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U.S. OPEN


September 10, 2009


Carly Gullickson

Travis Parrott


NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

PARROTT-GULLICKSON/Paes-Black
6-2, 6-4


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The way the world works, like I was wondering how does it sort of become known that you're looking for a mixed doubles partner? I know there were a couple of steps...
CARLY GULLICKSON: I think it actually worked out pretty well. I was actually supposed to play with Rajeev Ram.
TRAVIS PARROTT: Brutal. I didn't know that. I'm just finding this out now.
CARLY GULLICKSON: This was a while ago. We figured out we couldn't get in, so I kind of just felt I won't even try, because I couldn't find anyone high enough.
Travis texted me, so it worked out for the best. It's kind of weird.

Q. So you were higher ranked than Rajeev?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Yeah. Yeah. So I don't even know if that would have made a difference because it was a wildcard.

Q. You guys were a wildcard?
TRAVIS PARROTT: We were a wildcard in.

Q. You texted Carly, so how did...
TRAVIS PARROTT: I was actually set to play with Abigail Spears, but she had played mixed doubles with Robert Kendrick in World Team Tennis.
Two days later she said, They guaranteed me a wildcard. And, like, I'm really sorry, but I can't play. Like I need to take this sure wildcard. I said, No problem.
I said, Do you know anybody that might be looking? She said, Carly might be looking. You can text her. So I texted her and she said yes, and now here we are.

Q. That was a couple days before?
TRAVIS PARROTT: That was -- I mean, the sign in was, what, Monday?
CARLY GULLICKSON: I think it was Saturday, maybe.
TRAVIS PARROTT: Saturday.

Q. Did you ask for a wildcard? How did you end up with a wildcard?
CARLY GULLICKSON: Travis texted me, and I think it was -- yeah, two days before sign in, but we needed to sign in for like a wildcard request form. And actually we were late doing it, which is kind of -- I mean, I think we were like a day late. They pushed it anyway.
Yeah, we asked for a wildcard. Eight teams got wildcards, so we were one of them.

Q. Had you guys ever played before?
TRAVIS PARROTT: We played in one like World Team Tennis match. I played for the Philadelphia Freedoms, and Lisa Raymond hadn't made it to our team yet. Carly came in to sub for a couple matches. Was it one match or two?
CARLY GULLICKSON: One match.
TRAVIS PARROTT: One match, and so we played once together.

Q. How did you play?
TRAVIS PARROTT: We won. I don't even know who we beat.
CARLY GULLICKSON: We beat like maybe Mashona and Scott Oudsema.
TRAVIS PARROTT: We won.
CARLY GULLICKSON: Yeah, we won.

Q. Do you make it a habit of going out on courts the first time and then winning a championship? Have you ever done that before?
CARLY GULLICKSON: No, it was my first time. And, you know, it's kind of -- I still can't believe we actually won the US Open, but it's weird to me still.
But, umm, you know, we played really -- both of us I think played really, really well all week. And, I mean, we beat some pretty good teams, like, all of our five matches.
So, you know, I think -- I was super-relaxed because I felt no pressure on the court, because it was just fun. Hopefully I can maybe gain a little bit of confidence into my singles and doubles from this.

Q. Travis, where are you from? Where is your home? And how long have you been out on the circuit?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Portland, Oregon is where I live now, and this is my seventh year on tour.

Q. Did you play in college?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Yeah, I played three years at University of Georgia, and I played one year at the University of Portland.

Q. Could you talk a little Portland tennis to me? Your dad was a big wig there. Talk about the scene there. And where do you live in Portland?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Well, we live in Forest Heights, which is in the West Hills of Portland. It's about ten minutes from downtown.
And, yeah, my dad has been very involved with tennis, you know, ever since I was alive. I have three older brothers. We had a tennis court in our backyard. We'd play all the time. My dad has run a bunch of Davis Cup ties, one in Portland, two in Atlanta.
And, yeah, as far as the tennis scene goes, he's always been a big name there. It was easy to kind of open up the doors when I was younger as far as players to play with.

Q. On the flip side, fabulous Open for Georgia. Could you talk about University of Georgia and Diaz just a bit, please?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Yeah, I mean, great program, great school. I mean, obviously everyone is talking about Isner now because he's done so well since going there. But, yeah, I can't say enough about their pursuit of excellence, I guess you'd say. Coach Diaz does a really good job of helping us all kind of believe that we're there to win on a big stage.
You know, the assistant coaches there. At the time we had a guy named Jack Frierson. And, you know, he was an unbelievable guy as far as a role model and just kind of individual work and everything.
But a great place to work on your game, for sure.

Q. Carly played particularly well today. Could you talk about what it's like with the really good woman partner and also about the psychology? You know, one time you drilled one at Cara, and just sort of said, Sorry. What's the psychology like?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Well, you're right, Carly played awesome today, but she played this well the whole week. That's why it's been -- I mean, we've just about going through these teams, and it's been -- we'll look at each other on the changeover and, like, God, this is fun. Why can't we play like this when we're playing the rest of the year?
You're right, for me th psychology changed because she's so good at the net. I don't feel the pressure to have to come up with a big serve. In mixed doubles in the past I'll end up double faulting more because I have to get a lot of free points, you know.
With Carly, put a good serve in there, and she'll clean it up. And it's just, I don't know.

