US OPEN

September 10, 2023

Sam Schroder

Press Conference

S. SCHRODER/N. Vink

6-3, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. Straight sets. Hour and 49 minutes. Assess your performance in the championship match.

SAM SCHRODER: Well, like I said, it's been a long season. We have played against each other so many times already. Grand Slams, we have split two by two so far this season. It's been a great season, I think.

So I think the last couple of matches I lost to him and I wasn't able to play at my highest level, and today I was. I was very motivated to finally get the win again. I won my first Grand Slam here in 2020, a couple years since then. I really just really happy to be able to get it again.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Second set you were behind, but it seemed watching it that you found extra energy and extra momentum. There was just another level of Sam at that point. Is that how it felt for you on court?

SAM SCHRODER: Yeah, I think if we look at game per game and point by point, I think I was ahead in a lot of the games in the second set, but eventually I wasn't able to actually take those games due to some unforced errors from me and also some good points from Niels.

But especially from, yeah, 5-3 to 5-5 there was a couple really, really close games. I knew I had to have confidence in my shots. I knew that if I didn't have the confidence to really hit the ball that I would probably make the mistakes again.

I had a lot of confidence being able to do that even at that point. So I knew what I had to do. I had the confidence to do it, so I think it paid off very well.

Q. Is that something that comes from being a previous champion here? Having that experience being a champion here, having that feeling, does it come from that?

SAM SCHRODER: Yeah, it's been a couple years since I have won here. But I've been playing here every year, especially on Louis Armstrong. Playing a lot of matches the past of couple years, so I know how the court works. I have played a lot of Grand Slam finals as well and I know if you get a chance, then you really have to take it.

I think I do consider myself lucky to still be able to win the second set, because there were a lot of games where I was ahead and I ultimately didn't win them. Otherwise I think the score should have been 6-3, 6-3 for me.

I knew in the end I had to stay focused and I kind of got myself together again and managed to take it.

Q. How do you feel as though your game matches up against Niels' game when you play against each other?

SAM SCHRODER: Well, I think, you know, we're both able to rally really well from behind, especially on Louis Armstrong. You can go back really far.

If we both are patient enough, then we can have really long rallies. But I think, yeah, Niels like to go forward, likes to go to the net. Actually if one of my balls is a little bit shorter he'll come through.

I think that was the most important thing for me was to keep building the point up, just keep the ball deep, and then hopefully from there either he will make a mistake or he will put the ball short and then I'll be able to finish it off, yeah.

Q. How would you compare the Sam Schroder of 2020 when you won here for the first time to the Sam Schroder today?

SAM SCHRODER: Compare? Well, I think it was my first Grand Slam so I didn't really know, especially the first match that I played on Armstrong, that was my first-ever Grand Slam match. I had all the cameras around you, 10 lines persons before they had the other system they use now.

I think that tournament felt kind of unreal, first of all, just being able to play a Grand Slam for the first time. And all the experience that comes with it on court, everything is totally different from the other tournaments that we play.

I'm much more prepared now. I think my level is also a lot higher compared to then. Yeah, I think just different players now as well. Niels wasn't really in the picture at that moment compared to the Grand Slams where he's playing in now, of course.

But I think, yeah, at the end of the day, I have played so many Grand Slams now that I know how it feels to play the Grand Slams, and especially the finals. It's always a close match against Niels so I knew I had to play my best level.

Q. How much more of a challenge was it? When you won your first Grand Slam the courts were still playing round robins, only four of you. Now you have a full round of 16 just like the Open.

SAM SCHRODER: Yes, it was very different. I remember that I played my first match on Louis Armstrong against Dylan Alcott, and I lost very quickly.

Then I played Andy Lapthorne and David Wagner and managed to win those. Then I had the final against Dylan again.

I had taken a lot of experience from that first match to be able to win that match. So it was very different from this now. If you don't get to your level in one match, then you're out.

I had a couple, yeah, tough matches, so I was really happy to be able to even be in the final, and then especially to win it is just amazing, to be able to see what I have been preparing for the last couple of months to finally see it pay off again.