00:01Sous-titrage Société Radio-Canada
00:30You know, my very best tennis yet in my career, but I feel more and more comfortable each year playing
00:35on the surface, and I think Carlos said it correct yesterday. It's all about the little details. The difference in
00:46our match in the U.S. Open was the little details, and same here. Especially on a super-fast surface
00:52like this, the margins are going to be small, but a lot of credit to him.
00:59Always a pleasure to be on court with him, and, you know, happy to be playing in the final, playing
01:05for the title here. This is the positions that I want to put myself in, and super, super hungry and
01:12excited going into Turin.
01:17Hi, Ben. You used to win lots of points behind your first serve. What makes it so difficult against him?
01:25Yeah. If I want to be, you know, picky about my game, there's a couple small areas today. I wish
01:36I would have been better. One of them was placement.
01:37My first serve, I wasn't accurate. I would have liked to be a lot more accurate. And, obviously, with Carlos'
01:46speed, you feel the pressure of losing the advantage that you have after your serve.
01:53He moves so well, gets to the open court so well, anticipates well, and has great passing shots. So, for
02:00me, I like to try to finish the point within two shots behind my first serve, or at least end
02:08up at the net.
02:09And it can be difficult with how well he was hitting passing shots today, especially on his forehand. So, there's
02:17a big combination that makes it tough against him to win at a high percentage on your first serve.
02:23And, you know, playing against a player of his caliber, I have to be a lot more precise with my
02:31first serve to be effective.
02:35Yeah, Ben, you mentioned small details. Is there any regret or frustration? Because you had him love 40 down, I
02:42think it was the fourth game, and you broke for 4-2.
02:45Yeah.
02:46Do you feel frustrated about that?
02:51Yeah, I mean, there's plenty of things to be frustrated about on the tennis court. Now, you know, kind of
02:58live with it and move on. But, yeah, you're right.
03:01I'm not sure if you're talking about the first or the second set, but I had love 40 and then
03:0615-40 in the first set. And I would have liked to convert, you know, one of those chances and
03:12give myself an opportunity to try to serve out that first set.
03:16And then, obviously, being up a break in the second set, the opportunities were there. But, you know, when you're
03:27playing against the best in the world, and I've seen it many times, the window is small.
03:32And if you miss your chance, it's likely that another isn't going to come. So, I think, obviously, it also
03:42speaks to his level, his ability to be clutch and defend his serve in difficult situations.
03:56Hello, Ben. You've been in these high-state games for the second time in a few weeks after the U
04:03.S. Open. Do you think that there are lessons to be learned from those kind of games where it's win
04:09-or-lose situation and going forward for the following years of your career?
04:15Yeah, 100%. I think there's so much to learn. And when you, you know, get to play against the best
04:23consistently in big matches, playing for finals, I think that you learn so much, or I've learned so much.
04:34And it's the position that I want to be in, you know, playing in the U.S. Open final against
04:40Zverev, playing the finals here against Carlos, now going to Turin and get to line up against the eight best
04:46players in the world.
04:48That's the positions that I want to be in. And I think that's how you continuously improve.
04:56So, I said on the court, it's tough to not get better when you're on the court with these guys
05:04who push you and make you have to play at a higher level to compete.
05:12And obviously, I'll be looking at, you know, the little details to try to do things better next time.
05:19But overall, happy with the week and the run that I had here.
05:24Last one here.
05:27Yes, Ben, huge serve, big shot. What makes it difficult for you, a bit difficult for you on fast surface,
05:34fast, fast surface with your type of play?
05:37Yeah, I mean, for me, I'm somebody who I like to make the ball jump out of the zone, kick
05:47serves, heavy forehands, changing pace.
05:51Those serves that they don't jump as high on the surface, they're not as effective, so I don't use them
05:57as much.
05:59And the same with my forehand.
06:02I think that against a lot of guys, as a lefty, you know, same as Rafa, the plan from the
06:08baseline is to hit heavy balls to the guys' back end and make them feel uncomfortable.
06:13And obviously, right-handed players try to do the same against me.
06:17But on a court that is this fast, it's really difficult to do that and make the ball jump out
06:24of the zone.
06:25So I'm playing, you know, you have to adapt, you have to play a slightly different game style.
06:31And for me, that's why I had success here.
06:34I was able to make those adjustments and play a game style that is more effective on the surface, even
06:43though I didn't perfectly execute all the time.
06:45It's more so the intention and mindset that I thought, you know, gave me success this week.
