US OPEN

August 28, 2023

Jennifer Brady

Press Conference

J. BRADY/K. Birrell

6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Straight-set win. Your thoughts on being here, US Open victory.

JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, you know, it's always good to get a win at a Grand Slam. You know, I think everyone shows up and competes a little bit harder than, you know, at any of the other tournaments.

The tension is always high and nerves are running. Waking up this morning, I actually had a lot of nerves. Was feeling some jitters, and was just happy that I was able to find a way to come out with the win today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. It's been since 2020 since you last played here. What are your thoughts about being back after a period of time?

JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, last time I was here there were no fans (smiling). Very different today, playing out on Court 5 was an unbelievable atmosphere. I think, you know, some people maybe say it's not a good court or they're not good enough for that court, but it was unbelievable playing in front of the American crowd. Everyone was cheering for me, supporting me.

It was extremely loud. You know, I think just getting people from Court 4, Court 6. Yeah, it's always good to play in front of a full court. Stands are packed. There was a lot of energy and it helped me, you know, just stay in the moment and fired up and win the match today.

Q. In terms of from the outside when we look at it it's very easy to write the story of this must be a really momentous thing to be back after everything you've gone through and taking the court. Did it feel momentous just to you? You said you had jitters this morning. Does this feel big to you?

JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, it feels huge. Last time I played a Grand Slam was, I mean, in 2021. So the slams are where we want to peak and perform our best, and those are the ones that really matter. You know, every tournament matters, but the Grand Slam is always something bigger. You always want to do your best there and hopefully you peak at a Grand Slam and not a 250.

You never know, but yeah, it's huge. Today I woke up feeling different than the other days or maybe from other tournaments. You know, I was, like, shaking. But it was good, because it means something to me. I know that, you know, I was going to go out there feeling nervous, you know, knew I wasn't going to play my best tennis.

I just had to compete, find a way, and just stay in it.

Q. Obviously it's just devastating for a world-class athlete to have an injury like you had. You have been asked this many times, I'm sure. But what was sort of the toughest moment for you? Did you feel that, hey, maybe I just won't be able to make it back? Thirdly, what did you learn from this process?

JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, I have been asked that a lot, all three of those (smiling).

I feel a bit repetitive. My answer might be a little short. Yeah, you know, it was a tough time. Injuries are always tough. But the toughest part is just not knowing when you're going to compete again. The unknown is something that, you know, it's scary. You just never know when the first tournament is going to be, when you're back, if you're going to be able to continue playing, go week to week and just keep playing enough or if you're going to have another setback.

I mean, it's tough, but, you know, I'm here, I'm feeling pretty good. I think there is a lot of things I can improve on and get better at, which is also exciting, because, you know, I feel like my level is still there.

But, you know, at times, you know, some things just aren't good enough. You know, I'm working every day just to get back to where I was, if not better than where I was, where I left off.

I learned, you know, I think we take this sport for granted. I think we don't realize how good of an opportunity we have to be able to play tennis, to travel the world, you know, hitting a little fuzzy ball. You know, we're able to see things, to do things that other people may never do, and, you know, I think looking forward, I'll try to have that perspective.

You know, it's tough. Sometimes it's tough. You just kind of get lost in the bubble that we're in, but, you know, I think just showing up, having a different perspective, I think it's something that I'll try to do moving forward.

Q. I'm curious, a lot of times coming to tennis tournaments can be a little bit like repetitive and sort of the same things you do, you know, go to practice, go to your match, do press. Are there things you have kind of had to, over the course of this comeback, relearn from that perspective? What has your in-tournament routine been like for you now that you have been able to play a few events in a row?

JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, I think my first tournament back was tricky. I played a challenger in Granby, Canada. Just getting used to things. Just like all the little routines. I was trying to find my routine. I felt a little bit lost. Didn't really know what to do.

I mean, I was playing a match at 9:00 p.m., I didn't eat anything since, like, 1:30 or 2:00. I went out there, I was like, Oh, shit, I haven't eaten, I'm feeling a little lightheaded. I don't really have any energy. It's just little things like that. Here at the US Open it's impossible not to eat before your match. We have so much food and so many options to choose from.

Just little things. Just getting racquets strung and forgetting to do that. Just like little professional things like you just do every single day because it's just wired in your brain, you know. Every day before you leave you do, this this, and this. Just kind of remembering all those little things and doing all those little things, picking up balls before practice.

Yeah, but yeah, things are repetitive in this world. You know, press, all of it, yeah. (Smiling.)

Q. In terms of level, you were saying in Montreal and everything like sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not, and you said that today as well. What's the best match that you've played, you think, in your comeback you have been happiest with or have you been walking off the court frustrated that it's not there?

JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, you know, I would say probably the match against Rybakina. I would say that match. You know, I played a very good first set the night before. We had to come back the next day, we didn't finish the first set. But, you know, I felt like my level was there, but I also had a very good game plan going into the match.

I mean, she's 4 in the world, so to be right there I gave myself some chances, some opportunities in that second set to close out the match, but I didn't.

Those are kind of the things that I feel like I need to improve on, just kind of keeping my foot on the gas and closing out matches and trusting my game, trusting my preparation. You know, just kind of those are the things.

It's not like I have drastic improvements to make. It's more, you know, the confidence in myself and just being aggressive when I need to be and finishing matches and not playing the score.

Q. Was there a time when you were struggling and off the tour and someone gave you a particularly good piece of advice or a text or some input from some member of your team or family that was particularly helpful and supportive for you?

JENNIFER BRADY: Yeah, I mean, just like general stuff. There wasn't someone who, like, totally was like changed my entire mood and got me through it.

Yeah, I could lie and say, yeah, I got one text that was just, you know, super impactful and changed everything, but, I mean, you know, I got a lot of texts from a lot of people, a lot of people I didn't respond to. A lot of people left unread just because it was so repetitive and I got a lot of the same things.

There was nothing new to update them on. So yeah, there was just a lot of the same thing. Yeah, there were some players that really did care and reached out. Dascha Gavrilova gave some good advice to me just because she has gone through the ringer. She's had a lot of injuries and she's come back, and she's come back at a high level coming back, making top 50, and then tearing her ACL.

So hearing her advice was more meaningful to me than some other people's, yeah.