PETRA KVITOVA May 31 2012

PETRA KVITOVA

P. KVITOVA/U. Radwanska 6‑1, 6‑3

Q.  You played great in the first set, dictating with your forehand.  Can you tell us something more about the match?

PETRA KVITOVA:  Well, yeah, I think that she played very well.  She has good hands so she has a good touch.

She’s not playing very aggressive, so I could play my game again.  You know, I played very well.  I’m feeling very good.

Q.  You played Aga before.  How different is Ula from Aga?

PETRA KVITOVA:  Yeah, I think that both are playing really similar, but I think that Aga has more balls and now has more touch, more good hands.  Maybe she has a little bit better serve.

Q.  This year you had to withdraw from a few tournaments because of ankle injury and illness.  At one point do you think you had a spell of bad luck?

PETRA KVITOVA:  Well, actually, I don’t know if it was bad luck, but I hope that I will stay healthy until the rest of the season.  You know, it’s the tennis, so I know that I’m injured often and I’m trying to keep ‑‑ having some exercise to keep healthy.

And, yeah, I think that it’s normal, and every tennis player has it.

Q.  For this year are your expectations a bit lower?  Because, I mean, last year was really exceptional, fantastic, with six titles.

PETRA KVITOVA:  I don’t have any expectation.  I know that last season was great for me, and it will be very tough to have similar result as last year.

So I know this season will be very tough with the pressure and with everything else.  But I just would like to improve my game and be focused every practice, every match.

Q.  You’re obviously going to play singles at the Olympics.  Something more?  Doubles?  Mixed doubles with Tomas like in Hopman Cup?

PETRA KVITOVA:  I will play singles for sure, and with Radek Stepanek mixed, no doubles.

Q.  When you were 18, did you contemplate rising so fast in the rankings?  Two years ago you were named Newcomer of the Year on the WTA player and last year Player of the Year.  Did you have such dream of becoming such a big player when you were 18 or a teenager?

PETRA KVITOVA:  Well, I don’t know.  I wasn’t think I could be good player and I can be professional.  So this is something for me very nice.  From the 2010 to 2011 was very big step for me, and my ranking was really high.

So I’m still trying to not think about the ranking.

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU May 31 2012

P. MATHIEU/J. Isner 6‑7, 6‑4, 6‑4, 3‑6, 18‑16

 

 

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU

 

Q.  Congratulations on a fantastic win.

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  Thank you.

 

Q.  After all the close matches that you’ve played in the past and lost, how does it feel to win one like this?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  Yeah, I lost a couple ‑‑ I mean, at the end of the match, I did not even believe I won the match.  We played for more than five hours, and I thought it was not going to finish.

So I’m really happy with the win.  First of all, I was happy to play again on this court, because I didn’t play for so long.  So, first, I enjoyed the moment.  But of course when you win, it’s better.

 

Q.  How important was the crowd to you during the really difficult moments?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  Well, it’s always nice to have the crowd behind you.  I mean, when you have some tough moment, even at the end of the match, I mean, when they had some couple match points and I didn’t win them, it’s nice to have them.

So it’s always important.  So I think it’s, for us, very good for the French guys to play here with the crowd.

 

Q.  And when you didn’t convert those match points, what was going on in your head?  Do you say, I’ll just stay home?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  I was pissed.  (Laughter.)

But, no, I mean, you always play good the match point.  I mean, once I miss a passing shot, but, I mean, I was really far away, I guess the side and I went for it.  But, I mean, after five hours and 30 minutes, it’s not a little push on the legs.

He serve good on the match point, but it’s not easy to be focused on your serve again after the match point.  But I think I really play good the first two or three points on my serve every time.

 

Q.  How do you celebrate something like this?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  I don’t know.  I mean, at the end of the match, I didn’t even believe, I mean, that the match was done.

I don’t know.  I don’t think I’m gonna celebrate.  Look, I have the drink to celebrate (holding up bottle of water).

I mean, when you play this long, yeah, I didn’t even realize that the match is finished, I think.

 

Q.  Was there ever a time during your time out of the game ‑‑ was there ever a time during your injury when you thought you wouldn’t have a day like this again?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  Yeah.  Some, for sure.  I am human, like everyone.  I have some doubt for coming back, and I have some very tough moment last year.  Sometimes I was asking myself every day if I was gonna play again.  And so this was really hard, I mean, the way to come back.  So for me today, even if I play five hours, this was really easy.

THE MODERATOR:  French questions.

 

Q.  The record is six hours and 33 minutes, Santoro/Clement.  It’s not for tonight you’re going to break that record?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  I just don’t care.  I couldn’t care less right now.

 

Q.  I guess you’re extremely tired.

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  Well, if I was told to go back on the court and play three sets, I’m not sure I would be able to.  It was a long time.  I hadn’t played for so long and against such a tough player.  I can’t lie and say I’m fresh.  I’m tired.

 

Q.  Do you believe the Paul‑Henri you were before your injury would have won that match?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  It’s tough to say.  I think I would like to say yes, but this injury changed a lot of things for me and made me more mature, maybe.  But now I can’t prepare the way I prepared myself before.

He’s a very special player.  He serves extremely well.  I know that from the baseline I was at his level, but I was not thinking about anything else on the court.

So to come back to your question, I think I would have won that match, yes.

 

Q.  But in the end of the match, did you have more experience now?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  Yes, because before I used to become very tense at the end of a match like this.  I have more experience now.  But in the fifth set I was always ahead.  I was up in the scores and I was serving first so that it was an advantage.

 

Q.  You seem to say it’s not possible, not possible, not possible.  Do you mean it’s not possible to win that match or not possible what you did after being away for so long?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  No, I just thought it was not possible the match had finished.

I remember Mahut’s match.  So I just couldn’t believe it was over.  I had match point.  It was tough.  Every time I needed to concentrate and focus again on my serve.  So when the match was over, I had trouble realizing it was really over.

