|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
BNP PARIBAS OPENMarch 10, 2013Bobby ReynoldsINDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA M. FISH/B. Reynolds THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Knowing Mardy's struggles the last several months, were you emotional for him? He seemed kind of emotional at the end. BOBBY REYNOLDS: Yeah, it's tough. You know, you've got a lot of thoughts going in your head obviously before you play, during the match. You know, obviously after‑‑ you know, first of all, it's great to see him back. I don't know the full extent of what he's been going through the last six, seven months, but, you know, I guess whenever you're dealing with heart stuff it's definitely‑‑ it's a scary time. It's great to see him back. He's great for the game, and definitely for American tennis. But, you know, knowing that when I was on the court, you know, that wasn't really entering my mind. Like, Hey, I'm going to let him win because he's had a tough struggle. But, you know, I felt like I played okay and had chances. Obviously right there at 4‑3. But, you know, that's what kind of separates us from where I'm at and what he's done with his career. Q. What is it that keeps you going at this age when most of the time you don't get to play at this level of tournament or on this kind of Stadium Court? BOBBY REYNOLDS: You know, for me, I have just as much as fun if you put me on Court 7 or put me on Stadium Court. To be able to do what I love for the past 10 years and traveling around the world and meet people I never would have had the chance to meet, that's what kind of keeps me going, and, you know, gives me ‑‑not satisfaction but, you know, to be able to come here and qually and win a round and obviously have chances to get to the next round, that's what kind of keeps me going. That's what, you know, feeds me when I go back home and go back and condition, and kind of that's what it is. You never know when that breakthrough is going to be. If it never comes, I can look in the mirror and know I gave it my all and do whatever is next for me in my life. Q. The last two service games obviously you double‑faulted, 4‑3 and some errors in the other one. Was that a case of nerves? Getting close to the finish line? What was happening? BOBBY REYNOLDS: No, you know, the whole week I have struggled with my serve, a lot of double faults. But I know, you know, playing Mardy or playing any great returner, to just kick in the second serve in to his backhand I'm in the defense right away. I knew going in that I needed to go after more second serves. I mean, I can't imagine that I was over 40% or 35% in my second serve points won. You know, that's kind of been my game plan at least the last four days, is to go after a couple more second serves and trying to get a couple more free points rather than just kicking in and grinding around. So you hope it doesn't come when you're serving at 4‑3, but if it does, that's kind of how it is. Q. You're closer for the Washington Kastles, aren't you? You played the last match. There is a lot of pressure on that. You're on a 32‑match winning streak, which is incredible. So what's the difference? Is there a difference? BOBBY REYNOLDS: You know, yes and no. Once you get going in the TeamTennis, you know, you're playing to five. You know, it's short and sweet. You know, you've got to come and you've got to be ready to go. You know, you don't really have the highs and lows that you do throughout the whole match. You know, didn't play that well the first set and then obviously couple things go my way second set. Now we're in the third set and then I'm up. So, you know, it helps, you know, right after you come off TeamTennis, you know, you have got to be quick and to be able to close. That's why usually I feel like I'm playing pretty good tennis after the World TeamTennis kind of season and, you know, that's a couple months away. Hopefully that's something to look forward to. We'll see. Q. What's the general take in the locker room about Mardy and his situation? BOBBY REYNOLDS: I mean, I think everybody you talk to, they're just happy to see him back. You know, like I said earlier, scary situation. Any time to see somebody back that's gone through that much struggle mentally, physically, emotionally, you know, it takes a toll. So, you know, I only hope for good things from him here on out, and that he's able to play for as long as his career will go, you know, let him. Q. Obviously World TeamTennis is only one month a year, but at this point in your career, how much of a big part of your profession does it feel like having all the success you've had there? BOBBY REYNOLDS: I mean, I love it. You ask ‑‑anybody you ask‑‑ I would play World TeamTennis all year round if I could. I feel like for me being on a team brings out the best in me. To play in that organization with Mark Ein and everything that he gives us and the whole city, you know, just kind of embraces us. I look forward to it every year, and I tell him, Hey, I'll come back as long as you want me. You know, it does take a little bit of a give and take, you know. I lose three weeks out of the year, maybe four weeks. My ranking is probably going to suffer a little bit from that, but at this point in my career I want to have fun and love what I'm doing. That's part of it. Q. How did you get into it? Who got you in? BOBBY REYNOLDS: That's a good question. When I came off injury they approached me, and I thought it was a good way to get a lot of matches in a short period of time. I ended up with Mark in Washington, and then ever since then. I don't want to go back, because I don't want to not not play. Because if I'm out of the draft then I've got to start all over again. Q. Are you kind of a star there in the league? BOBBY REYNOLDS: Oh, I wouldn't say so. (Smiling.) There is obviously a lot of good players, you know. A lot of the top people play that. It's just fun. Like I said, a fun atmosphere and I love playing it. Q. I'd like to ask a question about the length of sets. In regulation tennis, six‑game set, it's not like it's a marathon exactly, but there are certain lulls, especially after the first set. Do you like the five‑game format? Do you think that has a greater intensity? Do you think it should be considered? BOBBY REYNOLDS: That's tough. I mean, yes and no. I mean, it's really ‑‑ I would say whatever the fans ‑‑if they want shorter