Juan Martin Del Potro Interview - French Open, June 3

Juan Martin Del Potro Interview
French Open, June 3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. You looked as if you were in control of the match right until the lastgame. Did you feel that way?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: No. No, no, was so close into the court. I feel the nervous every point, every time. Tommy is a fighter, you know. He fight until the last point, even if he'slosing 5‑2, 40‑Love.

So it was very toughfor me to close the match.

Q. How do you feel about getting this far in a Grand Slam?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, very happy. It's my first semifinals in Grand Slam, soI'm very happy.

Q. You're going to face Federer in the semifinal. Quite a few players and tennis fans wouldlike Roger to win this tournament because it's the only Grand Slam he hasn'twon yet. Do you also feel that way, ifyou were to face him in the next round?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: We feel the pression of the fans,everybody want Roger to win this tournament. But if I can't do ‑‑ if I can't win this tournament, I want to seenext Sunday Roger with the trophy.

Q. You seem to have improved your game on clay. Since when have you been working with FrancoDavin, and what has he changed in your game on clay?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: A lot: My movement, my forehand, my serve. Now I can play like hardcourt. You know, the courts are faster than twoyears ago, so they game is very similar. This is an advantage for me.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish, please.

Q. Tellus about your feelings. You're in thesemifinal of a Grand Slam. What goes onin your head?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, I'm really happy. I'm in a semifinal of a Grand Slam. This was a very tough match for both ofus. I mean, we knew that we hadopportunities.

The most important wasto win. The most important was to beable to make it to play Federer on Friday.

Q. You just said it was a match you didn't play at the top of yourshape. Why would you say that?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: I think I played better againstTsonga. My serve was much better. Well, today my ‑‑ no, today my serve wasmuch better. That's true.

But I was very nervousall along the match, and I never managed to really get in the match because mylegs were really tense.

Maybe you couldn't see that from theoutside, but I was pretty tense. Tommyplayed really well. You know, threesets, that is not a good indication of what the match was, because he reallyplayed well. But I played better, so Iwon.

Q. Myquestion is: When you offered this T‑shirtto Federer, the Boca T‑shirt to Federer, was it a bet?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, no, of course, we have notyet reached the quarterfinals. It wasjust like that.

Q. Yesterday like today you had difficulties ending the match. Why?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, you're right. At one stage I had difficulties with myserve. We came to 40‑All, and that wasmy fault. I was too nervous. I wanted to finish it quickly, and the more Iwanted to do that, the worst I played.

I really wanted to rushthings. This was a mistake. I suffered from it. I managed to finish it 5‑2, because otherwiseit would have been far more difficult.

Q. What do you feel about this match against Federer on Friday?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: It's going to be verydifficult. We all know how he plays, andwe all know what he wants to achieve here now that Rafa is no longer here.

I still haveexpectations. I still haveobjectives. I had some before I startedplaying in this tournament, but now we have the same opportunities. I wish I win this match.

Q. You said that you had good memories, good feelings last time you playedFederer in Madrid. Would you say that you have an opportunity towin here, or are there things that you need to modify to change to adjust inyour game?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, in fact, in Madrid I had mychances. I had opportunities that Ididn't use. We also had other matches, oneagainst the other. But I know that if Iwant to win him, I have to be at the top of my form. I have to be there 100% mentally, physically.

I hope he's going tomake some mistakes like he did against Haas at 4‑3 in the third set and he hada break point. But in all cases, youneed to be very present and you need to get your opportunities when they occur.

Q. Two questions: What's the originof your name, Del Potro? Where does itcome from?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: I don't have a clue.

Q. Where do your grandparents come from?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: From Tandil. That's the city where I come from.

Q. Second question: Your tacticsagainst Federer. Did you talk about itwith Franco?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: No, no, we just said a few wordsafter the match. We'll have plenty oftime to talk about tactics tomorrow.

Q. Reaching the semifinals today, and no disrespect with regards to youropponent, but was it the most beautiful match or victory in your career?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: No, I had others, other greatvictories. But it's true. I had never won a quarterfinals in a GrandSlam tournament, so that's true.

Now, with regards tovictories against great players, I already had other beautiful victories whichwere even more important to me.

Q. What worries you with Federer? His game or what he represents?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, a bit of everything. With his game he does everythingperfectly. His game is much of a problemto me, and this is why I never won when I played him.

We've played quite afew matches, so I know him. I think Iknow what he's going to do, and I'll do everything to return his serve. And also to make him doubt, not to give him anypoints.

Q. Apart from the difference in surface, with regards to the way youplayed, in Australia you played the first set, okay. And then in the rest of the match, whathappened? Did you feel that there werethings that you just couldn't improve and you just let go as compared totoday? What can you tell us?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, no, in Australia he played extremely well,and I couldn't do anything. Actually, atthe end of the match, he told me he played better than ‑‑ that it was hisbest match in a long time.

Now, if I can win afirst set, I can win a second set, and if I can win two sets, I can win a thirdset and win the match. So I can fight.

But then I also would like to have more fun,enjoy being there, have pleasure being in such a big court with such abeautiful crowd.

Q. Beforethe match, you talked about your consistency in the match, and you were talkingabout the fact that you had to make Tommy move around, so you have to have adifferent tactics.

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Well, when you're on the outside,you have to see things differently. Actually, today I had to run a lot. I had to move a lot, and he had a beautiful serve.

At the same time, wehad many opportunities, both of us. Ithink that had he won the break during the third set, we'd still be on thecourt right now.

Q. You're talking about being nervous, about pressure. Do you think you'll be nervous when you playFederer? Do you think that's a keyfactor, that it might impact your game?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: You know what? We're all nervous. We're all a bit afraid, you know. That's quite normal when you have such bigplayers left in the draw. You know, allplayers know this feeling. I mean thisfeeling of being nervous.

When I play Roger,well, I have no choice, so I have to play my game. Otherwise I'll never achieve anything.

Q. I'd like to know if your friends, your family are in Paris to encourage you, to support you. Yes or no? And if no, will they be here in Parison Friday?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: I came with Franco, Martiniano,yes, and other friends, but my family and my really close friends are inTandil. I think we'll wait for a anothercouple of days before they come.

Q. I saw you having this gesture, emotional gesture at the end of thematch. Is it because of what youachieved? I don't know, but each timeyou win, you do the same thing. You havethis finger raised to the skies. Is it amessage to someone?

JUAN MARTIN DELPOTRO: Yes. It has to do with my family. It's for my family. Yes, I was very emotional. It's my first semifinal, and I was verynervous all along the match, at least more than usually, and this is why Ipointed my finger to the heavens.