00:00Well, yeah, it was a very, very difficult match. She played really incredible tennis
00:09and honestly, after me leading 3-0, I didn't really expect her to come back with such a
00:15high level and I'm really glad that I was able to hold my serve on that 5-3 down and
00:23then to bring her back, it gave me so much belief that I can close this match in two
00:28sets, so very difficult, very difficult match and super happy with the win.
00:33Thank you. Name and affiliation, one question each. Barbara?
00:37Congratulations, Irina. In the second set, can you talk a little bit more? She wins five
00:42straight games. I mean, how do you stay mentally strong and what were you thinking at that
00:47time?
00:48Yeah, I mean, that was really incredible tennis from her and I mean, I had my opportunities
00:54in 3-1, I was serving and then I had a break point in 3-0 but she come up with winners
01:01with really aggressive tennis and it felt like one second and it's 3-5 and I'm serving
01:08and I was like, oh, wow, that's crazy level from her and in that moment, I just told myself,
01:14okay, just try to hold yourself, serve. I was getting ready for the third set, you know,
01:21at least you'll be confident on your serve in the third set and then I hold myself and
01:30I put so much pressure on her on that serving game at 5-4 and I'm really glad I was able
01:38to bring her back.
01:39Charlie?
01:40Congratulations, Irina. Charlie Eccles, Sheffield Athletic. You're still going to be the world
01:46number two but you're the holder of two Grand Slam titles. How much does it bother you not
01:51being world number one and how much is it just about winning these biggest titles?
01:55I mean, I'm not trying to focus on ranking, to be honest. It's not like I'm, you know,
01:59checking where I'm going to be after the tournament and I'm just trying to focus on myself and
02:06I know that if on each tournament, I'll be able to play my best tennis and I'll be able
02:11to bring this fight spirit and on each game, I'll be able to become world number one again.
02:18So my focus is on myself, on improving myself as a player and as a person and yeah, hopefully
02:25one day I'll see myself on the top of the ranking.
02:28Richard?
02:29Congrats on the title. It's your third now and I just wondered how much you think about
02:34your place in the history of this sport.
02:38Well, you know, after I lost my father, it's always been my goal to put our family name
02:43in the history of tennis and every time I see my name on that trophy, I'm so proud of
02:53myself and proud of my family that they never gave up on my dream and that they were doing
02:59everything they could to keep me going and so I had this opportunity in life. So it really
03:09means a lot and yeah, it's just, it's been always my dream and I still kind of like cannot
03:15believe that I was able to achieve. Like me with my team, we were able to achieve so much
03:20already.
03:21Irina, from the outside, it looks like you're taking big risks on the biggest points just
03:27from the public perspective. Is that the way you see it and how do you describe your mentality
03:32on those big points?
03:33I mean, I know that I have to go for it. That's the only way it works for me because every
03:40time I'm trying to play safer and play, you know, like be aware of these key moments and
03:46every time I stop my arms and the ball flies like in the stand. So I just a long time ago
03:51I decided for myself that on those important moments, I just have to go for it. I have
03:54to swing and if I'm going to like swing till the end without stopping my arms, I know that
04:02the ball going to go in. So that's, you know, like that's the only option for me.
04:08Howard.
04:09Hi Irina. There were tense moments there at the end of each set. I'm wondering how much
04:19if at all did your mind go back to last year's final here or the semifinal the year before?
04:30And if you were at all thinking about that, what was it that you were telling yourself?
04:36Honestly, I thought that I will be thinking a lot about previous years here because I
04:42had a lot of tough lessons here at the US Open. Very difficult one, I would say, especially
04:48the last year. But honestly, today I was just keep reminding myself that this is the US
04:52Open final, of course, is going to fight really hard for it and it's not going to be easy
04:57and I have to work really hard to get it. And in those tough moments, I was just, you
05:03know, like trying to stay strong and trying to remind myself that I've been through a
05:06lot and I'm strong enough to hold under this pressure. So I'm actually really glad that
05:16I didn't have any feedbacks in the last year.
05:19Irina, congratulations. You've talked, you've been open about how this year there's been
05:26a difficult stretch with injury and heartbreaking personal loss. Can you discuss why winning
05:31this title this year is particularly sweet and important to you?
05:36Well, yeah, I faced a lot of challenges on and off the court and the difficult one was
05:43also like being injured and not able to play Wimbledon. And it was a new experience for
05:48me and it's also a very special place here, the US Open. And I also had a lot of tough
05:56losses in the past and I was always hoping that one day I'll be able to hold this beautiful
06:02trophy. It's been always my dream and that's why it's very special because no matter what,
06:08every time I was coming back stronger and I was learning, I never gave up on this dream.
