THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 4, 2022

Brandon Nakashima

Press Conference

N. KYRGIOS/B. Nakashima

4-6, 6-4, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Just your initial thoughts on today's match.

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I mean, obviously it was a lot of fun playing out there on Centre Court for the first time. I feel like Nick played a really good match. I think both of us played a high level throughout the whole match.

Yeah, I mean, look, it was a good week here, making the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time. Yeah, a lot of positives to take away from it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Was it hard going up against someone who seemingly was having some kind of injury and discomfort? Did that go through your head at all?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Not too much, really. I mean, I could see he was still serving fine, still ripping the ball from the baseline.

Yeah, I mean, I tried not to think about it too much. I saw he was taking some medical timeouts, getting treatment on it. But, I mean, didn't really affect me too much or try and think about it at all.

Q. Do you think it affected him?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: I don't think so, really. I mean, he was still serving fine after the medical timeout, still ripping the ball. So I don't think it was that big of an injury. I don't know. I mean, that's up to him.

Q. You will have been aware of what happened on Saturday with Nick and everything that kind of came out of that. How did you prepare for what you thought might go on on the other side of the net in terms of everything that Nick brings to the court in terms of his antics? Were you surprised you didn't really get much of that today?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I mean, not really too surprised. I think both of us today handled ourselves pretty well out there.

I mean, obviously you never really know what's going to happen with him out there. I just try to stay focused on myself, try not to let anything bother me. I know he's going to play well at times. I know he's going to give me opportunities out there. But, I mean, I try not to focus on him too much. Just try and focus on myself.

Q. Obviously a big stage for you today on Centre Court. What was it like to be out there?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I mean, it was great. I mean, you know, Centre Court Wimbledon, that's probably the biggest stage in tennis.

I mean, it was great walking out there, full stadium. I think it was a great atmosphere right from the beginning. Yeah, I mean, look, it was a good match out there. I enjoyed it.

Q. Good run. Just talk about Kyrgios a little bit. What makes him so tough? He's so athletic, he has some big shots, good court sense. Share with us...

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I mean, I think everyone knows how talented he is out there. You know, he can serve really well at times, come up with big shots.

You kind of know how talented he is, but you don't really know, like, you know, when it's going to come out of him. So I think for me it was just a matter of focusing on myself, trying to play point by point out there. You know, just try to take every opportunity I can from him.

Q. You were like fantastic from the first very few points out there, as if you were 30 and not 20. Did you think you could do that, or did you know that's who you were going to be out there?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I mean, walking out there I was definitely a little bit nervous at the beginning. Maybe didn't show. I was able to stay focused right from the beginning. You know, was able to hold serve pretty easily in the first set.

You know, I think Centre Court Wimbledon, of course I think anyone playing out there for the first time is going to be nervous a little at the beginning, but I think I handled it pretty well from the beginning.

Q. I just wondered, you say it's hard to know which Nick you're going to get from point to point. Talk about that fifth set, because it seemed like the level just changed completely. How was that for you to deal with mentally, emotionally? Yeah, for a time seemed like he was unable to bring any level because of his shoulder.

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I mean, beginning of the fifth set I had opportunities. In the second game I was up 1-0, Love-30 on his serve. But I kind of knew he was going to come with some big serves, big shots.

Yeah, I mean, it was tough. I was kind of physically a little bit tired towards the end, but, I mean, he definitely played some of his best tennis in the fifth set.

Q. What makes his serve difficult to deal with? Is it purely the speed at which it's coming, or does he disguise things well?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I think he disguised it pretty well. It's tough to read his serve when he tosses the ball up. Obviously he could hit all the spots out there, different speeds, different spins.

Yeah, it's a little bit tough to read sometimes, but I felt like today I was returning pretty well for the most part when I got a racquet on it and creating some opportunities on his service games.

Q. This was of course your best Grand Slam showing. Just curious, it's an unusual situation with no ranking points. Is there any element of that that's a bit of a disappointment or that's in your head at all, knowing how well you did here?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I mean, a little bit, I would say, but, you know, both me and my team were kind of going into this at the start of the tournament knowing that it's another tournament, you know, just to work on my game. With ranking points or without ranking points, I feel all the players were still trying hard out there every match.

You know, I think it's just going to help my confidence out there knowing that I was able to make a good run here even without the ranking points.

Q. There seemed to be a lot of challenges coming from Nick today, especially early on in some of those sets. They were all incorrect challenges, it turned out. Does that disrupt your rhythm at all, especially the beginning of that fifth set?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: I mean, a little bit. You know, his level goes up and down a little bit, but, I mean, when he's playing his best, it's tough to play against.

Q. Calling for the challenge. He used up his three challenges quite early. Some of them seemed to be clearly they were in, for example. Did that disrupt your rhythm at all today?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: No, not really. I would say I wasn't really affected too much by how many challenges he was doing.

Q. What are your takeaways from that match? Supposing you meet him again, what do you think you will do better?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I mean, definitely a lot of positives to take away from the match. I definitely had opportunities, I think, in every set to take the lead. You know, with him it's about staying in every point, every game, because you never really know when he's going to play his best.

But today he definitely played well at the crucial points. You know, definitely going to learn a lot from this.

Q. We had about one year ago a Zoom meeting with you and Steve. I remember you were quite optimistic about your future. I'd like to know if now you were expecting to reach so early the level you have reached and this round in Wimbledon and this satisfaction, even if today you are not happy because you lost? But everyone thinks that you have a great future when maybe one year ago somebody was doubter.

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I think one year ago, I mean, I definitely knew that I can compete with all these top guys, make these good runs at the slams. It was just a matter of getting those experiences under my belt, getting these matches against the top players on these big courts.

I think my game is progressing pretty nicely the past year, and, you know, both me and my team are always trying to improve.

Q. What's your goal for next year? Where do you want to be? Top 10?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Hopefully next year first goal is to win an ATP title for the first time. Yes, hopefully be in the top 20 and make a good run.

Q. Say 10.

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I mean, why not No. 1? (Laughter.)

Q. This is a pretty big stage, as you mentioned, Centre Court and feels like a big moment in your career. You are pretty much on the verge of top 50 now. Second week of a slam. Are you ready, after all the attention that was on you today and on that match, are you ready to come into a situation where you are the center of attention more often and people want to know all about you?

BRANDON NAKASHIMA: Yeah, I think I'm definitely ready. This tournament is just another step in the right direction for my game, for my confidence out there.

Yeah, I think I'm ready to be able to play in these big stages, go deep in these big tournaments. I think it's definitely a lot of positives from this week.