 

Q.  So now you believe it was really worth it to fight so much?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  Oh, yes.  Having the opportunity of experiencing such a thing as I did tonight, it’s incredible.  Playing like this on a big court like this is fantastic, especially after being injured.

This is why I fought and tried to come back.  It’s to have those moments again.  Even if I had lost, I would have said it was a wonderful day on a beautiful court with the crowd with me.

So I was ready to lose even if I had to, but these moments are superb.

 

Q.  (Question off microphone.)

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  I asked Nicolas for some advice.  I asked him where did he serve on break points, and he said, He serves everywhere.  But I said, There’s certainly a serve he does more often.  He said, No, he serves everywhere.  He’s unpredictable.

I think playing on center court was an advantage for me because I was able to step back on my returns and to be far back, so I was able to return high, and that made him a bit tired in the end of the match.

My tactics was just to return his serve whenever I could, and at the end of the match to make him run as much as I could right and left.  Because when he starts playing his forehand, he becomes very difficult.

 

Q.  Did you surprise yourself in terms of fitness?  Because in the end of the match you seemed in better shape than he was.  Did you expect you were able to play six hours at this level in spite of the fact of not playing for so long?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  I never practiced more than two hours or two hours and a half during the past two years.

So I didn’t expect I would be able to do that.  Before the match I didn’t even ask myself the question.  I thought I would have to play a three‑set match.  After my first matches, I had no cramps, nothing, so I thought, well, it’s okay, my body is getting use to it.

But the way I feel now is okay, too.  Two years ago I wouldn’t have felt worse.

 

Q.  I heard you hurt yourself.

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  Well, four days before this tournament, I can say this now, I broke a toe against a bench.  After the match I have two bruises on two nails of my toes, because I hit the shoe for six hours.  It’s just a bruise.  There are worse things than that.

 

Q.  Can you tell us when you started hitting again after your surgery?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  I think I started hitting around August, slowly, but just 10 minutes or quarter of an hour every two days, every other day.  Or maybe a little bit before.  I think I had my leg in a cast in April, and I hit a quarter of an hour every three or four days.

But I always kept a certain contact with the ball during all that time.

 

Q.  You were saying it was a great match, one of the best of your career.  But can you compare this match with another match?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  No.  I was talking about the feeling I had on the court.  It’s difficult to say as far as the level of game was concerned, but, well, I think I played extremely well today.

But now I’m not trying to compare this with other matches.  Three or four years ago I had a better rankings, and maybe I was looking like this, playing like this more consistently.

But what I was talking about was the emotions, the intensity at the end of the match.

 

Q.  Did you see the Mahut match on TV?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  Yes, because my match was canceled two days in a row.

 

Q.  What memories do you have of that match?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  Well, for that match, every time, like everyone else, I thought that match would never end and I was extremely sad for him at the end of the match.  It was a pity we had a loser in that kind of match.

 

Q.  When it was starting to be 9‑All, 10‑All, were you starting to think about Nicolas Mahut and his match?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  Yes, a little bit.  I had him on the phone when I came here in this tournament, and I told him, I’m going to have a revenge for you.

 

Q.  How would you feel tomorrow morning?  What will be your program?  Try to walk normally?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  First I’m going to have dinner.  That’s going to be good.  Then I will have a rest, have a good night’s sleep.  Absolutely don’t know how I’ll feel tomorrow.  I think my legs will be a bit heavy, but I’m not going to complain, am I?

 

Q.  When you play against Isner and it’s 9‑All, 11‑All, do you think you should never lose your serve otherwise it will be impossible to win?

PAUL‑HENRI MATHIEU:  Well, that’s something I thought during the whole match.  When you play against those players, it’s extremely tough because they put a lot of pressure on your return games because they always win their serve.

During the last four games, he was not serving as hard.  I saw it was difficult for him to push on his legs.  Even if I get broken, I might be able to break him back.  That made me relax a little.

But against those players, you should try not to lose your serve, of course and not be tense.

JOHN ISNER May 31 2012

P. MATHIEU/J. Isner 6‑7, 6‑4, 6‑4, 3‑6, 18‑16

 

 

JOHN ISNER

 

Q.  Another marathon.  Get in the fifth and seemed like you just couldn’t do enough to break him?

JOHN ISNER:  Yeah, that’s what it is.

 

Q.  Just talk about going through the fifth, what you’re thinking, how the body is feeling, what you’re trying to do.

JOHN ISNER:  I felt fine.  I just ‑‑ I didn’t play the right way.

 

Q.  You had opportunities to change it a little bit.  You changed it up some?  Or just nothing was working?  He was too consistent from the back and returning okay at times?

JOHN ISNER:  Yeah, I just ‑‑ he was the better player the whole day.

My inability to change what I was doing cost me the match, but he was better.

 

Q.  Can you just elaborate on that?  What did you do that you needed to change?

JOHN ISNER:  I just gotta play a little better, but I didn’t do it.

 

Q.  Strategically, what were you not doing that you needed to do?

JOHN ISNER:  To go for my shots more.

 

Q.  You had a long match at Wimbledon with Mahut.  This time you were starting from behind.  Did that have a different feel for you?

JOHN ISNER:  No.  I don’t think so.  I served well.  Just didn’t do anything else that well.

He deserved to win.

 

Q.  You were a real hero in Monte‑Carlo.  Perhaps it’s tennis lows or what?  You know, there you beat the French, and you’re a great player on clay.

JOHN ISNER:  Yeah, I played pretty well there.  I’m not anywhere near that level right now, so that’s disappointing.

 

Q.  How much did that Wimbledon match come into your mind?  Did you think about that at all today?

JOHN ISNER:  No, I didn’t think about that.

 

Q.  Is this disappointing because of the kind of match it was, the length of it, et cetera, to lose?  Or is part of your disappointment, which is clear, that you feel this is a match you should be winning against that guy in the second round at a Grand Slam?

JOHN ISNER:  No, I mean, it’s more disappointing on how I lost it.  Just not, I don’t know, for whatever, six hours, really not doing what I should be doing.

