US OPEN

August 29, 2005

Scoville Jenkins

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: A lot of energy from the crowd. I've dreamed about going five sets at a Grand Slam all my life. I just thought about, this is a great time. Just take one point at a time.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: Yeah, I was a little down that I couldn't pull it back out. I mean, there was a fifth set. I kept telling myself, "There's more, just get ready."

SCOVILLE JENKINS: It was great to get back in there after I got broken. So I knew I had to keep serving, keep holding my serve to get the momentum back in my gear.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: Oh, yeah, that was the first time I ever experienced anything like this. It's a great feeling that somebody wanted to give you a hug after they've seen you play tennis (smiling).

SCOVILLE JENKINS: No, it was little older moms (smiling).

SCOVILLE JENKINS: I've been playing so many matches now, I mean, you go through the same thing every time. You don't want to just see you're in a night match, you're in the crowd, let it overtake you. You just do it like every other match. You take it one step at a time and just go in slow motion for yourself.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: No, I told myself, "It's 5-4 and you have another chance at 5-All." At 5-All, I was like, "Here's your chance. You're serving. You can control where this ball goes." I just took it one point at a time. I hit a nice out-wide serve to go up 6-5.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: It looked very big. It was like a beach ball. I just told myself, "Keep your eye on the ball and just swing. That's the ball you want." I didn't want to just get it back in play. That was the ball I wanted, and I just went for it.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: This past year I've been playing a lot of challengers and futures. It's been a little rough because you start at the bottom. I'm trying to get back up here. Right before here, I played New Haven, got a lot of confidence. I'm starting to feel good now.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: I feel like I do, yes.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: Not many conversations. Just a little talking here and there.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: He told me it's a grind, everything's out there a grind. To get to the top, you got to start from the bottom. Never get discouraged. Never get too discouraged about a loss or get too up on a win.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: Yeah, I felt I did because my first US Open here I played on Ashe against the defending champion. It couldn't get any better than that, playing there. So I knew this time when I come back in, I'm ready for that again, Ashe or Louis Armstrong or whatever. I've already been on that court playing.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: This was my first.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: I was feeling fine. I do a lot of good conditioning with my coach, Torrey, at the (indiscernible) Tennis Academy in Atlanta. I was prepared for a five-setter today.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: Yes, I play him next.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: I think it will a good match. I'm very excited to play him. I know he's the French Open champion. I'm ready to play.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: Obviously, this is the US Open. This is my home ground right here. I have the crowd going with me. Use the crowd's energy to play the game.

SCOVILLE JENKINS: Oh, yes.