THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 5, 2024

Tommy Paul

Press Conference

T. PAUL/A. Bublik

6-3, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: How did it feel for you out there today?

TOMMY PAUL: Pretty good. It was weird kind of getting ready for the match. You never really know when you're going to go on and you definitely don't know if you are going to finish.

So I got kind of lucky in that aspect in being able to get the whole match done. It seems like it's starting to spit outside right now. I was very happy with that.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your eighth win on grass. Confidence must be high at the moment?

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah. I mean, I'm having fun on the grass. I like it. Yeah, I mean, every time I play on it, I feel more and more comfortable.

I actually was surprised when I came out on the court today. I thought it was going to be a little more slippery. And it was like the third point of the match or something, I kind of, like, stuck my foot in the ground, and I stopped. Normally I feel like when it's slick, you would kind of slide out there.

It gave me a little confidence to move a little harder. I mean, it helped me out in the match.

Q. Where do you feel like you are in terms of under the radar, on the radar, both in the sport in the locker room and outside of it, and how does that affect any sort of pressure and expectations you might feel?

TOMMY PAUL: The locker room for me personally, I mean, that's what matters. I feel like I have a pretty good presence in the locker room. I think I'm liked by most of the guys, and I think I'm respected by almost all of the guys. For me that's the most important.

In terms of other things, I don't really know. I mean, I guess that's up to you guys or the people who are tennis fans if they think I'm worthy or not. I'm happy just going about my business.

Q. Did you feel coming in just another match, just another tournament, or is coming in here with something like that feel sort of the other side of giving you confidence being, like, I want to back that up?

TOMMY PAUL: I think it's a little bit of both. I think it's good to have both in the approach, coming into the tournament, because you want to come in being like, Okay, it's just another tournament, but you also want to take the confidence from the week before, and come into the tournament with that.

You have to come in humble and ready to compete from the jump. I mean, we saw in my second round Otto, he played awesome tennis, and I had to be ready for that. Luckily I was to a point, you know. He almost got me. But I mean, yeah, I think you've really got to have both mindsets when coming into a slam.

Q. Can I ask, in the last match Otto did an underarm serve at an important time, and Sasha is the king of underarm serves. Is that something you thought about or practiced ahead of the match?

TOMMY PAUL: Didn't practice, but we kind of joked about it. He hit the one underhand serve on break point in the fifth set, and it wasn't a great one. I mean, luckily I got the break right there and was able to serve out the match.

We didn't know how many were going to come today, but we knew that some were going to come out. The first one he hit was actually a gem. He hit it so well. I think it probably bounced three times before I even got up there.

Then for the rest of the match I kind of started with one foot in front just kind of ready to go. If I saw him go into the motion, I would go back into the lateral stance and then ready to hit a normal return. It was in my head for the rest of the match.

He hit another one, and I was up there ready for it. I think he only hit two, maybe three.

Q. Yeah.

TOMMY PAUL: But after that one, he kind of put me on alert and I was ready.

Q. You kept a close eye on his movement.

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah. Like, when he is about to serve, it's easy to kind of tell yourself to relax and then get ready to go again. But with Bublik, when he is serving, I mean, you have to keep your eyes on him at all times. You actually cannot take your eyes off of him.

Q. Speaking of that, what's your experience before this with underarm serves, and what do you think of them?

TOMMY PAUL: Trying to think. I don't think I have too much experience with them. I mean, I played Bublik before. He probably did it in that match. But no, I haven't had too much experience with it.

I think it's kind of funny when people do it because I like watching other people get frustrated with it. If people are going to do it on break points with me, I'm not going to be upset, you know (laughing).

Q. What was the story with your handshake with him at the end of the match?

TOMMY PAUL: The pinky thing? I don't know where that started, to be honest. Every time I've seen him for the past three years, we always do this. We don't even shake hands. We just touch pinkies (laughing).

Q. If I recall correctly, you're an Eagles fan. So I'm sure you know what a two-minute drill is. I kind of like to do a version of the two-minute drill and just throw out a few quick questions and just get an instant reaction, if that's okay.

TOMMY PAUL: Let's do it.

Q. All right. Your favorite tournament around the world, which one is your favorite?

TOMMY PAUL: This and Indian Wells. Can I have two answers or no?

Q. That's permissible. Your favorite moment in your career? Pick one off the top of your head, please.

TOMMY PAUL: Last week was just on the top of my head right now.

Q. And the toughest stroke that you faced from an opponent, the toughest stroke, whether it's a serve or forehand?

TOMMY PAUL: Reilly Opelka's serve.

Q. If you had to take any player into the trenches in to fight on, who would you choose to go into the trenches with?

TOMMY PAUL: Oh, what do you mean by that?

Q. Who do you think has the most guts, the most courage? Who would have your back the most? Who would you like to battle with the most?

TOMMY PAUL: I'm going to have to go with one of the Americans. Probably Frances. I feel like when it matters, Frances can turn it on.

Q. Best part of tennis?

TOMMY PAUL: The individuality of it.

Q. And the not so best, worst part?

TOMMY PAUL: The travel.

Q. And your favorite restaurant around the world?

TOMMY PAUL: Probably COTE in Miami.

Q. If you could invite three guys to a dinner anywhere to have a good dinner and learn some stuff or enjoy, who would you invite?

TOMMY PAUL: I don't know. Probably just my friends. I don't really need big celebrities to have fun at dinner.

Q. I just wondered, during this tournament what kind of things you like to do when you're not playing your matches? Are there places you like to go to, things to do?

TOMMY PAUL: We haven't left the house very much. My girlfriend has been cooking. We've been watching a lot of tennis, a lot of tennis. I mean, obviously two days ago I played a pretty long match, so since then it's kind of just been recovery.

Q. You go to the grocery store here?

TOMMY PAUL: I have not. I've been putting her on that duty.

Q. Have you heard what opponents' scouting report is on you?

TOMMY PAUL: Not really, no. I mean, a couple of years ago we kind of looked into it and were kind of like, okay, what are other people seeing in my game? That's something that we actually took to the practice court.

It wasn't even before tournaments. We actually did it before, preseason, and then we took that to the practice court and started working on stuff.

Q. What was it?

TOMMY PAUL: I don't want to give it away (laughing).