BNP PARIBAS OPEN

October 13, 2021

Hubert Hurkacz

Press Conference

H. HURKACZ/A. Karatsev

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Hubi is into the quarterfinals here for the second straight time. It's also his fourth overall ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.

Questions, please.

Q. A comment about the match, and I'd like to know how important today was for you, the return, because I feel that is probably the thing you improved most in the last year, and even with the rallies, much more calm with it.

HUBERT HURKACZ: I mean, today performance was good on my side. I mean, I returned well. I was making a lot of balls. You know, I was also getting some free points on the serve, so that was very important for today's game.

Q. I would like to know, you play Metz, San Diego, here, and a lot of tournaments to play to try to reach Turin. I'd like to know if the recovery through the matches you are making more focus in comparison to the past or it's just the same? And as Italian, I would like to know if you spoke with Jannik about this race that you're heading?

HUBERT HURKACZ: Yeah, I mean, like obviously with experience I know my body better, and I know what to do to recover as much as I can.

With Jannik, I mean, we are great friends with Jannik, so it would be great if both of us can make there. Of course, you want to be there. It's the last tournament of the year for the eight best players in the world, so you try to do your best. You know, just trying your best and whoever is gotten there, that meant they had a better year than you.

Q. You're having quite the year, obviously starting with Miami. A lot of the younger female players have said, kind of in hindsight, I wish I had enjoyed some of the earlier moments a bit more instead of being fiercely focused on the next thing. How is that going for you? Are you getting as much enjoyment out of these moments and these wins that you're having?

HUBERT HURKACZ: I'm trying to enjoy them for a little bit. I mean, sometimes it's tough with the schedule, because when you play the tournament next week, then it's not really that much time to enjoy the success.

But, yeah, it's important to be happy when you have a great week to enjoy it, as well, because not every week is going to go your way.

Q. You mentioned driving out to the desert from San Diego, I know you had some success in San Diego, but off-court, were you able to enjoy anything while you were there and what your impressions were of that event?

HUBERT HURKACZ: Well, I mean, San Diego is a great city. I mean, I enjoyed the ride in the McLaren from San Diego to here, so that was the thing I probably enjoyed the most from San Diego. Obviously I saw the ship there, the Navy ship. That was nice.