AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2023

J.J. Wolf

Press Conference

B. SHELTON/J.J. Wolf

6-7, 6-2, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: I know it's not the result that you wanted today, but your third Grand Slam appearance and a fourth round here at the Australian Open. What positives can you take out of your time here in Australia?

J.J. WOLF: Yeah, I know there's a lot of good things to look back on at this tournament. I don't come in with a lot of expectations. Try to have a long-term vision and keep improving.

But, yeah, I know I'm very happy with how I played here. I hope I can keep building on it. And overall good experience, especially with the crowd and how well run the tournament is.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. A tough one, I'm sure. What are your feelings about the way you performed in the last couple of sets? What do you think the difference was ultimately in the match?

J.J. WOLF: Yeah, you know, I think that fourth-set tiebreaker was really key for me. I made some impulsive decisions, rushing to the net a couple times, a couple unforced errors.

But Ben played a great match. Me not breaking in five sets, very unusual. So I think there is a couple of things I can look back on there. But just need to keep improving and get tougher.

Q. How does that serve compare to serves you have faced before?

J.J. WOLF: Yeah, he's got a good serve. But I have played against guys like Nick Kyrgios and John Isner, so it's nothing I haven't seen before. I feel like I got a racquet on a lot of serves. Just capitalizing after that is what I need to work on.

Q. How were the conditions out there?

J.J. WOLF: Yeah, it was fine. Wasn't too hot or anything. Ball was bouncing. Ball was flying. So we had some big shots going back and forth. But, yeah, it was enjoyable to play on that.

Q. How long have you two known each other? You guys ever practiced together?

J.J. WOLF: Oh, we have practiced together once before I think in Orlando at a challenger maybe.

Yeah, I have just known him since recent times. Yeah, a great guy, and it was really fun to play against him today.

Q. Going to be ten of you guys in the top 50 come Monday, including you. Most of you are 25 or younger. What do you think about that, and how does it feel to be part of that?

J.J. WOLF: Yeah, I think it's going to be awesome, especially when the tournaments go back to the States, having a lot of Americans seeded and a lot of rivalries like that I think will be really good to push each other, especially for the American fans, and even for us when we are overseas having guys to train with and push with is really good. It's good to feel like we've kind of got a team out here.

Q. Any guess as to the reason for this kind of surge all at once, bunch of American men?

J.J. WOLF: Yeah, I think with how many great athletes coming out of States, it was just a matter of time. The level of tennis worldwide is so high I think it's kind of hard for anyone to make that next jump, but I think we all have a good chance at it now.

Q. Not this Cincinnati sports team, but the other one, were you interested in? Did you end up watching any of that?

J.J. WOLF: Yeah, I wouldn't miss it. I think we should have had one more touchdown call there, but I'm not going to complain about it.

Q. Did you watch it live?

J.J. WOLF: I watched as much as I could. I had to start my warmup during part of it, but I got to watch a good amount of it.

Q. You get to see them in a week?

J.J. WOLF: And I'll be home for it.

Q. How much do you think your family background, how much do you think that's been a factor in you becoming elite at what you do and being successful?

J.J. WOLF: Yeah, I know, I think having a lot of knowledge about professional sports and high-level athletics has helped me a lot. Excellence is kind of expected, which can be tough sometimes. A lot of family members to push you and give you insights on the next level of what you're trying to do has really helped me.

Q. Can you and Ben relate to each other on that one?

J.J. WOLF: Yeah, I think so. I feel like mine hasn't been so much been in tennis. My dad and uncles played a little bit, but most of it has been in other sports. So I draw on -- my grandpa recently passed away, but he gave me a lot of insights in choosing tennis.

He was a coach in the NBA and a baseball player. He'd come to all my games when I was growing up. He hated watching me play soccer. He never liked soccer. But he'd go to my baseball games and tell me, You have got a good shot, going as far as you want in this sport, but I can tell you're bored out there.

He's, like, Tennis is a sport you will be able to control and stay into and challenge yourself with. I trusted him on that, and that was one the decision-makers for me.

Q. How true has that proved to be, do you think?

J.J. WOLF: Yeah, definitely I think I made the right choice. Sometimes you look at the MLB players' paychecks and it's a little bit more, but I think tennis is a really cool worldwide sport, so I enjoy it a lot.