I don’t know.  I just couldn’t free myself up the whole match, so I just ‑‑ he’s a good player, and he was better than me today.  He deserved to win.

 

Q.  Part of you not being able to do what you wanted to do because you didn’t have a great feel for the ball and you didn’t trust if you were going to try to rip a shot that it would go in?

JOHN ISNER:  I never felt comfortable.  It’s been like that since I’ve been in Europe, really.  Bit of a, I don’t know, slump, I guess you could say.  It just wasn’t ‑‑ yeah, I don’t know what it was.  I just didn’t play the right way.

 

Q.  Is it kind of a mystery to you why you felt that way since you’ve come over to Europe, or can you put your finger on something?

JOHN ISNER:  It’s just ‑‑ I don’t know.  I’ve just been getting too frustrated in general, you know.  You come over here and you want to do well, and you don’t do that well so you have long days.

I just let it, this whole trip, get to me.  It’s the absolute wrong thing to do.  It’s very bad on my part.  Just wasn’t ‑‑ I don’t know.  I just wasn’t ‑‑ I never felt like I was in a good rhythm at any point.  I guess I have been over here for four weeks.

 

Q.  Even after you win the fourth set, you don’t go into the fifth with any type of optimism at all?

JOHN ISNER:  No, I did.  I did.  But it just ‑‑ nothing.  It just didn’t go my way.

I felt confident, especially with the way I was serving, but I just didn’t do anything else the right way, and he did.  You know, I thought he played fairly well.

 

Q.  So you’re saying you weren’t tired, though.  It looked like towards the latter half of the fifth, and this is understandable, there were balls that normally you could get to that you pretty much just said, I’m not gonna run for that ball?

JOHN ISNER:  Yeah, I guess I was a little bit more tired in the fifth than the first or second set, but ‑‑ well, I felt all right.  I mean, yeah, down a little bit, that’s to be expected.  It’s just the whole, my game part of it wasn’t there.

 

Q.  Any part of you that thought, I just have to hang on here?  Maybe I’m better off if this goes to tomorrow and gets dark?

JOHN ISNER:  No, I didn’t even ‑‑ I wasn’t thinking like that at all.  I don’t know ‑‑ no, that thought didn’t cross my mind.  It stinks that I lost, but sleeping on a match like this isn’t much fun.

Unfortunately, I lost.

 

Q.  You get down three match points, play some huge points, sometimes when you escape the executioner, it gives you a second life, you feel like, okay, I’m going to be here.  Did you feel like after that you might pull it out?

JOHN ISNER:  Yeah.  I mean, I escaped a lot today.  It could have been worse.

But I just ‑‑ you know, I just didn’t get it done.  I felt like I got caught in patterns that weren’t ideal for me.  I was hitting every return to his backhand and he was stepping up and running me around.  I’m not gonna win point when I’m running side to side.

 

Q.  So you needed to be more aggressive overall?

JOHN ISNER:  Yeah.

 

Q.  Returns, everything?

JOHN ISNER:  100%.  Everything.

 

Q.  Were you lacking confidence on your own backhand during the match?

JOHN ISNER:  Yes, I guess you could say I didn’t have that much confidence out there at all, to be honest.  Going for my shots ‑‑ I mean, I wasn’t going for my shots at certain points in the match, and that comes from a little bit of a lack of confidence.

 

Q.  What do you do to mentally turn this around, moving ahead to the grass?  You’re just going to go home, decompress, talk to Craig, and what?

JOHN ISNER:  Yeah, I’m going to go home.  I don’t even want to think about tennis right now.

VIRGINIE RAZZANO May 31 2012

A. RUS/V. Razzano 6‑3, 7‑6

 

VIRGINIE RAZZANO

 

 

Q.  I suppose that you may be very disappointed.  What did you miss today to be able to go through to the next round?

VIRGINIE RAZZANO:  What I missed is, well, something physical, not enough physical freshness.  I suffered physically against Serena, and therefore I couldn’t find enough resources today to stand out against a Rus who won an easy match during the first round.

I think her opponent had walked away, and therefore physically she I think suffered less than I did.  Had I been fresher physically, then my balls would have been more aggressive.  I would have hurt her more, bothered her more, because I think I have the type of game to defeat her today.

That’s it.  I’m only human.  That’s the way it is.

 

Q.  What next?  You’re disappointed.  That means you’re not going to take part in the Olympic Games, which is what you wanted.  So that’s over, I suppose, now.

VIRGINIE RAZZANO:  Uh‑huh.

 

Q.  What next then?

VIRGINIE RAZZANO:  I was not thinking about the Olympic Games, that’s true, given what’s happened in the past weeks.  You know, I was ill to start with, and then I got an injury two months ago at Indian Wells in the hip.  Therefore, many negative things.

You have to be consistent and win many matches to go to the Olympic Games.  Since the beginning of the year my draws were not always good.  I’ve had health problems, which is not good if you want to take part in the Olympic Games.

I’m disappointed.  I want to go to the Olympics.  The most important thing today is that I feel I’m fit; I have a good game.  I played against Serena, and this match was excellent.  She’s a tough opponent, as we say.  Not everybody can defeat Serena, even less in a Grand Slam because they’re all eager to win.

 

Q.  Is this when you regret you didn’t play enough matches to be ready for the second round?  You would have felt more confidence?

VIRGINIE RAZZANO:  Yeah, that’s true.  If you look at the matches I played, I didn’t play enough matches.  Three only before playing against Serena.  Doesn’t mean I haven’t got enough confidence and my game isn’t good enough, that physically I’m not prepared enough.  I practiced a lot to be ready here for Roland Garros.

This being said, you know, defeating Serena after three hours during which I used a lot of cartridges, I gave everything I had.  Almost.

Today I still had some cartridges against Rus, but not enough to turn around the match in the second set.

 

Q.  What about the two nights you had after defeating Serena?  Did you sleep well or not?  Were you nervous or not?  How did you feel?

