US OPEN

August 29, 2024

Tommy Paul

Press Conference

T. PAUL/M. Purcell

7-5, 6-0, 1-0 (ret.)

THE MODERATOR: Into the third round. How do you process this match compared to first round because tough first set, then the second set, and then the retirement? How do you process it only on the court an hour and 15 minutes as you go forward?

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, obviously, first thing is first. It sucks to finish a match like that. Especially when the level in the first set I thought was awesome on both sides of the court.

I love the way that he plays. The way that I try and play is very similar to the way that he was playing in the first set. I mean, I thought if the first set level kept up through the entire match, it would have been a really awesome match.

But, I mean, I picked up my level there in the second a lot. I could tell he was slowing down. I didn't know what the problem was. So I kind of got to ignore it and kind of focus on myself.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Talked to Eddie after the match, and he told me his story of how long he's been following you. You were a kid who had heroes and looked up to other players. What does it mean to have a kid like him? He said he's been following you since the challengers. What does it mean to have a kid like that who you know is going to be in your corner and is rooting for you? He said you have developed a little bit of a relationship.

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, it's awesome. I was once a young kid coming to the qualifying here watching the matches. So, I mean, I'm really happy to have him in my corner. I'm happy to play for all the young kids watching tennis.

I mean, I think playing out here as an American, it's a special thing. We want to inspire the next generation of players.

I talked to him last year for the first time. I didn't know he's been following me since the challengers, but that's awesome. He was out here for my first round until 1:45 in the morning. I don't know how his dad even let that happen, but yeah, I love having support from everybody out there.

Q. I read that Ben said the other day playing on the Grandstand had him feeling a little funky. He said he even felt like the court was slanted or something like that. I'm curious if you have ever had playing on the Grandstand that the feel is different than some other courts here?

TOMMY PAUL: No, I think all the courts here are slanted. I think that's for the rain runoff, but I think it's an awesome court.

I love the look of it. I love the size. I think it's a somewhat intimate court, but also big enough to where it gets rowdy. I've played some good tennis on that court, so I've got no complaints.

Q. How would you describe the feeling round-by-round as Americans are sticking around and advancing?

TOMMY PAUL: You know, that's what we all want to do, so I guess you could say it feels like it's going according plan so far. Every match is, you know, you've got to lock in for every match the first round. For me I have the most nerves going into the first round because you never really know what to expect.

You hit the practice courts here, and maybe you're feeling the ball great. Competition is much different than practice. So you never know how you're going to come out and play.

Then once you get through that first round, I feel like it's a build of confidence, and you kind of get the ball rolling.

Q. What about the pick-up for the other guys when one does well? This is something we've discussed it seems year after year, but there are a lot of guys this year.

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah. No, I mean, I think that's amazing. I love having all the other Americans going deep in tournaments, kind of rolling off of each other. I don't know that me watching one American win helps me win, but I mean, I love seeing it. I think we have a really good group right now.

I'm pretty excited -- I'm sure everyone is excited -- for the matchup tomorrow. I'm definitely going to be watching that.

Q. As an American player, a favorite, how is this tournament different than any other major?

TOMMY PAUL: Well, there's a lot more energy around the grounds here. It's one of the biggest -- I mean, the biggest tournament in the world, especially for us Americans. We love playing here in front of the fans, and we love playing on the biggest stages.

The support is unlike any other tournament. Especially now with all the Americans that we have, I think everyone is very, very excited. We have crowds coming out to our practice.

I've played this tournament many, many times, and for us I don't know that it's always been the case. It's really great to see.

Q. You and Brad have talked about your emotional maturity on the court and how much you've advanced and how that has helped you rise up. Tell me what sort of -- it's 5-All in the first set, and you have to challenge. You have had a few breaks point earlier on. Tell me, what is your mental process? What are you thinking about on the court to keep yourself calm that eventually enables you to have the big shots like you did?

TOMMY PAUL: It's not always calm in the head. The 4-5 game was definitely edgy. I mean, he played some good points, and I feel like I couldn't get out of that game.

You have some game points, and he comes up with some good shots. I mean, that's just tennis.

We're playing Grandstand at the US Open with the lights on. I mean, that's where you want to be, and that's kind of what I tell myself.

On the outside you always want to look calm, and that's kind of what I try and put on.

Q. There's been quite a lot of talk about how gambling rachets up the level of online abuse. What have you experienced, and what are your thoughts about what's going on?

TOMMY PAUL: Man, that's a good question. I think there's two ways you could look at it. Obviously it brings a lot of attention to the sport, a lot more viewers to the sport, which I think ultimately is the goal.

But, yeah, I mean, the online abuse I think some people get it bad, some people don't. Everyone gets it. Everyone has it, but I think it's just part of the sport.

For us I think it's something that you've got to deal with. I try not to pay too much attention to it at all. You can look at messages I get after matches and, like, they could probably crush some people, but you kind of just breeze through it. It's like nothing. You are kind of numb to it at some point.

Q. No one ever wants to win by a retirement. I wonder what the recovery process is like because in the sense you're in the middle of a match, and it ends sooner than you expect it to and how that is different than if you were playing a full-length match?

TOMMY PAUL: It's super weird when you are in that situation because you're trying not to think. You see him hurting on the other side of the court, and you're trying not to think, like, Oh, when is he going to pull the plug, when is he going to stop because as soon as you start getting those thoughts, you kind of lose your focus.

You're just focusing on yourself. I knew he was struggling moving a bit, so I was moving him going one-and-one. Like I say, you just focus on yourself until he calls it.

I don't know. I feel bad. Like, I don't want it to end that way, but I'm happy to be into the next round any way that it happens.

Q. In the 10, 20 minutes after the match, is the comedown different? You know, because you don't have the match point. You don't have the same adrenaline of celebration that you would normally have as a normal match ends.

TOMMY PAUL: Yeah, definitely. You don't have the nerves of serving for the match or breaking for the match, but like I said, we'll take it any way.