playing the first seed or the 8th seed, it doesn't really matter, I'm always trying to have fun, I'm always trying to do what I do on the tennis court and just take care of my side.

Q. Tomorrow either Carlos Alcaraz or Sebastian Baez, Alcaraz is two sets up at the moment, so who knows, but looking like it could be him. If it is Alcaraz what's your thoughts on that match?

SEBASTIAN KORDA: I hope it's Carlos. I've never practiced with him, I've never played him in a match, but, yeah, it will be really exciting. Hopefully we can have a lot of battles in the next coming years and, yeah, he's playing some incredible tennis, really aggressive player and really strong mentally, so, yeah, it will be a new challenge and I'm really looking forward to it if it happens.

Q. Off season after tomorrow's match, has this season exceeded your expectations now what you've done and what's sort of the goals? Theodor said you're going to have a meeting as a team, but what are your goals going into Australia and next season?

SEBASTIAN KORDA: Yeah, it's been an unbelievable season, I've had so much fun throughout this whole year, whether things weren't going my way, things weren't going my way, I was still enjoying it, I was still working hard and kind of really having that kind of just trusting the process thing in my head.

Yeah, as for next year, just keep trusting the people around me and keep practicing hard, keep enjoying myself and who knows where I'll be in this time next year.