VIRGINIE RAZZANO:  Well, you know, I was excited.  I only slept five hours because we were late.  I finished my match at 9:00 p.m., and then there’s press, dinner.

I was not in bed before 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning, and took me a long while before I could go to sleep.  That was 4:00 in the morning and then up at 8:00 a.m. more or less.

So recovery, you know, I think it had an impact on me.  I finished late and I lost a lot of my physical condition against Serena, even though yesterday evening I had a better night’s sleep because I had a longer night yesterday evening.

But this was not sufficient to recover enough for a second round like today’s round.

 

Q.  What are the images that you’ll take away?  I mean, your match against Serena, is there anything you will think about, take away, a idea, before, during, or after?

VIRGINIE RAZZANO:  You know, I’ve just finished my match today.  I’m disappointed.  I don’t mind talking about Serena because this is what I’ll have to remember, this splendid Roland Garros I played against her.

To me, this was splendid, superb when I defeated her.  It was really tough.  I behaved like a champion.  So I think I am a champion given the fact that I’m a fighter on the court.

Being a champion doesn’t necessarily mean to be in the top 10.  I consider myself as a champion, because with all of these years, you see.

Look at this.  Look at what I’ve done on the tour.  Like at the number of top 10 players I’ve defeated:  Zvonareva, Dementieva, Safina No. 1 at the time, et cetera.

So if you look at this, I think that, yes, my ranking today doesn’t really mirror my level and the player I am today.

I’ve had ups and downs in my life personally and professionally.  It’s not always been that easy for me.  You know, I was not always lucky compared to other players if you look at the draw.

It’s not just this that counts, not just rankings.  Also, only rankings ‑‑ the match is ‑‑ yeah, yeah, okay.

You know, a champion is not just someone who’s really well ranked.  It’s how you behave on the court.  It’s to be able to defeat top 10 players, to win a title.  This is it.  It’s more general, more comprehensive.

 

Q.  (In English)  After an epic win like Serena, the game after is the most difficult one.  Was that also the case for you?

VIRGINIE RAZZANO:  (Translated from French; answered in English.)  I beat Serena Williams and I was a lot enjoy.  I stay with good concentration after her because I would like to continue very far on this tournament.  You know, because I would like to focus and to play maximum for my second round today and stay with concentration, you know.

Today it was just because I was more tired because it was a long match and difficult match against Serena.  I didn’t have enough recover from in two days or one day, because I didn’t sleep a lot.

I finish late, and it’s not enough for today, because she was more fresh on me, Rus, and she has not the same match in first round.

 

Q.  (In English) What do you think about the game of Rus?

VIRGINIE RAZZANO:  I think she has a lot of potential, talent.  She has a very nice game, and she is very relax when she plays.

Yes, she has a very good forehand, a good serve, and good variety.  Yes, I think she has a good tennis for to progress in the future.

CHRISTINA McHALE May 31 2012

C. McHALE/L. Davis 6‑1, 6‑3

 

CHRISTINA McHALE

 

 

Q.  That seemed like a very businesslike affair out there.  Talk about your strategy and how you executed out there.

CHRISTINA McHALE:  Yeah, I thought I played pretty well out there.  It was the first time I played Lauren, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

I think I was happy with the way I played.  She hit ‑‑ it was heavy ball, especially on her backhand, so it took a little bit to get used to.

Just really happy to move on.

 

Q.  Do you allow yourself a little happiness, forgetting to the third round, or are you just trying to…

CHRISTINA McHALE:  Oh, no, no.  I can relax a little bit now and enjoy this.  It’s the first time I am in the third round here, so I’m really excited.

I think I have doubles tomorrow and then get ready for ‑‑ it’ll be Saturday.

 

Q.  Yeah.  You seemed very, very chill when you shook her hand.  Like, Okay, I won the match; great.  Varvara was like jumping around excited and you were very…

CHRISTINA McHALE:  Yeah, I mean, I guess my personality is more calm.  But I’m really excited.  Yeah.

 

Q.  How amazing is it for you and Sloane to do this together.  I mean, you guys have been friends for a long time.  Is this a little nicer that you can share this together?

CHRISTINA McHALE:  Yeah, this is ‑‑ especially Varvara and I, we train together, too.  It’s really nice to have other Americans doing well as well.

So, yeah, just hope we can all keep it going.

 

Q.  Especially for Varvara, she’s now the fourth person in and could make the Olympics, so ‑‑

CHRISTINA McHALE:  Oh, okay.  I didn’t know that, so ‑‑

 

Q.  And if Sloane keeps going she’s got an outside shot at making it in too, so you could get all your friends on the Olympic team.

CHRISTINA McHALE:  I don’t want to think about that because I don’t want to put myself on the team yet and ‑‑

Q.        Right.

CHRISTINA McHALE:  I just want to wait until the tournament ends and see who gets in.

 

Q.  One thing at a time.

CHRISTINA McHALE:  Yeah.

 

Q.  Talk about your next round opponent.  It does not get any easier, so what do you think?  Just going to go for broke?

CHRISTINA McHALE:  Um, yeah, I’ve never played Na Li before, so I’m looking forward to that match.  You know, I just you found out after the match that I play her, so I haven’t thought about it too much.

I’m just going to enjoy making it to the third round right now and then start thinking about is it tomorrow.

 

Q.  What do you enjoy about being here?  I mean, talk about ‑‑ obviously you want to do well.  Are there little things that kind of make this fun for you?  I mean, what’s it like?

CHRISTINA McHALE:  I, mean, I think it’s just so special playing at Grand Slam.  I mean, the atmosphere, it’s just really, really exciting.

You know, I have my team here with me:  My mom, my coaches, and my sister’s coming tomorrow, so I’m really excited about that.

It’s just a really cool atmosphere a little all the slams.

 

Q.  Do you let yourself soak it in, or do you have to stay in the moment?

CHRISTINA McHALE:  Um, yeah, I mean, I have to stay focused.  This is just taking it one match at a time.  I want to keep going hopefully, so I got to stay focused.

