MELBOURNE SUMMER SET

January 7, 2022

Maxime Cressy

Press Conference

M. CRESSY/R. Opelka

4-6, 7-6, 7-6

Q. It was a very close match. You saved a number of match points. How are you feeling after the game and that you got the win?

MAXIME CRESSY: Incredible feeling, honestly. I've been working towards getting to that level for a very long time, and being able to play at that level and being consistent and feeling natural on the court in these conditions, it's really an incredible feeling for me.

Q. What do you think is the reason that you were able to win this sort of match? Obviously it's a very specific kind of match with you guys both having huge serves and small margins, but what do you think is the difference to make you able to win this kind of match?

MAXIME CRESSY: I think obviously the obvious answer is mental, being able to stay focused and not get distracted. But no, the key for me was to be very focused on my serve touring the tiebreaks. I was very efficient and I was having a lot of first serve percentage on the big points, and I think that was the key for me was the first serve percentage on the key moments.

Q. I've talked to other guys mostly who aren't playing anymore who were serve-and-volley sort of hitters. Is there a different sort of learning curve that comes with that strategy and having to accept that you're going to get a lot of shots hit past you and learning to still have faith in that? What is your own sort of journey with your kind of tennis and trying to gain confidence in it and improve and being committed to your style?

MAXIME CRESSY: Yeah, I made that decision quite a long time ago when I was 14 years old, that I wanted to be a serve-and-volleyer. No one has been able to convince me to do otherwise, even though a lot of people have tried to make me a baseline player or after my serve, serve plus one.

But no, I've developed huge self-confidence, especially because it was my decision and not the decision of anyone else to play that style of play, and it's my dream to be able to make it a common style of play at this stage. It's my dream to be able to instill that in everyone's belief.

Q. Do you think you can still be at the top of the men's game in 2022 with a serve-and-volley game?

MAXIME CRESSY: Yeah, I strongly believe I can be at the top this year, yeah.

Q. What does this year mean to you, obviously you were talking about getting direct into the main draw, getting a win like this on a court like that? How is your enjoyment level? You seemed very happy out there.

MAXIME CRESSY: Yeah, yeah, I've been visualizing playing on these big stadiums for a long time, and it's always been my desire to play on these courts consistently. It's the best feeling seeing my vision becoming a reality. I'm just going to keep working and working so that I'm able to play on these courts most of the time. That's the goal.

Q. Talk about your decision to represent the U.S.; how easy was that for you to switch?

MAXIME CRESSY: Well, when I started the tour, playing Futures, in 2019, I think, I had to make a decision whether I was going to play for France or the U.S. because I knew that at any time if I have a big result, I didn't want to change then. No, I made the decision very early on that I wanted to play for the U.S. because of my family origins. I've always seen myself more of an American mindset. It was just a feeling. I just chose to represent the U.S.

Q. What are those family origins?

MAXIME CRESSY: My mom is American.

Q. Where is she from?

MAXIME CRESSY: From Chicago. And then she met my dad in Paris. My dad is French. But I've always enjoyed my mom's side more mindset-wise. I just see myself more American than French.