Robin Soderling Interview
French Open, June 5
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. In the last point, you fell down on the ground. What's your first feeling?
ROBIN SODERLING: Of course, my first feeling was actuallyrelief that the match was over, because it was a really long match, and I wastired at the end.
And then after a fewseconds, I got really, really happy.
Q. After a great first set, in the second set, even although you won thesecond set, you started doing more unforced errors and he started servingbetter as the match went on. This kepttill 4‑1 in the fifth. What happenedthere? It was like a champion's instinctthat was born in you?
ROBIN SODERLING: I don't know. But as you said, you know, he served ‑‑ I haven't seen thestatistics, but, you know, he must have had maybe 80% first serve. He barely even missed the first serve. It was really tough for me.
I felt like I playedwell, but I couldn't even put any returns back because he made ‑‑ I don't know how many aces he made. It was tough, you know. It was tough to get a rhythm.
Then, you know, I held serve pretty easy,and then all of a sudden, you know, I made not a good game and he broke me twotimes when ‑‑ in the last game in the third and fourth sets.
Q. Duringeach changeover you put a towel over your head. Can we know why? Is it for yourconcentration?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yes, I'm trying to concentrate.
Q. At 4‑1 in the fifth, double fault, 15‑30. Didn't look good.
ROBIN SODERLING: No, it didn't look good, you know. I felt ‑‑ I was tired. I have to admit I was tired. But, you know, I felt like, okay, this is nothow it's going to end. You know, I haveto try everything I can.
You know, I felt like Ican only do my best, but I don't want to go off this court and feel like Ididn't do my best in the fifth set. So,you know, I just tried harder, and all of a sudden it all worked again.
Q. Did you believe you were fading at that point? At that point did you believe you werefading, and then suddenly your strokes returned?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, you know, as I said, I was a bit tired,and he had been serving so well. Hedidn't give me any rhythm at all.
But, you know, I triedto take his ‑‑ take the returns a little bit early. In the first couple of sets I moved back alittle bit, but he had so good angles on his first serves. So I tried to take it a little bit early, andall of a sudden I was there.
I put the returns back and I got the ball inplay. I'll actually started to move alittle bit better I think from 4‑1 again.
Q. Soyou're in the final. Can you describewhat it's like? You've had threetremendous victories in a row.
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, it's a great feeling, you know, finalsof a Grand Slam. The biggest tournamentin the world, and on clay, you know. Ifyou'd ask me a couple years ago which Grand Slam I'd play final in 2009, Iwouldn't have said Roland Garros.
I started to playbetter and better on clay last couple of years, I think. Last year was a really good year, even thoughI didn't win that many matches. I thinkI played a lot of good matches on clay.
Q. Since you beat Nadal, how hard has it been for you to stay in yourbubble and stay concentrated? How haveyou managed to do that, because it's always a hard thing?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, it's been hard, but not as hard as Ithought it would be. You know, I felt Iwon a great match against Nadal. I toldyou guys before, this is ‑‑ I had maybe the biggest challenge in tennisright now to beat Nadal here on clay in Paris.
I felt like I wasn'tfinished with the tournament. I wasstill in the tournament, so even though I played a great match, I wantedmore. I still feel that way.
Q. When González was discussing about some points, it was a problem foryou? And also, I'd like to know aboutthe crowd. Seems the crowd is moresupporting him than you.
ROBIN SODERLING: I didn't even notice the crowd. I was concentrated today.
No, it wasn't really aproblem for me. You know, in this matchthere was a lot of close calls, I think. The wind took the clay away a little bit, so it was difficult to really seeany marks.
So, I mean, I agree with him, you know. I would have complained, as well. Because it was a lot of close calls from bothsides, I think.
Q. Whatdo you feel is the biggest difference in you that has made this possible? And secondly, how important has Magnus beento getting you there?
ROBIN SODERLING: My consistency, I think. I always knew before that when I play well,when I play my best tennis, I can beat anybody.
Now I feel like I'veplayed very, very good tennis for many, many matches in a row, which is great.
He meant a lot to me, you know. It's great to have a coach that used toplay. He's been in the position I'm inright now. It's always good for me toask when I feel something, when I feel nervous. When I feel in one way, it's always good for me to ask him, Did you feelthe same when you played? He can thinkwhat he felt and give me some advice.
Q. Yousurprised a lot of people here these past two weeks, but you've done this allyour life. This is what you've built upfor. How much did you surprise yourself?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, I surprised myself a little bit, I haveto say. You know, I've been beatingthose players a lot of times before, but not in a Grand Slam.
They're all goodplayers. But as I said, I beat thembefore. I felt like, you know, I did itin different tournaments. Why can't I doit in a Grand Slam? Finally I did.
Q. Tomorrow is Swedish National Day. The Swedish legend, Bjørn Borgwas watching you. What does this meanfor this point of view to have won this match today?
ROBIN SODERLING: It's just nice that he even comes downhere. I don't know if he comes down justfor me, but still, you know, it's a nice feeling. He's a legend, for sure. He's one of the best tennis players of alltime, so it's really been nice.
Q. And for Sweden?
ROBIN SODERLING: And for Sweden? Yeah, I hope this means a lot for the tennisin Sweden. I mean, we really need some upside in thetennis in Sweden,and hopefully this will make a lot of young kids start playing tennis.
Hopefully in, I don'tknow, 10 or 15 years' time, or even less, we have a lot of good players on thetour again.
