US OPEN

September 9, 2020

Denis Shapovalov

Press Conference

P. CARRENO BUSTA/D. Shapovalov

3-6, 7-6, 7-6, 0-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you feel after the dominant fourth set going to set five?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: It was tough. You know going into the fifth set, it's the final one. You try to push. But I was pretty tired. He moved much better in the fifth set.

Q. What is your take on your overall run through the last week and a half, what you learned about yourself and your game? What positives can you take from the time at the Open?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, there's definitely a lot of positives that I don't see right now (smiling).

It's a tough moment. I was in that match, I had a good chance to win it. I was almost in every set. Very frustrating right now. Tough to look at positives.

But for sure, a hell of a run for me. I'm lucky to be in this position. Taylor Fritz was serving for the match against me. Could have been out by the third round. It's definitely a great week and a half for me.

Q. Take me through a couple specific moments, including the two tiebreaks. Did you expect him to come back in the fifth like that?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: No, of course I didn't expect him to come to life like that, especially after the medical. I mean, he looked dead in the fourth. It's a little bit shocking.

But, I mean, yeah, just unlucky in the tiebreakers. He played really solid. He went for it. I got a little bit tight. I had a little bit of a lead in the third set tiebreak, I blew that. When he had a lead, he took it. Credits to him. He played a great match today.

Q. All of the work that you've done physically and mentally during the stoppage, when you look at the amount of tennis that you played this week, including the doubles, do you feel now you have what it takes for both of those to go all the way in a slam, win seven, get there?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Yeah, for sure. I think physically speaking I have what it takes. I need to mature a little bit more, be in these situations more often. It's my first quarterfinals.

I played tight, I did. There's nothing to not say. I had a lot of opportunities a lot of chances. I came out tight. Played tight in the tiebreaks. I'm sure the next time I'll be in this situation I'll be more comfortable with it.

But, yeah, it's just growing from here. Definitely physically speaking I feel good. I feel like I could go all the way. That's a positive. I found a positive (smiling).

Q. The closer you get to the ending point of these tournaments, it gets more nerve-wracking, doesn't it?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: The closer I get to what?

Q. The closer you get to the fifth, sixth, seventh matches of a Grand Slam, it's more nerve-wracking, isn't it?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: Of course. I don't think any of the players have been in this situation often. Maybe Dominic and Daniil more often. There's a lot of dark horses out there. It's anybody's slam. It's very exciting for tennis.

It's definitely causing a lot of nervous matches. I think I saw Borna playing against Sascha today. There was a lot of nervousness, as well. It's going to be a lot like that, I think.

Q. What is the first thing you're going to think when you wake up tomorrow morning?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: I have no idea. Let's get through today. I still got to do doping, treatment. It's going to be a long night.

Q. What makes someone like that such a tough opponent over the course of a long match?

DENIS SHAPOVALOV: I don't get the question. What makes someone like that such a tough opponent?

Yeah, he's just solid. He didn't have really dips except for the fourth set. He came out strong, stronger than I thought, in the fifth. Tough to play a guy like that.

I felt he got better as the match went on actually. He was a little bit rusty, not moving so well in the first set, early in the second. As the match went on, he just improved and became more solid. Definitely credits to him.