VARVARA LEPCHENKO May 31 2012

V. LEPCHENKO/J. Jankovic 7‑6, 4‑6, 6‑4

 

VARVARA LEPCHENKO

 

 

Q.  Congratulations.

VARVARA LEPCHENKO:  Thank you.

 

Q.  You looked pretty emotional after the match.  You looked like you were in shock, and then you kissed the net.  Talk about what was going through your mind, what the deal was.

VARVARA LEPCHENKO:  After that last point I couldn’t believe the match was over.  I was still in the moment.  I think I was able to play another couple of games, so that’s why I was pretty shocked.

At the same time I was pretty happy, because this is the first time I’m through the second round at a Grand Slam.  It’s very special to me, and I was really excited.

 

Q.  Good timing, because now you’re the fourth‑ranked American woman.  Puts you in position for the Olympics.

VARVARA LEPCHENKO:  Why are you looking at each other?

 

Q.  Just trying to verify.

VARVARA LEPCHENKO:  You know what, it would be really funny story, because yesterday I was sitting in the training room and I’m looking up at the scores I’m like, Oh, Vania King is losing.  Wow.  Okay, I think she had to defend something from all of your comments.  I knew that.

So I was like, I’m not looking at the scoreboard anymore.  I’m turning away and walking out of the training room and walking the TVs we have downstairs there.  All the girls sitting down, all the players, they’re talking about the Olympics.  They’re like, Oh, we’re taking three or four players and this and that.

I’m like, Shoot, I’m out of here.  So I’m walking up the stairs and I see the guy from Wilson.  He comes up to me, Varvara, I just have one question for you.  I’m like, Yeah, sure.  What is it?  He’s like, Are you able to play Olympics?  Are you qualified for the Olympics?

I’m like, Jeez, everybody now is going to ask me this question.  So I was like running away from the people.  Like I don’t want to think about it.

I have to play.  This is the most important.  I can’t think of all of those things.  But it’s good to know that now I’m the fourth American.

 

Q.  It’s not a done deal because Sloane is still playing.  Matt said it’s maybe not that important to you, the Olympics.  Is that the case, or would representing a new country be exciting?

VARVARA LEPCHENKO:  Well, of course it’s important.  But I keep saying to myself it’s not important because, you know, I have to get away from those thoughts somehow because it’s going to obviously be in my way when I’m playing.

I don’t want to be standing on the tennis court and thinking, Oh, my gosh, if I win this match I’ll be qualified to play the Olympics.

You know, it’s everybody’s dream.  I just try to put it away, put it aside for now, focus on the tennis, focus on my matches.

If God let’s me win and play at the Olympics, it will be amazing, of course.

 

Q.  So what stuck so well in your game?  Jelena talked about the amount of spin on your forehand and how that really bugged her.  Do you think that’s your biggest weapon right now?  Talk about what’s working so well.

VARVARA LEPCHENKO:  Yeah, I think I didn’t really know that, but I hit a day before with Patrick McEnroe, and he told me, Wow, you’re hitting your forehand amazing.  You should use it during the match against Jelena.

I tried to execute that plan and tried to play my forehand as much as I could.  Yeah, it did help.  I’ve been hearing a lot ‑‑ well, not very consistently, but a lot people keep saying to me, Wow, you’re hitting like a man from your forehand side.  You have a lot of the spin.  A lot girls are hitting flat.

That also gives me a belief in myself that I have something special, that weapon that can help me out.

 

Q.  You want to talk about the mental battles within that match.  You had a fight‑back in the first set; chances in the second set; a fight again in the third set.  It seemed up and down there, huh?

VARVARA LEPCHENKO:  Well, you know, when I started out, I didn’t really know her game.  Like I’ve never played against her.  I only practiced once on the grass last year.  I couldn’t really remember how she hits the ball.

She started out really well and wasn’t missing and hitting pretty well.  I was still trying to find my game out there.  Once I like got into it, I started playing well and consistently, and just, you know, I went for my shots and everything.

And then in the second set I think I lost the rhythm as well.  Again she started very consistently, she played really good couple of games, but I stick to my game plan.

In the end we had a lot long rallies, so it wasn’t mental.  It was more physical.  She hit couple lucky shots and I missed couple shots that were supposed to be in and was very close to the line.

So I lost that, but I knew that now we’re even in the third set, so it’s just a matter of who’s going to battle it out and stay in the match.

And plus, I’ve already been through those kind of matches, so I had an experience that was not that long ago in Madrid where I would be up in the second set and I would lose and I would come back again.

Just like the first round, same.  I was up and I lost, and then I had to stay mentally tough in the third, forget about the second and first set and just keep playing.

That’s what I did.

 

Q.  So you closed out a former No. 1 at Roland Garros, getting the furthest you ever have.  Is that the biggest victory of your career now, biggest win?

VARVARA LEPCHENKO:  I don’t know.  I think in my opinion, I feel like beating Pennetta last year was one of the biggest wins for me.  And also beating Francesca in Madrid was one of the toughest matches for me as well.  I had to recover for three days after that.  (Smiling.)

Yeah, that was one ‑‑ you know, having that experience, beating top players, helped me out today, helped me in the match.

I believed in myself; I believed that I could do it.

 

Q.  During the match you were at times vocal and demonstrative.  Is that a way for you to feed off the adrenaline and use your energy to the maximum?

VARVARA LEPCHENKO:  Yeah.  My dad was like, You know, you seem like you’re not interested in the match.  You’re not like jumping around.  All the girls are jumping around, and you’re just kind of like walking from one side to the other.  Show a little bit of interest.

And it was important for me because I really want that victory, so that’s why I think I showed a little bit more emotion than I did before.

 

Q.  I know you’re trying to put it out of your mind, but one more Olympic question.  For a lot of players, if they’ve come to a new country, representing that country is even more important than representing the country they came from.  Would that be the case for you?

