Del Potro八強賽後訪問 - 網球 Tennis

http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/interviews/2009-06-03/200906031244056171
398.html

J. DEL POTRO/T. Robredo
6-3, 6-4, 6-2

An interview with:
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

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

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: 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's losing 5-2, 40-Love.

So it was very tough for me to close the match.

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

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, very happy. It's my first semifinals in Grand
Slam, so I'm very happy.

Q. You're going to face Federer in the semifinal. Quite a few players and
tennis fans would like Roger to win this tournament because it's the only
Grand Slam he hasn't won yet. Do you also feel that way, if you were to face
him in the next round?

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: 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 see next Sunday Roger with the trophy.

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

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: A lot: My movement, my forehand, my serve. Now I can
play like hard court. You know, the courts are faster than two years ago, so
the game is very similar. This is an advantage for me.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish, please.

Q. Tell us about your feelings. You're in the semifinal of a Grand Slam. What
goes on in your head?

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I'm really happy. I'm in a semifinal of a Grand
Slam. This was a very tough match for both of us. I mean, we knew that we had
opportunities.

The most important was to win. The most important was to be able to make it
to play Federer on Friday.

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

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I think I played better against Tsonga. My serve was
much better. Well, today my -- no, today my serve was much better. That's true.

But I was very nervous all along the match, and I never managed to really get
in the match because my legs were really tense.

Maybe you couldn't see that from the outside, but I was pretty tense. Tommy
played really well. You know, three sets, that is not a good indication of
what the match was, because he really played well. But I played better, so I
won.

Q. My question is: When you offered this T-shirt to Federer, the Boca T-shirt
to Federer, was it a bet?

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, no, of course, we have not yet reached the
quarterfinals. It was just like that.

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

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, you're right. At one stage I had difficulties
with my serve. We came to 40-All, and that was my fault. I was too nervous. I
wanted to finish it quickly, and the more I wanted to do that, the worst I
played.

I really wanted to rush things. This was a mistake. I suffered from it. I
managed to finish it 5-2, because otherwise it would have been far more
difficult.

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

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: It's going to be very difficult. We all know how he
plays, and we all know what he wants to achieve here now that Rafa is no
longer here.

I still have expectations. I still have objectives. I had some before I
started playing 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 played
Federer in Madrid. Would you say that you have an opportunity to win here, or
are there things that you need to modify to change to adjust in your game?

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, in fact, in Madrid I had my chances. I had
opportunities that I didn't use. We also had other matches, one against the
other. But I know that if I want 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 to make some mistakes like he did against Haas at 4-3 in the
third set and he had a break point. But in all cases, you need to be very
present and you need to get your opportunities when they occur.

Q. Two questions: What's the origin of your name, Del Potro? Where does it
come from?

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I don't have a clue.

Q. Where do your grandparents come from?

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

Q. Second question: Your tactics against Federer. Did you talk about it with
Franco?

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No, no, we just said a few words after the match.
We'll have plenty of time to talk about tactics tomorrow.

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

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No, I had others, other great victories. But it's
true. I had never won a quarterfinals in a Grand Slam tournament, so that's
true.

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

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

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, a bit of everything. With his game he does
everything perfectly. His game is much of a problem to me, and this is why I
never won when I played him.

We've played quite a few matches, so I know him. I think I know 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 any points.

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

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, no, in Australia he played extremely well,and I
couldn't do anything. Actually, at the end of the match, he told me he played
better than -- that it was his best match in a long time.

Now, if I can win a first set, I can win a second set, and if I can win two
sets, I can win a third set 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 a beautiful crowd.

Q. Before the match, you talked about your consistency in the match, and you
were talking about the fact that you had to make Tommy move around, so you
have to have a different tactics.

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: 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, we had many opportunities, both of us. I think that had he
won the break during the third set, we'd still be on the court right now.

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

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: You know what? We're all nervous. We're all a bit
afraid, you know. That's quite normal when you have such big players left in
the draw. You know, all players know this feeling. I mean this feeling 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 Paris on
Friday?

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I came with Franco, Martiniano,yes, and other friends,
but my family and my really close friends are in Tandil. I think we'll wait
for a another couple of days before they come.

Q. I saw you having this gesture, emotional gesture at the end of the match.
Is it because of what you achieved? I don't know, but each time you win, you
do the same thing. You have this finger raised to the skies. Is it a message
to someone?

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: 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 very nervous
all along the match, at least more than usually, and this is why I pointed my
finger to the heavens.

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