tennis, you know‑‑ I obviously think, you know, you play three out of five sets, you can have guys like Djokovic and Nadal playing six‑hour long matches in Australia. From me as a fan, I don't know if I would want to sit through six hours. That's a long time. But the five or six games, I think it's basically a tossup either way. I mean, you could have a 5‑0 quick and you can‑‑ I don't know. I don't think it's that big of a difference. Q. What's your take on the new time violation rules and enforcement? BOBBY REYNOLDS: I think it's good for the game. I think it's good to speed it up. A lot of players ‑ and I'm one of them ‑ you kind of ‑‑ 40 seconds, 42 seconds, you know, you can get away with. I would say the only thing that's a little bit hairy or a little bit vague or is when does that clock start? Is it when the ball bounces twice? If somebody hits a drop shot and you're rung and you're off the court, boom. I know I was in Delray and that happened to me. Somebody hit a drop shot I ran up, and I was basically off the court past the net. By the time I walked from there straight back to the baseline, got the balls, and they already said, Time violation. I'm not going to sprint from all of the way there back to the baseline in order to get there in 25 seconds. Now, I think it should be still a little up to the umpire. You know, if I walk straight back to the line, I'm not messing around getting my towel or this or that. So like I said, when does the 25 seconds officially start? Q. A shot clock, is that something you would be in favor of? BOBBY REYNOLDS: I mean, yes, then would you know. Then you would know, 25 seconds, if it comes up, boom, then you've got to be back. Like I said, you know, if they do go to a shot clock and you're bouncing the ball and you're at the line, does that count? There are so many variables that I think have yet to be addressed. But like I said, if it's a conscious effort by the players to play faster, I think in the end that's a good thing. You know, I don't think we should be nitpicking 26 seconds, okay, violation. Q. Rafa pointed out players like he and Novak did at the Australia played some really long, intense points. It's hard to expect you to be right back ready to play in 25 seconds, and you'll see more ugly points if it's enforced because guys just don't have time to catch their breath after... BOBBY REYNOLDS: No, no, it is, and that's true. I mean, you kind of mentally know 25 seconds, but, you know, I end up playing a lot faster. So, you know, you kind of get out of a little bit of rhythm. You don't want to get a warning in the first set, because I will start losing first serves or on the return side I will lose points. So a shot clock is good in essence because you can see where you're at. At that point I still have 14 seconds to get back to the line, regroup, okay. You know, like I said, I think it's good, you know, speeding up the game. And if that's ‑‑ in the end that's what it was there for. I think it's a good thing. Q. You also played a couple of challengers I think with the let rule. BOBBY REYNOLDS: Uh‑huh. Q. You have done that World TeamTennis a lot. What do you think about that? Do you think there's any chance ‑‑what do the guys think about it? BOBBY REYNOLDS: You know, for me they have done a good job going around asking for players for feedback. In college tennis we did it, and you don't really think anything of it. I think there it was a little more because we're each calling our lets and you can call a let basically if you need a thing. But on the tour, I mean, they say that sometimes the net machine goes off, sometimes it doesn't. You know, I think I can go either way. I'm not in favor of it. I'm not against it. I think it helps out the server with the let, because there are so many times, even if it hits the net and you're ready, just that kind of split second of throwing the ball off, it's an advantage to the server. Do we want more advantage to the server or more to the receiver? I mean, so I think the net machine is fine. I have never really had a problem. I have never really thought there was, you know, ghost calls, how they say, where it's this high over the net and it goes off. I mean, if it's not really speeding up the game or slowing it down if you have six lets in a set, or in a match, you know... Q. Has there been any talk of going the other way, that if it nicks the net it's a fault no matter where it lands? BOBBY REYNOLDS: I have not heard that one, no. Kind of like ‑‑in volleyball they do that, right? If it hits the net... Q. You're supposed to clear the net. BOBBY REYNOLDS: Right. I mean, they said during the point if it hits the net you keep playing, so so why not on the serve. If it hits the net, you keep playing, which is obviously in favor of it. Like I said, for me it doesn't matter either way. It's tough obviously going from challengers. You got to get ready and I play it, and you go to the tour level and then you don't play it; then if I'm going back to challengers I got to play it. I don't know. That's a little tough. But obviously the top guys don't have to worry about that. Q. So what was the energy like as the Kastles were winning and winning and winning? Was there a certain energy or sense of inevitability? BOBBY REYNOLDS: Yeah, I think obviously in Washington there is a buzz about, you know, the Kastles, and, you know, the winning streak. You know, it's just fun playing. It's just ‑‑ you know, I have a blast playing. It doesn't matter who's playing on the court. You know, basically the stands are 2500, 2700 people. Full every night that we're home. I think it's great for the city, and what Mark has done in obviously giving back to kids throughout the city and just getting them excited about tennis. Q. Did you meet like Michelle Obama? BOBBY REYNOLDS: Yes, yes. She's come out I think every year, at least one match every year. I know they're pushing for the president to maybe come out one night, but that's obviously, you know, a tall task for that. Q. And your take on Michelle? Pretty athletic family. BOBBY REYNOLDS: She brought the girls both times, and they seemed to enjoy it, clapping and going crazy for us. It's neat for her to obviously come out and the kids to come out. I think they have been trying to work on doing something actually at the White House for us going there and working with kids and obesity thing. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|