CITI OPEN

August 7, 2022

Yoshihito Nishioka

Press Conference

Y. NISHIOKA/A. Rublev

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congrats a lot. Amazing, amazing week for you. How do you feel to be in your first 500 final?

YOSHIHITO NISHIOKA: Yeah, this is a first time final for me in a 500, and also 250 since Delray Beach. I forgot. It was like two or three years ago. Two years ago, yeah. So a long time ago it's final.

After COVID started, I haven't, like, good time on the tour, and my motivation it was going down. Even this year I played not that great. So I really feel like some day I don't want to play tennis, and so I went back home after Rome challenger, which is after Wimbledon, and also, I feel like I don't want to play tennis.

So I went back home. I was thinking like I'm not gonna play in this tournament. But I got in main draw, so that's why I came here and played tournament.

But, yeah, which is amazing. I can't believe I'm in the final right now. You know, I think that's maybe sometimes I need to be like relaxed like this. Just come here and play the tournament, and then I don't have to get pressures and don't think that much.

Maybe that's helpful for my tennis maybe, and then I think that's a big reason to make final here.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. It's interesting. There is a lot in there. To support that, tour level, you had five wins coming into this tournament. You had five wins in the past five days. What's different? What's special about this week?

YOSHIHITO NISHIOKA: Yeah, I mean, before the first day started, I couldn't believe I'm starting on final. I know Brooksby, many things about his tennis. We know each other. And also de Minaur. Evans. I never lost them, so I had confidence to play them. Khachanov, I never beat him. And also Rublev, which is very tough opponent and had good time this year as well.

Well, I think I wasn't thinking that much. Actually, like some day like I don't care win or lose, just play the tennis and we will see how it's going. You know, so between the match, I don't get so tight. That's a big, big support, my tennis in this tournament.

Yeah, I think if I have so much pressure on me, and then if I thinking like my mind like I have to win or something like that, I getting so tight and then like maybe my emotions is too much sometimes.

But this time I feel a little bit tired, but, you know, my mentality is like always fighting, and I don't think that much. So, you know, just focus on the fighting. So that's a big reason I'm winning against big opponent.

Q. Tomorrow is going to be your sixth match in six days in a row. I'm not sure if you have a long history of that at this level especially. How are you feeling?

YOSHIHITO NISHIOKA: Well, yeah, for sure it's not the easy day for me.

You know, Kyrgios is Kyrgios (smiling). He can do whatever he wants, he has good day.

Also, I think we both have the mentality, too much emotional sometimes, but for sure he had a great week here, singles and doubles. For sure he has so much confidence. I never beat him.

So also, he had more confidence to me, but, you know, I just have to be enjoying the final against him. We know each other from 14 years old, and now still we are here together, which is amazing. You know, so like same thing. What I did today, like don't think too much about win or lose. Just focus what I can do right now, and then we will see.

You know, if he making 80% first service, I can't do anything. So sometimes like going to sometimes happen, but like sometimes not. If I have chances, if I get it, maybe I have chance to win. If I don't, maybe I lose.

So we'll see how it's going, and then just enjoy the day tomorrow.