VARVARA LEPCHENKO:  Oh, yeah, definitely.  I been dreaming to represent USA at least at the Fed Cup.  I never get a chance, but I told Mary Joe that I’m going to work hard and I deserve to be on the team and that I can play well.  I really want to represent USA at any stage.

Olympics, you know, I never ‑‑ I don’t think I ever dreamt about it in my life, even when I was a kid.  It was more Grand Slams.  But I never thought ‑‑ especially USA.  Of course it would be an incredible feeling.

RAFAEL NADAL May 31 2012

R. NADAL/D. Istomin 6‑2, 6‑2, 6‑0

 

 

RAFAEL NADAL

 

Q.  Very straightforward win today for you.  How good did you feel out there on the court?

RAFAEL NADAL:  Good.  I feel good, no?  I think I played a really solid match.  First set I think was good level.  Second one was good at the end, but in the middle of the set I had some problems with my serve, two break points in two games in a row.

And the third set was great, my opinion.  Very happy about the way that I played the third.

 

Q.  Do you feel you can make any improvements in your next match that can get you through?

RAFAEL NADAL:  That’s why I am here and I go to practice every day.

You know, sure, I can improve things.  The serve is the first one.  I think I improved the level of my serve during the match, but I started the match serving bad.  Not so so.  Bad.  That’s the thing I can improve a little bit.

For the rest, more or less I have to be happy.

 

Q.  Compared to last year, what is your feeling about the balls that they’re using this year?  Is it slower or faster?  How did it suit your game?

RAFAEL NADAL:  Always depends on the conditions.  Today the balls are slower when the previous days when there is a lot of hot there, depends on the weather conditions, no?  But the ball was very, very quick.  I think that the ball is a little bit slower than last year but not much.  Depends on the conditions, in my opinion.

 

Q.  It seemed to me today that the crowd was really warming to you and encouraging you throughout, which hasn’t always been the case in Paris.  Did you feel that today?  Could you feel the crowd behind you?

RAFAEL NADAL:  You like a lot this kind of history, no?  No, no, no, I don’t tell you.  I say you (Pointing to whole room and smiling.)

The crowd was great almost every time, no?  That’s the thing.  Today the crowd wasn’t an exception.  Enjoyed the tennis and support tennis and support me, support the opponent when he hit a good shot.

That’s great.  That’s good atmosphere.  That’s good for our sport to have a full crowd like this, full court, you know, with the crowd, emotional crowd.  That’s good for everything, my opinion.

 

Q.  I have a different question about Facebook and Twitter.  Is it you who put the news on Facebook?  How important is it for you to have this interaction with your fans?

RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, for me it’s great, no?  For me it’s great to have, you know, the contact diary with the fans.  That’s something that few years ago we didn’t have the chance to do it.

Last couple of years, especially last two years, we are doing more and more.

So very happy.  Is a good way to be closer to the fans.

 

Q.  If you’re still here on Sunday, how do you plan to celebrate your birthday?

RAFAEL NADAL:  When is my birthday?  No, no, no, I don’t know the day.

 

Q.  It’s on Sunday.

RAFAEL NADAL:  Sunday?  So I gonna play Saturday…  Ah, I don’t know, no?  Is difficult to celebrate like good birthday when you are in the middle of the tournament, but sure, I gonna go for dinner with the team.  I don’t know if some family gonna come.  I don’t know yet.

So we’ll see.  The important thing is I am in the third round and hopefully I can celebrate the birthday in Paris and not in Majorca.

THE MODERATOR:  Questions in Spanish.

 

Q.  You were almost like perfect today.  You’ve criticized yourself, but that’s because you’re very demanding about yourself.  But would you say that in general you’ve played better this year than in the past?

RAFAEL NADAL:  I don’t think the time has come to make these comparisons.  The thing is to enjoy the moment.  Never mind what you’ve done in the past.

Fortunately I must say that the end was always a happy end.  It’s always difficult, you know, to make these comparisons, because years are different.  The feelings are different.

It’s a different tournament, as well.  Yet if I were to make comparisons, I’d say, yes, I’m playing even better.

 

Q.  Well, I’d like to build on this idea of comparisons.  Now, compared to the first match you played here, would you say that today you’ve played better and how?  What are the things that you’ve improved or that you would say are better?

RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, you know, during the first match, my opponent, Bolelli, was very aggressive.  It was a wee bit more complicated.  That’s true.

He dictated the match ‑‑ well, a number of points, I’d say.  I didn’t have enough pace.  Whereas today the match was more logical, more consistent, and my opponent wanted to play more aggressively.

But he couldn’t really manage.  Whereas for the first round, my opponent was very aggressive from the outset.  But I’ve improved also, I think.  Mainly I have improved during the third set.

This is when I had the upper hand.  I played my best tennis.  I made almost no mistakes.

It was a dream type of third set.  In general, I feel really good.  I feel good.  I didn’t really serve well when the match started, though.  At the end of the match ‑‑ oh, well, rather, it started during the second set.  During the second set on my forehand I was not ‑‑ I really managed to make him suffer.  That, as I said, was during the beginning of the second set.

I could hit the balls more strongly with my forehand and my racquet was too close to my body, though.  I had not loosened up enough, but at the end 4‑2 and then the break and then 5, and this is when I started hitting more strongly.  During the second set, 5‑2, this is when really I was taking control of the rallies, and then the happy end.

 

Q.  The other day you were saying you feel better from within.  Can you tell us what this means?  What does it mean to feel better from within?  If this is the case, do you feel some type of pressure like psychological pressure?

RAFAEL NADAL:  I said I felt better, but I was not saying my season’s going to be better.  I was saying that during practice and during the tournament my attitude is slightly more positive, and it’s less difficult.

Whereas last year, due to my attitude, which was less positive, it was more difficult for me.  The rallies were longer, and I was not at home and I felt it was a bit long.

Whereas this year I’m having fun, a lot of fun, I’m happy, and I’m not ‑‑ how can I say?  I’m not suffering from the fact that I’m far from home.  Whereas last year I was suffering from this.

