First-Time Winner Spotlight: Pablo Carreno Busta

How does it feel to be standing with the trophy as a first-time winner? Are you a little surprised it came on hard court?

This is amazing. This is an incredible feeling. To win my first ATP World Tour title and then playing against Bautista [Agut], a top player, is really tough. It was a really tough match. But it’s amazing. I fought all the time, all week. I think I’m very, very, very, very happy.

Was this something you dreamed about growing up and playing as a junior, to win an ATP World Tour title?

Yeah. To win my first ATP World Tour title is a dream because you can play finals and I played two this year. But when you continue working and you continue fighting all the time and finally the result arrives, for me, it’s really, really good.

What was your approach going into your third final of the season? You were in previous two finals – Sao Paulo, Estoril – both on clay. Did you have a different mindset going into today?

No. This was on hard court. Maybe it was the most difficult of the other two finals. No, you have to try to do your best and I tried. And when you are playing good, like this week, I think I was playing very good. I was serving really well. You never know when you’ll win the final.

You defeated the No. 2 seed Roberto Bautista Agut and the No. 3 seed Pablo Cuevas along the way. What did you do well this week to put all of those good results together?

I think I’m being more aggressive with my game. It’s really important to be aggressive with your serve and then with your return and when you are playing the rallies, you need to be able to be [more aggressive] because if you’re not aggressive, the opponent has the key to win the matches.

Now that you’ve won your first ATP World Tour title, what are the goals you have for the rest of the season?

This is amazing but we have to continue this way. This is a good way and I’m looking to continue like this – working hard and with confidence. I’m playing good, with confidence. And this week, in two days I will play at the US Open in New York so I have to continue focusing on trying to do my best all the time. Then we’ll have three months more of this year, we’ll try to do our best.

You’re the seventh different Spanish winner this year. The youngest of 11 Spaniards in the Top 100. How do view the state of Spanish tennis?

I think the Spanish players are making something great. It’s not easy to make a lot of champions like we are and win tournaments. Nadal, Ferrer, now Bautista [Agut] is a top player… All the Spanish players can win a tournament.

You’ve had a lot of support in your development throughout your career. Who are the people who allowed you to get to this level and you’d like to thank?

I have to say thank you to all the people who helped me to arrive here. It’s not just my team… All the people who worked with me, who supported me, all my family, of course. All the people who support me all the time, when I win, when I lose. And I think I have to say thank you to everybody because without their support, this is not easy and I think it’s impossible.

What do you consider the strength and the best part of your game?

My serve, because I’m serving really good. I’m serving better but I think it’s not enough. I can do it better. And then I have to continue being aggressive. … In this tournament I played a little bit better than the rest of the year. But the rest of the year, it was really good also. So I need to continue this way.

Is there a player you grew up admiring?

Yeah, I watched the matches of [Juan Carlos] Ferrero. Of course he was my hero, and now I practise at his academy. Imagine for me, it’s really special. This moment is really special.

What do you like to do away from tennis?

I don’t have time now, unfortunately. We go now to New York. Tomorrow I will practice again… I play on Tuesday.