US OPEN

August 29, 2023

Jodie Burrage

Press Conference

J. BURRAGE/A. Blinkova

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Could you assess your performance.

JODIE BURRAGE: Yeah, wasn't hanging around today, that's for sure. Did enough hanging around waiting for the matches before me.

Yeah, very, very happy with that win. I played great. Well, didn't play great, but mentally I was on it. Accepted a few challenges that were thrown my way. Managed to get it done in straight sets.

Felt a little pressure going on the court after obviously all the Brits winning today. Wish I hadn't known that going on, but who knows, maybe it helped me.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you feed on that vibe as well as feeling the pressure?

JODIE BURRAGE: Yeah, no, definitely. It's been a really good day for all of us. Yeah, definitely. I did feel the pressure, but it's also, yeah, a really good day and it puts you in a better mood when other people are winning. It makes you believe that you can do it a little bit more I think, as well.

So, yeah, a good day for the Brits.

Q. Were you following all the results? Some of the players say they're in their bubble.

JODIE BURRAGE: Yeah, I'm very much following the all results. I sat in the changing room. They have a little room with about six TVs. I had Andy and Jack on there. Yeah, followed the other girls this morning.

I was back at the hotel for Bolts' match but watched her online. Supporting the others, yeah, to know what's going on and not think about me too much. Especially a day like today where you're hanging around a lot, you can get inside your own head a little bit I think and think about the match too much.

Yeah, I guess it helped.

Q. You earned your place here by ranking. What does it mean to actually win a match now here and feel like you truly belong I guess?

JODIE BURRAGE: Yeah, obviously it's my first slam without a wild card, which is great. I was nervous going out there 'cause you want to do well, you want to win. I keep proving to myself that I think I belong at this level. I mean, she's, what, ranked 38 or 39 in the world. Another top-50 player. I didn't play my best tennis today.

Like I said, I was on it mentally. For me, when I am, it makes a massive difference. It definitely gives me confidence. Yeah, we just keep building for the next matches.

Q. The court next to yours was extremely boisterous. Was that off-putting?

JODIE BURRAGE: It was very loud. I don't know who actually won that match in the end. It was a little off-putting, but I did take my time, was very patient. There was massive roars after some points or games.

I actually had really good focus on myself and on our court, which I've actually struggled with in the past. Montreal was a match where there was so much going on. It was great, so many people there, but I did let it affect me, everything going on around the court.

Yeah, it just shows I've learnt from that match, which is what I'm doing each match. Yeah, it definitely helped, yeah.

Q. If you were playing Sabalenka in the next round, how much would you relish a match like that?

JODIE BURRAGE: Yeah, it would be great, playing the 2 seed. It's a massive match. Probably one of the biggest ones I would have played in my career.

She's still got to win tonight. She's got to win every single match. I'll definitely take a look tonight and see what happens.

But go out there, enjoy it like I always do. Take the confidence from the matches I played this week and the last few weeks and months. Like everything is lessons I've been learning from.

Yeah, I hope that she wins but I also don't hope that she wins at the same time. But, yeah, if she does, it will be a really fun match to play.

Q. You spoke about your injury issues in the past few years. Can you tell us what this means, as well?

JODIE BURRAGE: Yeah, I think if you said to me when I was having that third ankle operation, Carry on, you'll be winning, yeah, your first main draw US Open match, your first Wimbledon match this year, you'll be breaking top hundred, I don't think I would have believed you really. To sit here now and having done that...

I don't like to always look at the past, but sometimes people in my team actually recently have reminded me to look at the past and see how far I've come, because I'm always wanting more.

When you sit back and look at where I was and where I am now, yeah, I've come miles. Yeah, proud of myself for that.

Q. You've beaten top-10, top-20 players. Do you feel like you're building respect in the locker room?

JODIE BURRAGE: I hope so. I hope that's the reputation I'm getting.

But yeah, a few more of the girls, I start hitting with them, you know them a little bit more. In the locker room, as well, it really is a place where you can chat to people and get to know people a little bit more.

I've been speaking to Jessie Pegula a little bit because she's in my bit of the locker room. Mostly we're talking about the adidas outfit, what we're wearing. Those little things start the conversations.

Yeah, hopefully they are building respect for me and finding who I am out as a player - hopefully not too soon because I think that surprise is helping me at the moment.

But, yeah, it's fun to be around.

Q. For you, after spending a large part of your career trying to break this barrier, what does it feel like to be there playing these tournaments? Does it feel like a weight off your shoulders?

JODIE BURRAGE: Yeah, you do always work towards these tournaments in your career. The ITF tour is dog-eat-dog. It's tough. You don't go to the nicest places. You don't go to the nicest tournaments. You've got to fight your way through the points compared to WTAs are so different. It's not easy.

The last few weeks I've played a WTA or 125 every week. My next few tournaments, going to China and Asia, WTAs as well. Definitely new to me. It's where you want to be. It's exciting.

I got 70 points today which I'm pretty sure covers most of my points coming off the rest of this year, which it helps massively. You don't have to worry about that side as much when you start winning these matches.

The level, don't get me wrong, it's a lot tougher at this level, but it's very much who plays better on the day. When you're just playing for bigger points, yeah, I feel like you've got to break into the top hundred, then you get into these bigger tournaments and it's actually a little bit easier to stay there because you're playing for more points.

ITF you've got to grind it out. I've still got to go back and play the ITFs if I'm not getting enough matches at this level. I very much believe in that. But it's nice playing these tournaments at the moment and getting wins.

Q. I believe they might be a bit to the right enjoying your post match as well. What has it been like having family and friends here supporting you? How have you found New York so far?

JODIE BURRAGE: Yeah, they're having a drink on me tonight. I wish I could join them, but I've got a match to get ready for.

No, it's really nice having my mum and Sarah here and my physio. This is the first trip we've done. It was really nice having her here.

It's obviously not Wimbledon where you have loads of people round you. So it is nice for the majority of the time having them here. I always joke with my mum, Sarah is here to basically distract her from me (smiling).

No, it's nice when things like this happen and you can enjoy it with them.

Q. Sarah is your sister?

JODIE BURRAGE: No, she's my mum's friend. She may look young...