00:03Sashah, congratulations. Magnificent tournament.
00:07As is customary for the champion, the first question will be asked by Nico.
00:12Okay, awesome.
00:14Of the USTA Lemonade Stand.
00:17All right.
00:18Congratulations, Sashah. It's been a great year for you.
00:21How does it feel winning your first US Open?
00:25It feels amazing, especially with the heartbreak I had in 2020 here.
00:30To finally lift this trophy is an amazing feeling.
00:34Thank you.
00:35Questions in English. One question each. Let's go out in the style.
00:39Brian.
00:41Congratulations.
00:41Thank you.
00:436-2, the match is over.
00:45Yeah.
00:47What happened there? Were you just blocking out the noise so much?
00:49No, no, no. I thought it was 5-1.
00:51Actually, I knew I broke him twice, but I thought it was 5-1 instead of 6-2,
00:55which helped me in a way because I didn't really get nervous serving out the match.
01:02Yeah.
01:03I just miscounted the score, I guess.
01:15Hey, congrats on the win.
01:16You mentioned on the ESPN broadcast about not putting too much pace into Shelton's backhand.
01:21Is that just a realization that you and your team noticed recently?
01:25Is that again?
01:25You mentioned on the ESPN broadcast about not putting too much pace into Shelton's backhand.
01:29Is that just a realization you and your team noticed recently?
01:33And then I guess, how did that work out for you?
01:35No, it's just, it's not pace.
01:38It's height and depth that I focus on.
01:43I feel like when you play fast but flat, he handles his backhand a lot better than when you play
01:49high.
01:52It's just, I feel like he can generate a lot of power.
01:56He can generate a lot of power from his forehand side.
01:58When he runs around with his forehand, pace helps you out.
02:01But when you play slow to his forehand, it's really not a good idea.
02:06But I feel like when you play higher and deeper, it's just a better outcome, I feel like.
02:18Here, Shajak.
02:20Congratulations first.
02:21Going back to you thinking that it was 5-1, because that was very surprising.
02:26It's like you are so focused and you are not paying attention to the scoreboards and what's going on around
02:32you.
02:33Because, I mean, when there is a match point, the screams are all over around the stadium and around you.
02:40Can you tell us what's your focus at that time?
02:44Or is part of it?
02:45Yeah, I was, in that moment, I was in the zone a lot.
02:47I didn't hear a noise at all.
02:50I was in this kind of tunnel where I just didn't hear anything.
02:53And then also, of course, when the crowd is loud, it's impossible to hear the umpire.
02:57So I didn't hear that she said games had match.
03:01But yeah, at the end of the day, I think I just forgot the score.
03:06It's like, there's not much else to say.
03:08I just thought it was 5-1 instead of 6-2.
03:12Matt?
03:13Hi, Sasha. Well done.
03:16He said, I think, he called you the hardest worker on tour.
03:21Do you feel like you are?
03:23And do you feel like that's what's made the difference for you this year?
03:27Yeah, I think I'm up there, for sure.
03:30Because I've said it before, I don't think I'm the most talented in any way.
03:35I don't think I'm, like, God-given talent like some other guys are.
03:39I think most of my tennis is through hard work.
03:42Through a lot of hours spent on the court and through a lot of hours spent in the gym and
03:46on the track.
03:47That's how I play tennis.
03:49But I think he's very talented, but he's very close to the hard work as well.
03:55You see him and his father all the time, after matches, before matches, working on different things.
04:00And he, every single year, he keeps improving something.
04:02I mean, I just played him now, today.
04:05I think this was the best backhand he's hit ever against me.
04:08The most consistent power.
04:10There was everything there.
04:13I remember a couple of years ago, when I first played him, he was always dangerous.
04:15He always had that serve and he always had that forehand.
04:17But if you play three, four balls to his back, then there would be an error.
04:21And that was absolutely not the case today.
04:24Craig.
04:26Sascha, putting modesty to one side and the rankings to one side,
04:30do you think you're the best tennis player in the world right now?
04:43I don't know how to answer that.
04:45You have to take everything into consideration.
04:49With Yannick Sinner being injured and Carlos Alcaraz coming back from injury after four months,
04:55right now, this moment, probably yes.
04:57Both of them healthy and both of them at the top of the game, maybe not.
05:04But if we say right, right now, with Yannick being injured and Carlos coming back from injury,
05:10maybe.
05:11In, I mean, four or five months ago when both of them were healthy,
05:16I wasn't.
05:16I was losing to Yannick all the time.
05:18So, if everyone is healthy, I think Yannick is still ahead.
05:23It's as simple as that.
05:25All right, I'll take one or two more in English.
05:28Sascha, congratulations.
05:29Thank you.
05:30The first time you play for a major title is here and there's no one in the stands.
05:35Yeah.
05:37And now six years later, you have that trophy.
05:39Did you allow yourself even before the match or now after thinking about those parallels
05:45of no one here for your first major and now here?
05:48I think the scars of the 2020 final, they kind of disappeared after I won in Paris.
05:55And I said it in Wimbledon, even though I lost the final, I enjoyed the match.
05:59I enjoyed being in the Grandstand final.
06:01I enjoyed playing on center court.
06:03I enjoyed playing in front of an amazing crowd, in front of some celebrities and all that.
06:07I enjoyed doing that.
06:08Whereas before winning in Paris, I felt a lot of stress all the time because there was
06:13never, there was always a question mark.
06:15Will I ever win one?
06:16Well, I think now it's just more of a joy to play those kind of finals.
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