Q. Can you describe the exchange with Mirnyi that Travis mentioned?
CARLY GULLICKSON: Yeah, they were serving 9-7, and I think he had a second serve. And think maybe lobbed over Petrova's head. She got it back, and then Travis reflexed the ball back, I think. And it was like a 10- or 11-ball rally at the net.
TRAVIS PARROTT: Just volleys, like kind of under the net, dipping under the net.
CARLY GULLICKSON: And then I think I, like, I don't know, hit a winner or something down the line. But, umm, I think that match really helped us throughout the whole week.
To be honest, I was so nervous going out there and playing Mirnyi, because I've never played mixed -- I mean, I have, but not in a Grand Slam. Never played someone like Mirnyi who has a huge serve and is so talented at the net and everything.
But, umm, you know, we just had so much fun this week, and I think that's why we were so relaxed.

Q. There was a second match point after you saved the first match point, and then to come back...
TRAVIS PARROTT: That was on my serve, and I hit a return and Petrova missed the return. That one was kind of uneventful.

Q. But the big picture, when you are literally on death's door like that and you come through it, does it allow you to get to the next match and just be loose or confident?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Absolutely. Because, I mean, you walk into that second round, and you're just all of a sudden just happy to be in the tournament. It is a whole new mind frame. I feel like that happens a lot out there. Guys kind of struggling in those first two rounds find a way to win and survive.
Later on in the week, you know, they're so much better for it. These guys were down to match point in the first round, as well, Paes and Black.

Q. Most people don't aspire to be the mixed doubles US Open champion probably when they're growing up. How does it actually feel?
TRAVIS PARROTT: You want to take that one?
CARLY GULLICKSON: Well, for me, I mean, I think winning any Grand Slam is pretty cool. I mean, I definitely never thought I would win a mixed doubles US Open.
But, umm, just being out there on that court today and, you know, even during the trophy presentation, like, it was surreal a little bit. But, I mean, it's pretty amazing, to be honest.

Q. Do you think you'll be playing together again?
TRAVIS PARROTT: If she'll play with me.
CARLY GULLICKSON: Yeah, for sure.

Q. You only play mixed doubles at the Slams?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Yeah.

Q. Are you surprised more of the top players don't play it?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Well, all the top doubles players play it. Everyone -- the Bryans actually didn't play here. Normally they do. I would say the top 25 doubles players always play mixed. You're right, singles players don't too much because it's too much wear and tear on the body.

Q. Do you think it should be removed from the sport?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Mixed doubles?

Q. Yeah.
TRAVIS PARROTT: Do you? I mean, from my experience of this, it's -- I mean, everybody approaches singles probably the most seriously; doubles probably the next most seriously; and mixed doubles is for sure looked at as more of like a side event for fun.
But from my experience playing at like Wimbledon and here, people love coming out and watching two people enjoy themselves on the court. It's a different environment out there. So from that aspect, I think it's great for the sport.

Q. Do you let up on your serve against your opponent?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Against the girl?

Q. Yeah.
TRAVIS PARROTT: Hell, no.

Q. The two of you bounced around from the main tour to the challenger. How much does the excitement today serve as an impetus to win this thing?
CARLY GULLICKSON: Go ahead.
TRAVIS PARROTT: When you say impetus...

Q. It's like a big candy store out there?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Yeah, I mean, like we've kind of said from the beginning, like, our whole approach has just been fun. So instead of -- like, I mean, it's all about how you approach something.
Some people could walk out there and they're like, Oh, my God, like, I do not want to make a fool of myself and all these things. We kind of looked at this as, let's enjoy this. We don't know if we'll be back here. Let's have fun today. We'll smile, win or lose.
I don't know. I feel like when you're having fun and smiling out there, usually good things happen, and today it did.

Q. What is the state of your singles, and what is your singles ambition at this point?
CARLY GULLICKSON: My singles ranking now is around 115, so, you know, my goal is to be main draw for Australia. I'm going to play some in Asia after this and maybe a few challengers at the end of the year. But hopefully I'll be top 100 by Australian Open time into the main draw.

Q. Is there a doubles specialist inside you dying to get out?
CARLY GULLICKSON: Umm, you know, for the last few years I've always done better in doubles, and this past year my singles has -- you know, I've won a few tournaments and qualified for a few Grand Slams.
So I got a few more points and a lot more confidence in my singles. But, umm, I just think my game just suits doubles more, and maybe that's why I have more success in doubles. But, umm, I mean, I definitely love doubles. I probably could say I like doubles a little bit more than I do singles probably because it's less stressful.
But, umm, I mean, I don't know.

Q. It's a dilemma though, isn't it, because of scheduling conflicts and you lose early and then you can't get a...
CARLY GULLICKSON: Yeah, I mean, now it's getting a little bit easier for me because my singles ranking is starting to get higher.
But, I mean, before it was a little bit of a problem because I'd be getting into the finals of doubles and having to make qualifying of the singles of next week, and I could never do it.
But now it's getting easier, because I'm starting to get into the main draws of singles, as well.

