THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 1, 2022

Jason Kubler

Press Conference

J. KUBLER/D. Novak

6-3, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Your thoughts on today's match, if you would.

JASON KUBLER: Yeah, that's the first time I have really had to come back out in a match where the score is so close to it being finished. Then, yeah, kind of a weird feeling when the match finished because you have so much energy to get ready for possibly another two more sets after that one.

For it to finish in four points was, yeah, a good feeling, don't get me wrong, but it was a weird feeling when I finished.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Overnight, that's a long one to sweat on. It's like having to putt at the Masters and you've got to come back and do it the next day. How was it overnight? Were you sort of constantly thinking about what you had to do and how it was going to play out or did you just let it go?

JASON KUBLER: Not too much. Luckily the last point we played I broke him, so sort of in my mind I was thinking I'd much rather be serving at 5-4 than serving 4-5.

Yeah, I wouldn't say I really thought about it that much until I actually got onto the court and I realized how windy it was. I sort of had an initial serve I wanted to hit but then because it was gusty I was, like, Oh, man, maybe I will change it up.

Like I said before, the game went pretty well for me. It all sort of worked out in the end.

Q. Have you ever had a day where you've won every point?

JASON KUBLER: Yeah, I didn't think about that. (Laughter.)

Yeah, I haven't. I'm not sure if it will happen again as well.

Q. Was there any chance at all, there was a point last night where it looked like they were going to take the covers off and you were going to come out. Was there any chance you might get back on? Were you talking to each other? Did he want to come back on as well?

JASON KUBLER: It was a weird one. They put all the covers on, and then I think there were three matches they were trying to get back on. So I think it was my match, the Sock/Cressy, and then a doubles match that had almost finished as well.

So they actually took the cover off my court. I was like, Oh, man, you know, maybe -- and they probably had it off for like a good 20 minutes. I was warming up, doing all that stuff.

And then, yeah, when we were just watching it, we had the court on TV, I think they announced it to the people there that we weren't going to play. Then we sort of saw from the crowd that we weren't.

Yeah, they were trying pretty hard to get us on but I think it was just too wet.

Q. It's obviously been a really long journey. What's it feel like to be in the third round of Wimbledon after so many years?

JASON KUBLER: Well, if I would have finished the match yesterday, then I could probably have given you a more pumped-up answer. Sort of felt like all the hard work was done yesterday. Today I was having a weird sort of a feeling.

It's obviously great, but it's like -- you know when you win a big match, then it has that feeling, just because I played one game it has a bit of a different feeling. Obviously third round is crazy.

Then, yeah, tell me two months ago this was going to happen, I probably wouldn't have believed you. It's cool.

Q. Jack Sock next. Give yourself a big opportunity to go even further?

JASON KUBLER: Yeah, I think for both of us, we're probably both looking at it as a good opportunity. But obviously Jack is, he's won doubles here a couple times. I'm not sure what his best result here but he's obviously good on grass.

Yeah, sort of just gotta recover now and get ready for tomorrow, just I'm sure like he's doing. Just see what happens tomorrow.

Q. Do you feel like the underdog? Is that what you are saying?

JASON KUBLER: Well, I think so. If we are going off names, I think everyone knows who Jack Sock is. He's won a Masters title before. I'm not sure if he's been top 10, but he's definitely been close.

Yeah, so obviously I'm the underdog. Yeah, but then, you know, tomorrow we're both playing on grass obviously, and anything can happen.

Q. Queenslanders love being underdogs, don't you?

JASON KUBLER: I don't know if we're underdogs for the Origin. I think we are playing in Brisbane, so we could be all right.

Q. Have you spoken to Jordan Thompson? Jordan's played him a couple of times and knocked him off a couple times. Is that someone you might have a chat to?

JASON KUBLER: Yeah, for sure. I didn't know...

Q. US Open and Davis Cup, as well.

JASON KUBLER: Then for sure I will speak to Thommo. Yeah, to be honest, I haven't really thought about it. I went straight out to the practice court just because I want to do a few things.

When I saw I was playing Jack as well, Oh, let's work on a few things. Yeah, I'll definitely talk to Thommo, for sure. Any sort of advice I can get from anyone would be great, especially if he's beaten him a couple times, then, for sure.

Q. What are you doing? You walk off the court, you go inside, your coach grabs you...

JASON KUBLER: No, no, just Bunty. Yeah, we sort of said, you know, best-case scenario, if this happens, we will probably go on to the practice court.

It worked out perfect, because I think Jack had just won as well. We knew who we were playing.

But, yeah, it was kind of like we spoke about it before. If this was to happen, then (indiscernible) would come out. That's sort of how it went.

Q. I don't know if you really had time to sort of think about this, given you're sort of mid tournament. When you had moments like this, make it through to the third round, given your long history of injuries and everything you have had to go through, is this like a real moment of self-pride that you have been able to overcome that and get this, or is it part of you that is frustration, what could have been if you didn't have all that rotten luck with the knee?

JASON KUBLER: Hmm. Well, I think I'm sort of the person that doesn't think too much about the past, so maybe I could have got caught up with the things that have happened or maybe the opportunities I may have had.

But, yeah, I'm sort of just thinking about now. Even, you know, thinking of the third round as like -- obviously it's a great moment, but it's almost like I know after this tournament, regardless how I go, there is still a lot of work to do.

Like I'm only, I don't know what I am right now, 98, 99, 100 in the rankings, obviously it's a great moment, but I know after this I'm going to go back to working hard and hopefully improving the ranking.

Q. A bit disappointing? No ranking points. You probably would have shot up 20 or 30 spots?

JASON KUBLER: Yeah, I would have. It's funny, because before quallies, I was, Man, I don't care about the points. Just give me the $10,000, you know.

Now it's like, you know, whatever, week and a half later, maybe the points would have been nice. But if we did have points, then maybe, you know, more players play, the draw is different.

It's obviously worked out. I'm not sure what the third-round prize money is, but it's a hell of a lot more than I have gotten at a tournament before.

Q. It's 121,000 pounds.

JASON KUBLER: Yeah, so it's not too bad (laughter).

Q. I think Zoe Hives said she was going to buy a new car...

JASON KUBLER: I can't get the car. I'd like to try and find somewhere to finally live. That would be cool. No car for me. I have my little Astro.