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WIMBLEDONJune 27, 2013Bobby ReynoldsLONDON, ENGLAND N. DJOKOVIC/B. Reynolds THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Can you describe the match today? Pretty tough. Always going to be against Djokovic. BOBBY REYNOLDS: Yeah. He's not No.1 in the world, you know, for nothing. He's a great player. You know, I went out there and I knew obviously it was going to be tough. I played like how I usually play. I just gave it my all and leave it all out there. If it's not good enough, it's not. Q. Were you inspired by the upsets this week? BOBBY REYNOLDS: Of course. You see so many guys putting up good matches, coming through in the end, and that's why we go out there day in, day out. Because you never know. Most of the time odds aren't in your favor, but you know you always have a chance. You know, I knew that. Obviously, you know, he knew that some of the top guys are going down, so he has to be a little bit more obviously on his game. Q. You were the last American standing in the men's draw. Worst display as a country for you guys for quite some time. Can you put your finger on why that is? BOBBY REYNOLDS: No, actually I don't. You know, there's a lot of guys obviously right around 100. Obviously, not as many top guys as in years past. A lot of young guys coming up through the college ranks or that have gone pro with skipping college. You know, obviously, like I said, they're young. But I think they have a lot of potential. Maybe, you know, just a couple years hopefully a good one's coming. Q. You have a couple of young women that are very good. Do you think there are the guys there of that talent ready to come through? BOBBY REYNOLDS: Yeah. You know, you have guys like Jack Sock and obviously Steve Johnson and Kudla, guys like that, that have huge weapons. They've got huge serves, huge forehands. Obviously, it's a matter of harnessing those, cutting down on the errors, and using that. I do see those guys as, you know, having top potential just like‑‑ you know, Isner has a freak accident. He could have gone a long way. Querrey, tough trial with Tomic. But, you know, like I said, I think the USTA is doing a good job and a lot of guys are coming up. They're knocking on the doorstep of top 100. Q. Obviously Wimbledon is a biggest event for a lot of guys. I guess yours is starting in a couple weeks. You have a 32‑match streak to defend. What are you looking forward to in that? Do you feel any pressure? BOBBY REYNOLDS: No. I love playing TeamTennis. I look forward to it every year. When the season is done, I'm ready for the next year. It brings something out of me that is a little different than obviously on the tour normally. I like getting fired up. I like the crowd going crazy.  That's kind of when I play best. So, I mean, like I said, you know, we'll play and we'll leave it all out there. If we don't get the streak, we don't get the streak. We will be all prepared and see how it goes. Q. I presume that's your first time on Centre Court. BOBBY REYNOLDS: Yes. Q. You're 30 years old and have been at this a long time. Talk about the feelings of being out there on that hallowed ground. BOBBY REYNOLDS: It's amazing. You know, I've watched so many matches, you know, growing up. You don't ever really think it's possible, or I didn't at least think it's possible to make it. To keep going this long, to be able to get the chance to, you know, obviously play on there, tell my kids later on that‑‑ you know, show 'em videos. I got to play on Centre Court against the guy who is No.1 in the world, maybe the greatest of this era. You can't put a price tag on it. I'll keep so many memories from that match. I loved it. You know, once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity. Q. What's the one special quality of that tennis court? BOBBY REYNOLDS: I mean, there's so much history, you know. I mean, like I said, you watch so many matches, you know. To play on grass at Wimbledon, I mean, it's so hard for me to like grasp that I actually was able to play out there. Just you look at the back of the room and you just see so much history. That's what it's all about. Q. When you were practicing on some backcourt at your club, did you sometimes think of the big arenas, stadiums? BOBBY REYNOLDS: Yeah, you know, it's kind of like a Catch‑22 because you want to stay on that stage, but you know if you're playing on that stage you're playing one of the top guys. As much as you look at the draw and say, I would love to play on that court, you're kind of like, I wouldn't want to because you know it's going to be one of the top guys. That's what all the training and that's what all the practice is for, is just to get out there. I just give it my all no matter what court I'm on. Q. What is so great about Djokovic? BOBBY REYNOLDS: Where do I start? I mean, I have to put returns, for sure. He just puts so much pressure on you point after point after point. You don't ever get free points off your serve. Especially for me, that's one of the areas that I need, at least one free point a game serving. I wasn't able to really get that. I tried obviously to go a lot more body serves than stretching him out, because when he's out on the wings he just ‑‑ just such clean strokes, clean returns, that he puts you straight on the defensive. But, I mean, he moves unbelievably well. You know, like I said, you think you hit a good shot, but he's right there crushing it back at you. There's so many things. That's why he's obviously No.1 in the world. Q. Notwithstanding the fact there is talent in the pipeline, young players coming up, how do you think we got to the stage from the Agassi and Sampras days to a low like this? BOBBY REYNOLDS: Yeah, I mean, I think it's definitely become‑‑ I don't even know the statistics, but it's a worldwide sport now. I think most sports you look back, you know, years ago, the Americans usually were very good, whether it's basketball or, you know, baseball or tennis. Sports are becoming such a worldwide thing that, you know, everybody is so good now. I think that's what we're so used to looking back and saying, Oh, look at all the dominance. But how many were actually playing worldwide as opposed to now? Every country has top guys playing tennis. I think that's more of what it is rather than the lack of talent coming out of the States. Q. Was that in your mind at all? Were you aware of this statistic at all, of the fact that you were the last American man? BOBBY REYNOLDS: No, no. I mean, I had no idea. I mean, I knew obviously a couple Americans played today. But I'm not really thinking. I'm looking just to see if I can get to the next round. That's basically what it is. I don't feel like I'm carrying, you know, the U.S. flag, I'm the lone guy left. I just happened to play last match on today, so... I actually wasn't aware of it at all. Q. You made reference to memories you'll carry with you of being out there on that court against that guy in this tournament. Is there one or two particular either shots or points that stick out the most for you right now coming off the court? BOBBY REYNOLDS: I would have liked to take that overhead back. You know, I felt like I played a pretty good first set. Obviously had a lot of chances. I fought off a bunch of breakpoints. Didn't make too many first serves in the breaker and obviously lost that. To get up 30‑Love on his serve and then have that approach shot and then just lose it in the rafters, I don't feel like I lost momentum, but I was having a tough time obviously with his serve. He pinpointed his serve pretty well. I mean, looking back, I'd like to have that one back. And, you know, maybe a little bit different throughout the second set if I could have‑‑ I think I was already down a break‑‑ break back there and get a little momentum back on my side. Q. The roof made it hard to pick up the ball? BOBBY REYNOLDS: Yeah, it was just a little awkward. It went in between the rafters and then you see it and then it hits the piping and then it comes back out. I just miss‑timed it. I guess it's lack of being in there, the surroundings. That's how it goes. Q. How about a nicer, more pleasant memory that you'll take away? BOBBY REYNOLDS: I mean, I'd have to say some of those crazy points, dropshot, blah, blah, blah, back and forth, hit a good volley, got the crowd going. Q. Can you possibly compare TeamTennis on the one hand, which is team, co‑ed, rowdy, American, unconventional, versus Centre Court, traditional, English? Can you compare the two? BOBBY REYNOLDS: Yeah, I mean, I think going into it I thought it would have been a little bit more tamed. Maybe because the roof was closed it seemed 10 times louder. But I kind of felt kind of the same out there. After a crazy point, pumping my fist, have the crowd, you know, enjoying it, clapping, I just felt like it was kind of the same environment. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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