TENNIS US OPEN 2014 – 25th of August 2014. N. Kyrgios d. M. Youzhny 7-5, 7-6, 2-6, 7-6. An interview with Nick Kyrgios
Q. Is it a way better to get off on a start where you’re deeply challenged on the first round and able to fight through it? Is that a good building block for the fortnight, hopefully fortnight ahead?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I think it’s really good, especially from a confidence standpoint. I had to pull out of Cincinnati. You know, first match back and getting the win in four sets over a quality player like that, it’s a good confidence boost.
Q. The third set, was that just a matter of hitting a physical wall? Can you explain a bit of a dip there?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, he started playing really well, as well. You’re going to go through patches in a five set match in that heat where you’re going to be feeling a little flat. I bounced back in the fourth set. Yeah.
Q. How was the arm?
NICK KYRGIOS: The arm was a little sore, but I’ve just gotta accept it’s not going to change any time soon. Just got to keep pushing through. I started doing that towards the end of the fourth set.
Q. Were you aware at all that you were one code violation away from getting defaulted?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah.
Q. Was that the last one in the start of the fourth set? The last code violation, the third one that you got, was that early in the fourth set?
NICK KYRGIOS: I can’t even remember.
Q. Was that just a sign of frustration? You were saying the other day you were feeling the weight of expectations.
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I guess just heat of the moment. I was frustrated the way I was playing, and, yeah, it was just all that sort of stuff. It was just an outburst, and hopefully I will be able to control that the next time I play.
Q. How have things sort of changed for you after Wimbledon, just your own expectations and maybe the pressure you feel in these tournaments?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, it’s gone up a bit. I’m probably expecting a lot out of myself at these sort of tournaments. I have to know I’m still young and it’s a long journey. I have to just be patient. I think it’s good to have high expectations, as well.
Q. How do you think your game will match up against Seppi?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, it will be an interesting match. He’s solid on both wings. He has a good serve, as well. I think I’m going to have to play aggressive and keep the match on my racquet. It’s going to be exciting.
Q. You’re ranked 60th in the world; Seppi probably bit lower than that. Do you feel as though you belong in that sort of echelon?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah.
Q. What do you think about having a crowd so behind you for a lot of the match?
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I was really, really happy with that. They were chanting, you know, all sorts of things. It was really good. It gave me the spark in the fourth set. I sort of fed off that a bit and it gave me extra energy. I was expecting to throw a couple of come ons. I think that helps my game.
Q. Taking out a seed today add to the excitement? Hopefully going deep in the draw?
NICK KYRGIOS: I’m not going to look past Seppi at all. He’s a quality player. It’s going to be a tough match. It’s good to get a win over a seed, but I have to just focus on my next match.
Q. Do you ever think those outbursts of emotion help you in any way?
NICK KYRGIOS: Sometimes, but most of the time probably not. Yeah.
Q. When you consider in a year’s time – I mean, you came here as a qualifier year; first US Open – now a year later you come in as a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon. You talk about the expectations because of that, but it’s certainly been a long journey, and roughly 365 days, if you will. If you could just talk about how far you have come in a year.
NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, it’s all happened so fast. It sort of hasn’t sunk in. It sunk in a little bit, but I’m still pretty amazed how fast it all happened. Last year I was qualifying, as you said. I didn’t really think — I knew I had a chance to qualify, but I wasn’t really expected to. Qualified there, and now, you know, I’m winning matches in main draw Grand Slams. It’s pretty amazing for me even still. Yeah.
