US OPEN

September 10, 2022

Martin Landaluce

Press Conference

M. LANDALUCE/G. Arnaud Bailly

7-6, 5-7, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Three sets, two hours and 14 minutes. Assess your performance this afternoon that led to your victory.

MARTIN LANDALUCE: Sorry, can you repeat?

THE MODERATOR: Can you assess your performance this afternoon that led to the victory.

MARTIN LANDALUCE: It was a great match. I've enjoyed it a lot. Yeah, I tried to enjoy the final. It's a special moment, special tournament.

Yeah, I tried one game plan at the beginning that went more or less good. But then in the third set I tried to change it, to be more solid, more consistent. I think that's what it gave me the match, the win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. He comes back and wins the second set, very tight just like the first set. You must have given yourself a good pep talk because you came out and broke right away. What was going through your mind in between the second and third sets?

MARTIN LANDALUCE: It was the final of the US Open. How could I be, like, down or something? I was just trying to enjoy the moment, try to understand the situation, to change some little things to win the match.

Yeah, I sit down there and think about what should I do in that moment. Then, yeah, try to be more solid. That's what it give me the win.

The only thing I could do is try to enjoy the moment.

Q. The break was huge confidence-wise to get you going?

MARTIN LANDALUCE: It gave me a lot of confidence, that break. Then started playing much better.

Q. I asked him what makes you such a good player. He mentioned your ability to win the important points, to play your best on important points. Do you feel that about yourself? Do you recognize that?

MARTIN LANDALUCE: More or less. More or less, yeah. I think even though I can be in a situation where I'm not playing good, even more in this tournament I didn't play my best, but in the important moments, in the special ones, I'm more concentrate. I try to be the best player I can be.

Yeah, I play better in that moment. I'm more focused, more aggressive. I try to win the match, not to not lose it. I think that's so important.

Q. You're the second straight boys champion from Spain. Obviously that Alcaraz guy is going for a championship tomorrow. Every country tries to produce slam champions. From your point of view, why do you think Spain is having this amazing success in the boys and men's championships?

MARTIN LANDALUCE: I think in part is the mentality we have like a country. We are fighters. Especially I think we have had Rafa Nadal, one of the best persons, best examples of sport management. Yeah, like a person he's great. He's my idol since I've been playing. I think for many people he's such an inspiration.

Having him, and now Carlos, one of the things that Spain has in, like, difference with other countries, because we're so fighters. We try to win in every match, in every moment. Also we have Nadal that is the best example for that.

Q. Did you stay up last night to watch Carlos?

MARTIN LANDALUCE: I did. I did (smiling).

Q. How motivating was that?

MARTIN LANDALUCE: I tried to sleep, but he was in the TV so I couldn't sleep in that moment. I just slept in the fifth.

But I was watching it. It was a great match. Yeah, both were playing good. I took some things from Alcaraz and from Tiafoe also.

Q. You didn't stay up to watch the match before against Sinner, right?

MARTIN LANDALUCE: No, no, no, I didn't (smiling). Wish I could, but I didn't.

Q. What's next for you? Will you continue to play juniors?

MARTIN LANDALUCE: I think I'm leaving the juniors. I'm turning to the pro tournaments, playing futures after this. Well, when I'm going to Madrid, I'll rest a bit then, yeah, try to play that tournaments and focus on the present, playing that type of tournaments, see how it goes, and then what to do in the future.