Q. González just said here that if you talk about the way of playing, itwould be better for you to face Del Potro in the final, that you have more chancesto win.
ROBIN SODERLING: He said that?
Q. Yeah.
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, I lost a lot of times to Federer, sohe's a great player. It's very difficultto play against him. You know, I feelthe same with Del Potro. I mean, you'renot playing a semifinal in a Grand Slam and you're not No. 5 in the world fornothing.
He's ‑‑ they'reboth great players. You know, I'mexpecting the toughest match I can possibly have on Sunday.
Q. Did you meet Borg before or after the match? And did he tell you anything? Also, I think, Borg, after he retired,started an underwear business. I thinkit's a top brand in Sweden. Do you wear any of his underwear?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yes, I have a few pairs at home (laughter.)
Q. Do you think you will take the opportunity to speak to Bjørn Borg beforethe final on Sunday, as he's been here and won the title six times before?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yes, hopefully. We haven't talked about it, but that would benice. You know, maybe he can give me fewadvices on how to win here.
Q. Do you think you'll be ready yourself? Obviously this is a big step up, isn't it, to suddenly be competing inthe final with a Grand Slam title at stake?
ROBIN SODERLING: Of course, the final ‑‑ for me, it's thematch you really, really want to win. Ifeel like I've played some big matches on the center court this week, so I feellike I'm very prepared.
Q. You're having a great tournament. You come out on fire. You know,finally people get there after a late lunch. Then it started to get away from you; you're looking at a fifthset. Do you think, Borg is watching me;I'm going down the tubes? Is it hard tokeep your concentration? What were youthinking about?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, it's hard I think for everybody to stayfocused in a full five‑set match. Weplayed for a lot of hours, and I didn't really feel that I lost too much ofconcentration.
I mean, I just feltthat he was playing really well. Hedidn't give me any opportunities to play well.
But, you know, I'm really happy that Iturned things around at the end.
Q. Yousaid Magnus was where you are now. Didyou watch that final when he played against Guga?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yes.
Q. Do you plan on saving 10 match points as well yourself?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, I remember I saw the match, and thatwas ‑‑ again, it was great for Sweden. I remember it really helped my career. It gave me a lot of inspiration. I really hope I can do the same to the kidsin Swedennow.
Q. Many people say that you are very, very shy.
ROBIN SODERLING: Shy?
Q. Yes. I don't know if that's trueor not. I'd like you to confirm it ornot. Also, if you're less shy now thatyou're winning more. Again, if in thelocker rooms, when you meet some of the other players, some say that you didn'tsay hello all the time. Are you nowsaying hello to everybody?
ROBIN SODERLING: I'm not sure if I'm that shy. For sure I'm not going to change, youknow. I feel like I'm still the sameperson. This is just tennis for me. Yeah, maybe they're right. Maybe I don't say hi all the time, but I'malways ‑‑ I'm always a little bit tense before matches, you know, always alittle bit nervous.
I don't like to speaktoo much before my matches. That's justthe way, you know, I am. There'snothing ‑‑ has nothing to do with the other players.
Q. Today you fell to your knees. Wasit bigger today than beating Nadal the other day?
ROBIN SODERLING: It's two different matches. You know, as I said, I did what's supposed tobe, you know, impossible, beating Nadal on clay. So it was great, but today it was asemifinal.
They're both ‑‑they're going to be matches that I will remember for the rest of my life, butin different ways.
Q. You've never beaten Roger. Haveyou seen something in his game, in your matches with him, however where youthink can you get to him, especially at the level you're at now? In short, if it is Roger on Sunday, do youfeel confident you can beat him?
ROBIN SODERLING: Um, yeah, I think I have to. As I said before the match against Nadal, Imean, if I don't believe I can win, there's no point on going on the court.
So, yeah, I think Ihave a chance. I lost a lot of times,but it's been close matches. You know, Ithink I was ‑‑ I'm not sure if I had match point or two match points frombeating him in Hallea couple years ago.
Of course, if I play Roger he's going to bethe favorite by far. But I think Nadalwas favorite against me, as well, so...
Q. Wheredid you play your first match in this tournament? Was anybody watching at all?
ROBIN SODERLING: I played on court, I don't know, 6? 7? Maybe 6? There were a few. My coach, my girlfriend. But doesn't really matter for me. I never had any problems playing on bigcourts, playing on the center court. Thecourts are still the same. Samemeasurements.
Again, it's justtennis. I mean, I never really cared howmany were watching.
Q. Do you remember a few years ago you lost to Nadal and he broke GuillermoVilas' clay court record string. Youwere the guy he beat. I remember youweren't very happy about it, even though everybody thought he was making greattidings over this record. I interviewedyou, and you were curt, not very cordial.
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, I don't like to lose. That's how ‑‑ I mean, I never reallythought about record or anything, you know. All I wanted since I started playing tennis is to win matches. You know, that's what I focus about.
So, I mean, it was niceto finally beat a man that was breaking his record.
Q. The other day you said you wanted to go and read again your contractendorsement with Lotto to check they were paying you double in case you go tothe final. Did you check it?
ROBIN SODERLING: I didn't check it.
Q. You don't need money anymore?
ROBIN SODERLING: Well, you know, it's been nice. But again, all I'm thinking about is winningmatches. I mean, I would really want towin this tournament as much if there were no prize money. I love winning matches.