06:15And yeah, that's, you know, it means a lot.
06:19Irina, David King from tennis.com. Congratulations and happy Bratz summer to you. I was just
06:24curious what your reaction was to seeing Jason's tiger tattoo on his head. I'm hoping it's
06:28temporary, but maybe you can get it.
06:32No, it's permanent. No, but honestly, I forgot about that. But I think in Washington, there
06:39is one girl, she's my fan. She's supporting me and she always comes up with some cool
06:46stuff related to my name. And she brought this temporary tattoos. And Jason promised
06:56me that if I make it to the finals, he's going to make it. He's going to put it on his forehead.
07:04I wish it would be a little bit lower, like right here. It would be cooler, right? And
07:10I forgot about that. And today we had lunch, dinner before the match and he was like, hey.
07:17And he showed me that. I was like, OK, come on, we're going to make it. And then not the
07:21whole team, but half of the team, they also had like a little tiger here on the arm. And
07:27yeah, my friends had like also kind of like the same spot. So that was cool. Right. We
07:33just we always come up with something new. It was signature. Now it's like a tiger tattoo.
07:40I'm really curious what's going to be next, Jason. Maybe like you're going to. I was about
07:45to say color his hair. Maybe I'm going to come up with some fun stuff, right?
07:55Like pink or or purple hair. Why not?
08:03Victoria Kiesa, USOpen.org. You talked a little bit about how you've sort of improved yourself
08:07with slices, drop shots, variety. You executed some of those kind of shots today at key moments.
08:14Do you feel now that you're sort of confident in that plan B or things that are not always,
08:20you know, when you hit the ball hard and hit winners from everywhere?
08:25Well, it's really it's really good to have these options in your in your in your pocket,
08:31you know, like when you feel like, OK, sometimes you don't feel your best on the baseline and you
08:37can just go for a slice or a drop shot or like come to the net. I mean, I've been always working
08:42on this variation on the court and I'm really glad that I'm brave enough to use these tools
08:48in those key moments. So I think that's really important to always improving yourself. And
08:55like I felt I put even more pressure on the opponents when they when they see that I'm not
09:00only like a hard hitter, I can also play with some touch. So I will always work on that on
09:09that assets of my game and we will continue. And hopefully one day we're going to see me
09:14serve in Wally. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to do that, but
09:19but maybe once once I will I will come up with this with this plan C.
09:26Hopefully I will never need it, but whatever, whatever it takes, you know.
09:30Bill, last question.
09:32Congrats. In sports, elite athletes have the joy, the privilege to just sort of
09:40experience that that moment of victory. And it was extraordinary when you fell on your back and
09:47you finally had it. What flashed through your mind? What was that experience like?
09:53Yeah, I would definitely say that this is kind of like the best moments.
09:58One second. Hello. Yeah, I would definitely say that this is, you know, like it was the best
10:04moment, one of the best moments. And like so many things was going through my mind. The first one
10:10was that all those tough losses in the past. And and I was just like so proud of myself and proud
10:17of my team that no matter what, we were able to come back stronger and come back with the better
10:22tennis. And and now finally, we're having this beautiful trophy. And yeah, I mean, I don't know.
10:29I don't know how to describe that feeling. It's like you're crying, you're laughing. You're just
10:33you're just you know, you feel all these emotions at the same time. And that's the best feeling.
10:43And I really wish everyone could or can experience that.
10:49Thank you. Thank you, everyone. If you could just hold your seats for one second.
10:54I believe we have a second presentation.
10:57Marina, you go down here with me. Yeah. Yes. Special moment. Special moment for a special
11:02person. Yes. So for those that have been with us before, you know, we have a tradition
11:08where the champion awards the U.S. Open champions to their coach.
11:12So my friend, this is for you. Come here, don't be shy.
11:29All right, so let's have your trophy. But you know, mine is cooler.
11:43It's actually a little sad, you know, guys.
11:48It's like a team work, but this one's cool. It's a beautiful travel.
11:55Thank you for that. Very practical.
12:00Both, actually. No, I cannot. Actually, you're going to get you're going to get your keeper
12:06trophy. That is next, I think. Tiffany is waiting. It's already ingrained.
12:11So you won't be able to drink on your own.
12:17And then we're going to mow it and shut down.
12:26But, yeah, thank you, everyone. Thank you. Thank you, everyone.
