US OPEN

September 1, 2022

Daniel Evans

Press Conference

D. EVANS/J. Duckworth

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

THE MODERATOR: Four sets, three hours. Your thoughts on the match.

DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, it was a good effort. I played some good tennis, and then James was super-aggressive in the third, so it was good to get out of there.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Afterward you seemed maybe as happy as I have ever seen you after a match. Why was that?

DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, it was getting difficult, the match. Yeah, I was in control, and then I thought he played very well to get back in.

Yeah, I was just happy to get off, really. It was nice to win that match to get to the third round. Then, you know, it's a match I'm on paper supposed to win. It was my goal to get to where I needed to get to in the seeding spots, do my job, and then go from there.

Q. Why do you excel in New York? What is it about this place that brings out the best in you?

DANIEL EVANS: No, the courts suit my game. I have served well.

I said the other day I spend a lot of time from after Wimbledon out here, and, you know, prepare very well. It's the longest swing we get, and I think that helps get comfortable. A lot of the conditions are similar. Australia you don't get such long time out there, and obviously Wimbledon you don't. The French is probably the longest we get is on the clay.

It's nice to have familiar surroundings.

Q. I think you didn't face a breakpoint until the middle of the third set today. Are you serving better now than you think you have in your whole career?

DANIEL EVANS: No, I didn't serve particularly well over the grass, and first weeks out here I really focused on practicing a lot of serves, like the basket. You know, the three weeks before I started playing was really focused on that. Trying to hit my targets. I've just practiced a lot on that.

And, yeah, I may have been serving better, but, you know, the rest of the game has to be there as well. So the serve set it up pretty well. Yeah, it's an overall effort.

Q. Davis Cup obviously is coming up after this. Clearly probably the most competitive it's ever been to kind of get into the team, get a slot. Has there been any talks sort of amongst the Brits about who might play or what configuration?

DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, there has (smiling). Yeah, it's obviously changing every day, I would say. It's going to be difficult, for one person is going to get left out. There's probably seven guys, maybe two people are going to get left out, but seven guys with a realistic chance. And, yeah, it's going to be difficult.

But that's why Leon is paid the big bucks. Yeah. It's a good problem. It's a good problem. I just hope we don't overcomplicate it, and just put the best team on the court and let's see who can win. And I think we will.

But it's an amazing problem to have. Listen, there's a lot of permutations in the doubles, as well. It's a great thing to have, but with that, as I said, it can become complicated.

You know, whatever decisions are made, I think everybody will back Leon there, and I'm sure it will be a great tournament and we have a great chance to get to the quarters, hopefully.

Q. Obviously Cam is on court now but if he goes through, there's four British men into the third round. Do you feel like you are all kind of lifting each other along on some level? Is there a momentum you feel in having so many of you go through?

DANIEL EVANS: It's nice to see everybody doing well. Them winning doesn't help me. I still have to win the match. If anything, it puts a bit more pressure that you obviously want to keep everybody going.

Yeah, I think it's nice that, you know, tomorrow we get, there's two playing tomorrow, two playing the day after. Hopefully Andy and Jack can win. I mean, it would be amazing if there was four in the fourth round. That would be good.

Yeah, at some point, someone's going to go out. It's been a great tournament for the Brits, you know. We've been consistent, and that's what's important.

You know, previous question was about Davis Cup, and, you know, it's amazing that there is so many guys still going. Yeah, all at different parts of our careers. So it's great that Andy's finding some form. Jack is obviously very good. Nozz is doing basically what he's been doing now for two years. It's impressive, yeah.

Q. I know, as you said, you are not Leon, it's his position, but is Jack getting to the stage where you kind of can't leave him out?

DANIEL EVANS: Jack? I mean, you guys have really gone over the top if you think he can't be left out. Come on, he's played about four tournaments on the tour.

Q. But look at the way he's played yesterday.

DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, he's playing good, of course, but it's not -- you know, Davis Cup is a total different animal. I'm sure Jack will be a great Davis Cup player. I'm not saying he shouldn't go, I'm not saying he should go, but I don't think it's a case he can't be left out.

There's got to be a place for a dubs guy or two dubs guys, and then who do you leave out then? Do you leave me out? Do you leave Andy out? Be a brave man to leave Andy Murray out in Glasgow. I mean, I think everybody is in good form. I mean, if I got left out, I'd feel hard done by.

You know, it's a tough one, isn't it? Who do you leave out? What happens if Neal makes the final, loses in the final, wins it, and Joe loses in the final, loses in the semis, who are you going to leave out? Again, it's not my decision. It's a tough one.

Yeah. I've been named in the first squad, so that's good news, I guess. You can only change three. So, I mean, hopefully I'm safe. Who knows?

Q. I noticed Tim Henman was court side today. When you are at that end of the court he was in your eye line. Is he someone you take assurance or confidence from and tell us about your relationship with him, any advice?

DANIEL EVANS: Yeah, I speak to him quite often. Yeah, he's obviously a reassuring figure to have by the side of the court. He's close probably to getting me a coaching fine pretty quickly.

No, I mean, he's great to have by the side. Yeah, I really got on well with him when we did ATP Cup, the stuff he said really helped. So it's nice to have encouragement from the side, but, you know, there is also a lot of other people. It's nice to see Leon by the side of the court. I have, I think a lot of the guys, Jonny O'Mara comes out a lot to watch. I get on well with most of the guys, and it's nice to see when they all come out and support.

I think, you know, we always have great support here in New York. There is a lot of British people. It's nice to see it, to get support from all angles, really, be it Tim and my coach or whoever. But it's great for all the Brits that he's there, you know. I'm sure if you asked Emma the same question, she had a lot of help last year, he was on the side, I think it can only help.

Q. How do you feel physically after being out in the heat of the day? Is there any reason when it's so hot that you are not wearing a hat?

DANIEL EVANS: Apart from how my ears look wearing a hat, no. I have always liked the heat. It's been, yeah, I really like the heat. I'd way rather it be hot than cold.

Yeah, no, I feel fine physically. Yeah, I thought today wasn't that bad of a day. I thought the previous round was very hot and humid.

So, yeah, I felt good physically. It was more mentally. I didn't want to go into a fifth, you know. It's sort of a shooter, and wasn't seeing a lot of 10-point tiebreakers in the last, so it's not something I really want to be a part of.