It was too much traveling for me.  Whereas this year I’m very happy, even though last year I was quite successful.  I had this mental fear last year.  But, you know, things change.

 

Q.  Now that you feel better that you are perhaps less frightened, what would you say you’ve done?  Are you playing more naturally?

RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, you know, I gained confidence, and when you gain confidence you feel a lot better and things are more easy for you.  They’re easier.  That’s when you change.

This year I feel more comfortable.  Last year was not that comfortable.  I remember, for instance, the latest Davis Cup I played against Del Potro, and I didn’t really play well.  I didn’t play well during the Masters.  I was mentally tired.

This sounds perhaps strange, but there were only three or four weeks that I could take off the courts.  After this, I started with Australia before a very good tournament, and then I immediately continued with a quick surface.

Then I had some difficulties with my knee in Miami, and then I was back home and very happy to be.

Since then I think I have played really well almost all of my tournaments.  I’m really satisfied.

 

Q.  You won Istomin during the US Open.  Do you remember this?

RAFAEL NADAL:  No, no, this victory is not really useful to me, or that victory, rather.  It was a different match altogether.

As I was saying, it was a totally different match against Istomin.  I had gone through Wimbledon.  Well, first Roland Garros, and then Toronto, Cincinnati, I didn’t really play well then.  I remember those.

Then the US Open was starting and I was very nervous.  I felt I was not playing well, and that was the case against Istomin.  My game was really poor.  He made my life more complex.  And then I won at the end of the day, but that really was difficult.

 

Q.  In Ecuador we have many fans, and tennis fans, and fans of Nadal.  Is there a special message for the people in Ecuador?

RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, unfortunately I have never traveled to Ecuador, but I hope that one day I’ll visit the country.

So all the best to Ecuador and all of my fans.  Thank you very much.

JELENA JANKOVIC May 31 2012

V. LEPCHENKO/J. Jankovic 7‑6, 4‑6, 6‑4

 

JELENA JANKOVIC

 

 

Q.  Bad luck out there.  What do you think made the difference out there?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  First of all, I lost a big opportunity in the first set.  I was up 5‑2 and had everything under control, and, you know, all of a sudden I just started, you know, making some errors.  I stop moving.  My serve percentage went down and all that.

So it was, you know, difficult for me to accept the fact that, you know, I ‑‑ out of 5‑2 I lost the set at 7‑6.  I managed to win the second set, then, you know, few easy, you know, mistakes at 4‑All just now in the third, and that cost me the match.

It was tough, you know.  For right now I’m lacking confidence, and sometimes during the match, during the important points, I, you know, didn’t do well.

So that wasn’t easy.  I think I let her ‑‑ I let my opponent come back into the match and gave her confidence.

But overall, I fought hard, you know, with what I had in the moment.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.

 

Q.  Did you have any problems physically out there?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  I don’t want to make excuses.  It’s fine.  I can go all day, but I don’t ‑‑ it’s fine.  The most important thing is I didn’t win the match, and that’s what counts.

 

Q.  Was there anything about her game that gave you trouble?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  Ah, you know, she was very solid.  You know, she was spinning that forehand.  You know, off ground like she had a lot of rotation, especially on that forehand shot.

But overall I also didn’t play ‑‑ I think it was our first match against each other and I didn’t know her game that well.  But there is no excuse, because I had everything under control at 5‑2 in the first.  I had a set point, and I just managed to somehow let her come back and take that set.

That was really frustrating for me.  You know, it was difficult to accept that fact.  And then I fought again, but unfortunately in the third it just didn’t go my way and that’s the way it is.

LI NA May 31 2012

N. Li/S. Foretz Gacon 6‑0, 6‑2

 

 

NA LI

 

 

Q.  Just tell me, please, are you happy with the way things are going so far and the way you are playing, the way you feel, and how the crowd is treating you?

NA LI:  I mean, of course.  I was a little bit nervous beginning of the match.  You know, always tough.

I mean, play French player in Paris.  I saw the match two days ago, so I was a little bit nervous beginning of the match.  But after I was feeling okay.  I can a little bit control them on the court.

So, yeah.  But, yeah, I still happy I can ‑‑ I mean, the way I was on the court right now.  So, yeah.

 

Q.  You’ve spoken about being up and down in your play sometimes.  Do you feel you are becoming more consistent?

NA LI:  I mean, I wish, but you never know.

I mean, I always try the best, but sometimes, you know, if opponent a little bit stronger, I a little bit weaker, as well.  So that’s why start first round, I always show how strong I am on the court.

 

Q.  Just in general being here, are you enjoying being the defending champion?  Do you like this moment?

NA LI:  Yeah.  I mean, why not (smiling).

I mean, yeah, doing well here in last year, so I was happy I can come back this year, as well.  So I just enjoy.

I mean, I really didn’t think too much about defending champion or how far away I can going.  So just enjoy the play every day, every round.

 

Q.  In the beginning of this year, what your priorities in Olympics?  Because this is Olympic year.  Olympics or Grand Slam, French Open defending.  Which will be your priority?

NA LI:  I mean, for me, both.  I mean, I mean, for the tennis athlete, of course, one year you play four Grand Slams, but for us, Olympics are so special, four year, one time.

I think about because this is my last time to play Olympics.  Yeah.

 

Q.  Last year?

NA LI:  Yeah, last.  I mean, you never know what happen after four years.

ANDY MURRAY May 31 2012

A. MURRAY/J. Nieminen 1‑6, 6‑4, 6‑1, 6‑2

 

ANDY MURRAY

 

Q.  Perhaps you could just talk us through how you were feeling at the start and then at the end.

ANDY MURRAY:  Well, first of all, it wasn’t the same thing I had before.  I was absolutely fine yesterday in practice, no problem, went to bed and I was fine, and I woke up this morning, was ‑‑ couldn’t put any weight on my left leg.

I practiced.  It was okay.  Not great, but it was okay.  Then, yeah, before the match, yeah, I wasn’t feeling great.  Talked about not playing.

