NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 11, 2023

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

Press Conference

A. DAVIDOVICH FOKINA/M. McDonald

6-4, 6-2

ALEJANDRO DAVIDOVICH FOKINA

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. Congratulations. I'm just curious, what have you been most impressed with your game thus far this tournament that's allowed you to make the semifinals here?

ALEJANDRO DAVIDOVICH FOKINA: Well, from the beginning, I was playing very calm, very solid, and serving very good.

And to be honest, I just keep playing every point. You know, I don't focus if I want to win the set or if I want to win the match. I just keep focusing to win every point and enjoy every moment. And smiling, you know, the good shots from my side, from the other side. That's all.

Q. You reached the quarterfinals in Indian Wells earlier this year. I'm curious how much confidence did that give you that you could make a semifinal at a hard court Masters 1000 event?

ALEJANDRO DAVIDOVICH FOKINA: Well, I think it's different sensations as Indian Wells. I think I'm playing better now than Indian Wells.

I am, like, more relaxed offside the court. And I think that's the key that gives me a lot of power when I step on court. Then, you know, I'm very calm when I'm playing.

And I don't care about to lose or win. Just to enjoy and to play and to win every point.

Q. What does that mean for you to be back in a semifinal of a Masters 1000?

ALEJANDRO DAVIDOVICH FOKINA: Well, I'm very happy. You know, it's not every day that I do it.

And, you know, I wanted to do it more times this year. But, you know, this time I did it here. I'm doing very well here, beating top players.

And, you know, I don't know what to say anymore because I just playing, and I don't care about the other things, just to enjoy every moment. That's all.

Q. You fell behind early in this match. You were broken right at the start of the match. You fell behind 2-0. What did you say to yourself in that moment to kind of calm down and get your level back up to turn the match around?

ALEJANDRO DAVIDOVICH FOKINA: Well, I knew that Mackenzie is going to play very aggressive from the beginning.

Then I just stay focused. Because I didn't care if he breaks me, because I break back in the next game. Then I was like, okay, doesn't matter.

Because I knew that from the beginning he's going to play very solid, very fast, very aggressive. And I just have to be there every point.

And you never know when you can break or when he will be more tight, you know.

Then I just, when he break it, I was more faster and was more focused to break it back again.