US OPEN

August 28, 2023

Yuriko Lily Miyazaki

Press Conference

Y. MIYAZAKI/M. Betova

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Straight sets. Your thoughts on your performance today.

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Yeah, I'm really happy to have got my first main-draw win at a Grand Slam. Performance-wise, I don't think I played great. I was quite nervous, especially at the beginning. But I'm happy that I managed to get through it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Is this a moment that you have kind of dreamed about quite a lot? You have been playing on the second tier, I guess.

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Yeah, of course. I think for any tennis player to play at the Grand Slams is the dream and it's what we work towards.

So, yeah, I'm really happy that my work has paid off and, yeah, I want to continue to go further.

Q. You said qualifying gave you confidence and you felt you belong here. What do you think it does for you now getting your first main-draw Grand Slam win?

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Yeah, it's huge for me, I think. Qualifying was also, like, obviously a huge confidence booster, but yeah, winning at the main draw is, it just feels a bit surreal. Yeah, I'm really happy with it.

Q. A couple years ago we had another qualifier came through and went on actually to play pretty well at this event. I'm just wondering, like, where you were when you watched her, if you watched sort of Emma's progress, and if you know her in particular, slightly different ages, different stages.

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Yeah, I mean, what she did was incredible. I'm not sure where I was -- I think I was at a tournament probably. I don't know. 25K in Portugal or something. Obviously all the players were following her results, and it was incredible the way she played.

Yeah, I mean, I don't know her too well, but I have hit with her a few times at the National Tennis Center. Yeah, I think what she did was, yeah, inspired a lot of people.

Q. Good ranking points. Pushes you up the rankings. Decent money. If you thought about the impact that will have for you and allow you to plan stuff.

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Yeah, I was actually talking about it with Jodie earlier. I haven't looked at the prize money breakdown. I think I just looked at the first-round qualifying or something. Yeah, for sure it definitely helps financially and obviously points-wise with my ranking.

Yeah, I think the financial side is huge, because obviously tennis is a very expensive sport. We travel around a lot. Yeah, maybe now I can travel a bit more with a coach, things like that. Because when I'm playing at the ITF level I tend to travel on my own.

Q. $123,000.

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Not too bad.

Q. You said the messages flooded you Saturday after your match. Who has been in touch and what did they say?

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Yeah, my phone is blowing up. It's in my pocket right now. I can feel it going right now. I've literally only messaged my parents and one of my friends as well. I think I'll get around to that later.

Q. What did your parents say?

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Yeah, they're over the moon, I think. Yeah, I think they have obviously sacrificed a lot for me at a young age. Yeah, they are really happy.

Q. Back when you were a young junior, why did you make the decision to go to college and take that path and spend five years there before starting your professional career?

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: I think, to be honest, like, I wasn't like the best junior. Maybe I was, like, average-ranked. Also, physically I was quite small. I didn't think I was ready for the main tour.

I'm happy that I went to college. It gave me, yeah, four, five years to, yeah, get myself physically better. I think, yeah, it was the right decision for me.

Q. Was it always the goal after that to give it a shot?

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Yeah. Yeah, it's always been a dream of mine to play professional tennis. Yeah, I think throughout college I tried to work hard towards becoming a professional tennis player.

Q. How difficult has it been to support yourself through a few years on the second-tier circuit?

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Financially, yeah, I'd say it's difficult. Luckily I have had a couple of private sponsors as well. That's helped. I think because I have been traveling on my own a lot, I have managed to do it just prize money alone up to this point.

But yeah, it's very difficult on the ITF tour.

Q. You've talked about your parents a bit, what they did. Did either of them play tennis? How did you actually get into tennis?

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Yes. My dad played when he was, from when he was maybe at university. Obviously not to a high level. I think he still plays now once a week.

Then my mum plays like socially as well sometimes. So I'd say it's my dad, he probably took myself and my brother to play tennis when we were younger.

Q. Can I ask about your representation? Did you switch to represent Britain last year?

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Yes.

Q. What was the reason? Some reason about Japanese people...

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Just because I think I have lived in the UK for a long time. It's my home. I obviously train there. So I thought it just made sense for me.

Q. If you do travel more, potentially you and Jodie may not be able to keep on sharing Craig; is that right?

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Yes, I guess it would be tougher. But I guess if my ranking improves then we could go to similar tournaments so that could work out.

But, yeah, if not, maybe I'll travel with, like, a strength coach, physio, things like that as well.

Q. (Indiscernible.)

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Yes, I've known him for a long time, since I was about 13.

Q. I wanted to ask about playing Belinda Bencic, your thoughts, what you have seen of her?

YURIKO LILY MIYAZAKI: Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it. She's a great player obviously. Actually funny, when I lived in Switzerland, I played her when I was about nine years old and she must have been about seven or eight. I remember even back then she was taking the ball so early. Yeah, half volleying, drive volleying, everything. Yeah, I expect a really tough match.