Q. Travis, you know how crowded it is the first day or two. If someone came up to you in the players lounge and said, Hey, guy, you and Carly are going to win the mixed doubles, what would you say to the guy?
TRAVIS PARROTT: I wouldn't believe it. I wouldn't believe it. I mean, from the first round I thought we would have, you know, an incredibly tough time to get through that first round, and obviously we barely did.
I mean, I was not looking anywhere past the first round. Like I didn't even know who we were supposed to play even in the second round when we got through. I didn't know who we were going to play third round.
Literally we were taking it round by round and just enjoying it. Like my doubles match, obviously that was a priority here, we had two match points and lost. I was devastated for three days.
If we had played that, our first round of mixed the day we lost, I think it would have been a different story because my mind was somewhere else. I had like two days to kind of recover, and it just changed my mindset. I was happy to be out there and having fun.

Q. Pretty incredible to go out on Ashe Stadium, and it's also pretty incredible to play in Athens, from what I've heard.
TRAVIS PARROTT: Absolutely.

Q. Is there any way you can possibly compare those two incredible scenes in American tennis?
CARLY GULLICKSON: Yeah, playing NCAAs at Georgia in Athens, for people that haven't been there, it is a pretty amazing thing. Granted, it is college tennis and whatever, but, you know, the fans are pretty hardcore there, so there's like 5500 people.
The difference is it's more of a Davis Cup feel because they're all for Georgia. I mean, nobody is clapping for the other team.
You know, prior to this, that probably was my highlight, actually. My tennis career highlight was winning the championship in Athens.

Q. Did you guys get together and say, Let's beat up on the little girl?
CARLY GULLICKSON: No, because Cara, I played her in doubles so many times. I mean, she got some of Travis' balls back today, and at the net she has such good hands.
I mean, I -- like, Cara is obviously really good. She's No. 1 in the world. I mean, no. We didn't really have a game plan our whole week here. Like it's not like we strategized at all, but we just played really well this whole week.

Q. In other words, you're not talking about tennis when you're huddled together?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Not until really today. Today was the only time. Today we were talking about, Hey, who flew back to watch you play? My dad came.
CARLY GULLICKSON: Yeah.
TRAVIS PARROTT: Her sister is playing in Georgia.
CARLY GULLICKSON: Yeah, my sister plays in Georgia.
TRAVIS PARROTT: We talked about that. Today, like, it's all of a sudden it's like, Wow, this is a Grand Slam. We should probably take this more seriously, so we were kind of talking some strategy.

Q. Who were you talking to on the phone when you came in?
TRAVIS PARROTT: That was my wife. She's here. She flew back from Portland. That was part of the conversation we had. She flew back from Portland last night. Because she was here originally, but then she left after we won our first round of mixed.
Anyway, she always -- we were kind of kidding around, and she's like, I'll fly back if you make the finals. I was like, Okay, okay, okay. I'll see you in a couple days.

Q. What's her name?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Kristin.

Q. Carly, could you talk a little bit about yourself and your family and tennis?
CARLY GULLICKSON: Yeah, my dad used to play professional baseball for 17 years, and, you know, my mom played tennis in college at Western Kentucky.
My whole family is pretty -- there is six of us in our family, five girls and one boy. Everyone is pretty athletic into this sport. Like my younger sister, she plays tennis at Georgia. My brother plays baseball at Georgia.
It was really nice, because a few of them got to come and see the match today. It was nice.

Q. Did your dad get here today?
CARLY GULLICKSON: Yeah, my dad came when I qualified for singles. He came and stayed for like five days, and him and my two sisters just flew in last night, or this morning. This morning.

Q. Did they say the same thing, We'll come back if you make the finals?
CARLY GULLICKSON: No, they didn't say that, because I don't think they thought we were going to.

Q. When you think of tennis hot beds, Portland isn't necessarily the first city that comes to mind. What's your coaching situation there and what's made you stay after all these years?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Well, I went to the University of Portland my senior year because of the coach there, because that was my long-term coach since I was like 12 years old.

Q. What's his name?
TRAVIS PARROTT: Aaron Gross, and he's still the coach at the University of Portland. There's a couple of guys to hit with, but most of the time I'm kind of working out with him and we just kind of work on some individual stuff. And I'll work out with the team there, as well.

Q. Carly, your first coach, Bill Tym, is probably one of the most fundamentalists out there on touch, control, finesse, a lot of feel. How much impact does that have in your doubles out there today?
CARLY GULLICKSON: Yeah, Coach Tym, Bill Tym, he was my coach from when I was probably 10 to 16, and he pretty much developed my whole game. I just remember we would only work on serve/volley, dropshots, and slices.
I would honestly say he's probably one of the best coaches that I've ever had. And I mean, definitely I credit all my, like, volleys and slice and everything to him.
He also -- he was the coach. He was the Indonesian Fed Cup coach for a long time, so he's -- I think he coached Yayuk Basuki, too, when she used to play, Indonesian girl. But, umm, he's still in Nashville coaching, so...

End of FastScripts




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