OMNIUM BANQUE NATIONALE

August 10, 2022

Tommy Paul

Press Conference

T. PAUL/C. Alcaraz

6-7, 7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Tommy, your third career top-five win. Just talk about the great comeback today over Carlos.

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, I mean, it was overall a really high-level match. I got down a break in the second, but I felt like I was in all of his service games. I knew I was one break away to being back in the match.

Then, I don't know, like I went up in the third. He picked up his level quite a bit. I feel like we had flashes of, like, really probably the highest-level tennis I've ever played.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Do you take more confidence when you get a big win like this over the No. 2 seed? Does that really set you into the North American hard court swing better or is it all the same to you?

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, I mean, I think any win builds confidence. Like you hear of players, like, dropping down a level, playing challengers to build confidence. I think any win adds confidence and builds it. Obviously the better players you beat, the bigger it is and the more it means.

I mean, definitely nice to get a big win going into the whole series.

Q. Like was said, third win this season against a top-five player. Do you feel you're getting more and more comfortable against these guys?

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, I mean, it's hard not to wake up for the primetime matches like that (smiling). When I play, like, top-level people, top-five, top-10, I'm really excited, you know? Like when I wake up in the morning, the alarm is not as bad as the normal 6:45 alarm (laughter).

Yeah, I was pumped, ready to go today. I was fired up. I knew that with him, like, I would have to play a high level of tennis. I mean, I just tried to prepare for that.

Q. What was the turning point of the match? You had match points against you. What was the turning point of the match?

TOMMY PAUL: Probably, like, way before the match point against me. I'd probably say around 4-1. I think maybe 4-1 or 4-2 in the second, I was on my coach's side. He told me that I had dropped my level, like pick it up.

I just took, like, a second and realized like, Yeah. It wasn't that he picked up his level to go up the break in the second, I mean, I slowed down a little bit, and he maintained. That was the difference.

I mean, I brought my level back up, made him really earn the second set. That was, like, my mindset, to try to make it earn it. If he's going to win this match, make him really, really earn it. I think that was probably the turning point.

Q. Carlos told us a few minutes ago that he wasn't able to handle the pressure of being the No. 2 seed in this tournament and in the game. Did you feel it during the match?

TOMMY PAUL: No. I mean, that's not something that I'm thinking about when I'm playing. I'm not thinking about him thinking about being the No. 2 seed.

But, yeah, I mean, I'd imagine that probably would add a little extra pressure. I mean, I'd like to be the No. 2 seed here one day (smiling).

Q. Could you sense his frustration on the court when you were starting to get that comeback in the second set? Could you sense it?

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, I mean, I think no more than normal I guess. Anyone who's up a set and a break, then to get broken back, like, they're going to be a little frustrated. It wasn't like a huge, huge thing on my mind.

I mean, I started picking up my level a bunch. I mean, that adds pressure to him. When you're up a set and the break, you get into the tiebreak in the second, you're thinking about it a little bit, no matter who you are.

I mean, I didn't really think too much of it.