Juan Martin Del Potro Interview
French Open, June 1
THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.
Q. What was the difference in this match?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: I don't know. It was very close, every point, everygame. In the important moments he servebad, and I take his serve twice in the first and the third set, and in thefourth I broke him 4‑All. That was thekey to win today.
Q. You played so well on the U.S. summer circuit on hardcourts,and you handled the clay. Which do youprefer?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Hardcourts.
Q. Hardcourts?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Yeah.
Q. But you have to play on clay here. With the wind blowing and the top dressing off, are they quite likehardcourts?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: These courts are so nice and arefast, so we can play a similar game than hardcourt.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish.
Q. Wereyou surprised by Tsonga and his game? Did you think he would be more aggressive or not?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, I thought he would hit theball differently and he would have more moon balls.
Against Pico other day,this is what he did. I thought he wouldplay the same type of game. Butsometimes what was difficult was a head wind. When the wind was in your back he was dictating the game. He played a good match, though. And me too.
These two 6‑1, 6‑1 sets do not mirrorreality really well.
Q. Youwere never really been supported by the crowd, and he was not supportedeither. What about this?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, both of us were verynervous, you know. We were playing onthe central court. It was quite tough,but I decided to remain calm during the match, even though I lost the secondset.
So it was one set all,and I thought he had do his best to still improve. But he couldn't control his shots. He was not really at ease. He was not dictating at that moment duringthe match. I think perhaps his knee was hurting.
However, it was a pleasant day. The crowd is familiar with tennis. They're fans.
Q. Whatabout Nadal, who's been eliminated?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, that was something we wereall taken aback by for the players, for everybody. I suppose he's sad. He's probably going through difficult momentsright now.
He's a great player,and I'm certain he's still going to win more matches.
Q. Do you think the tournament is more open today?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, yes. Of course, there's Roger, there's Murray. They're excellent players, you know. Plus Robredo, who really is a specialist onclay.
But the favorite, Ithink "the" candidate for this tournament, is now off the courts.
Q. What did you feel when you were getting on the court and then during thematch and then when the match was over? What about your feelings on the central court? Is it something good or difficult?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, I enjoyed playing on thecentral court. This match was good forme. I was dictating everything, and thatwas in my favor if I can say.
But last year when Iplayed Murrayin Flushing Meadows. It was a greatmoment, as well. Many things havehappened during the year. We usuallyplay in very big stadiums with big crowds of people, so now I know how tomanage these situations.
Q. Now, about your match against Tsonga, what about the key moments duringthe match when there was a big turnaround?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, whenever you're playingbaseline, I thought I was really relaxed. That's why I thought his tactics were a bit weird. But it was quite windy. Wind is tough on this court, so it wasdifficult to have many slices or to have dropshots.
When he could returnthe balls he didn't put enough power in his shots, and that's when I couldchange the tournament.
Q. What about Tommy Robredo? Whatwould you like to say about him?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, this player is specializedon clay, and so far his season has been excellent. He was either the finalist or semifinalisteverywhere, and in all the quarterfinals for all the Grand Slam matches.
Q. What about this match against Robredo? Is it No. 5 the who's favorite, or the specialist on clay?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: I don't think he's the favorite.
Q. Now, back to Robredo's match. What should you do so that he feelsuncomfortable? Because you say he's aspecialist on clay.
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: I should play my game. He really enjoys playing on thissurface. When he's here, he hasconfidence. He's now won a number ofmatches. I have my own weapons, and if Iuse my weapons, maybe I can win.
Q. I'd like to insist on this, if you don't mind. Those are your weapons. What about Tommy's weapons that could hurtyou? And also, I have another question. Are you not surprised to see almost like aveteran, someone who has no coach, someone who can still reach quarterfinals?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: He plays well on thissurface. He really plays well, so,no. He's reaching the quarterfinals of aGrand Slam even though for the time being he has no fixed coach. He has his physiotherapist and his father, aswell, and his fitness coach.
So with his father andall the team, he's got ‑‑ he's with a bunch of people who are familiarwith tennis. So that's not something Icould consider as an advantage for me.
Q. Back to this Nadal match, which was a big surprise to all of us. What happened? These were very short shots. Is it because Soderling played well?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Yes, Soderling played well. A high level of tennis throughout the match,which is quite surprising. But thenafterwards you see, I think, too many short balls for Rafa. During the key moments, what was quitesurprising is that he wasn't clear‑sighted enough to overcome thesedifficulties.
But, you know, that'sthe match. That's a tournament. Yet another one. And as he said, now he's going to enjoy hisswimming pool, and we will have to be careful.
Q. I have a question which is different. The other day, Nadal complained a lot about the antidoping rules, andhis uncle even said that maybe the players could boycott the Olympics. Would you agree with this? What do you think about this?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: I don't want to talk about this.
Q. Do you have the feeling that you play better and better during thistournament? It was probably your bestmatch.
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Oh, I felt really good, that'strue. My serves were really good. I was really efficient with my firstservices, which is something essential.
But there are stillmany things I can improve. Like, forinstance, during the tiebreak, I lost a tiebreak because I made manymistakes. So I could improve this.
But I'm happy, though, because today Iwon. I defeated him.
Q. Thishas nothing to do with tennis. Do youstill go out to the same restaurants, the restaurants you would go to whenNadal was the champion?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: I still go out there to theserestaurants, because it's really excellent where Franco goes, we go. (Franco).
Q. Nadal and Djokovic are now no longer in the tournament, and you haven'tgot a long experience here to win Roland Garros. What do you think about this? What about the draw? The draw is much more open. There are a few big players, and there isprobably more pressure on your shoulder now.
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, I see things the other wayaround. From my side, I can tell youthat all the players are good, even Roger, who's on the second half of thebottom of the draw. Now I have to fightagainst Robredo. That's what I wasthinking about. That's going to bereally difficult. This is it.
Q. You've managed to climb up through the tournament, and last year you wonmatches. You reached quarterfinalsduring a Grand Slam. Do you think thatnow you're more consistent than before, or you're not consistent enough?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: I'm still looking for thisconsistency. To go up in the draw I needto fight each match, and then I'll be able to climb rankings. In Australia it was against Federerand then Murray. These are verydifficult matches. That was for the USOpen, but I'm really happy so far with the tournament.
Q. Now, you're telling us that it's a difficult draw for you. On the other side of the draw, the otherLatin American is González. What abouthim?
JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: He played well. He's not yet dropped or lost any sets, andhe's still in the draw. I hope we'regoing to have a Latin American player reaching the finals.