And then right at the beginning of the match, again, I was okay.  I don’t know if, you know, it was nerves, adrenaline, whatever.  It wasn’t too bad.

Then after I got up from the changeover at 3‑0, it was really, really sore.  And then obviously was struggling a lot for, you know, about an hour, hour 15, hour and a half.  Then it started to feel a bit better.

But still not great, but just kind of gritting my teeth and try to find a way of turning the match around, because I was few points probably from stopping around ‑‑ in the middle of the second set.

 

Q.  What did make you go on then when you were thinking about it?  Was it just a determination not to quit, or could you see that he was firing, you know, a few balls away and things?

ANDY MURRAY:  Well, he didn’t really at the beginning of the second set.  It was just ‑‑ yeah, I guess.  I don’t know.  I don’t know what it was.  I just didn’t really want to stop the match.

Then at the end of the second set I started standing up at the change of ends, and my back started to loosen up a little bit.

Then, yeah, it got actually quite windy on the court, and he started to make a few mistakes at the end of the set.  I know what it’s like playing against someone who is not really moving much.  Not always the easiest thing.

Then he made some mistakes at the end of the second set, and it was his fault for letting me back into the match, because I didn’t do anything special.  I just tried to put some balls back in.  Then, yeah, that was it.

 

Q.  You travel with a very experienced full‑time physio who works on you every day.  Between you, do you have sort of an idea how it can happen that you can just through apparently sleeping in the wrong position, or whatever, you can, you know, wake up with this problem that’s such a threat?

ANDY MURRAY:  Well, it’s like a back spasm.  Everybody ‑‑ I mean, anyone can get them at any stage.  It can happen.  I mean, obviously I had the problem with my back for a number of months.  Then, yeah, maybe sometimes muscles are doing too much work, you know, because you’re a little bit weak in that area.  I don’t know.

But my physio is one of the best.  No doubt about that.  His advice before the match was that by playing you’re not going to do any permanent damage, so go out and give it a go.  See how it feels.

Then obviously it didn’t feel good.  So they were telling me to stop, and then I just kept going, and then it started to feel a bit better.

But, yeah, it’s one of those things, you know, you can wake up sometimes with, you know, a cricked neck or sleeping in the wrong position or whatever.  Because I was absolutely perfect yesterday.  I had no problems at all.

 

Q.  How confident are you that you’ll be able to carry on in the tournament?

ANDY MURRAY:  Well, I’m going to try and carry on regardless, whether it’s a bit sorer tomorrow or two days’ time, I’m going to carry on.

I just try and do all the right things to recover as best as possible.

 

Q.  The advice that you got from Andy Ireland, was it that you wouldn’t necessarily be doing any more damage to it by playing?  Will that be the case, do you think, in two days’ time?

ANDY MURRAY:  Yeah, well, I mean, I have no idea what will happen in two days.  But if it’s something like a spasm, it’s not like you’re doing major damage.  You know, it’s just a really, really tight muscle.

Yeah, that was the advice that he gave me.  Obviously it was tough for quite a large period of the match, so, yeah, I just went with the advice that I got given.  We discussed it before I went on.  That was it.

Then I just tried to play and tried to come back and, you know, the combination of him getting a little bit nervous and me moving a little bit better at the end of the second set, you know, changed the match.

 

Q.  Is it just a case it’s not in your nature to give up?  I mean, you just wanted to keep going rather than just say, Oh, I’m going to just chuck it?

ANDY MURRAY:  Yeah, like I say, you know, I didn’t really feel like stopping.  But, you know, I was still only a few points away from stopping the match.

You know, it was ‑‑ there’s a point where it becomes ‑‑ it doesn’t really make that much sense to ‑‑ make that much sense to keep playing.

Yeah, I mean, like I say, him making a few mistakes and getting a little bit nervous and me feeling a little bit better, and then that was it.

So I just decided to keep going.  Obviously it turned around dramatically.

 

Q.  You say you were a few points away from stopping.  What stage of the match would that have been?

ANDY MURRAY:  I thought about by the end of the first set, and then ‑‑ yeah, just early in the second, around that period.  I don’t know the exact score at the time.  But, yeah, it was around that period, end of the first set, and then when I played a couple more games.  Then I was thinking, you know, whether to keep playing or not.

Yeah, that was it.  I’m happy I did.

 

Q.  I know each individual match is different and the circumstances vary.  But can you draw on past experiences here?  Because you have had some fairly dramatic matches in this stadium.  Can you draw on those perhaps to give you an extra incentive to want to keep going?

ANDY MURRAY:  Yeah, I think, you know, if you’ve been sort of in, you know, physical pain before ‑‑ you know, last year, you know, the match in the second or third round, whenever it was, yeah, I mean, I wasn’t playing great.  I was barely moving on the court, and my opponent got nervous.  I was just swinging and made some shots.

That helped.  And then, you know, I was two sets to love down in the next round not really moving and then I just started to feel a little bit better.

So I guess past experience probably helps, but today was even different, was even different to last year, because I couldn’t barely put a serve on the court.  It was like serving at like 60 miles an hour sometimes.

 

Q.  You seemed to be getting more and more uncomfortable towards the end of the match, fourth set, looking at the expression on your face.  Did you sort of feel you had to finish it off in four?  Do you think you could have gone five?  What was sort of the immediate reaction when you cooled down after the match?

ANDY MURRAY:  The thing was basically I wasn’t nervous until I got into a winning position, because I couldn’t believe I was there.  And then when I had the chance to win, I was ‑‑ I guess it was like 4‑2, I had like Love‑40, three second serves, I shanked two of the returns because I was a little bit nervous.  I was like, I can actually win this match now.  And then, yeah, starting to stretch wide and trying to chase every ball down, and, yeah, it was painful.

But it feels like it did when I woke up this morning.  It didn’t ‑‑ when I finished the match, it didn’t really feel that much worse.  It didn’t stiffen up so badly.

Again, a lot of that’s due to the people that I’ve got around me doing their job and making sure I did all the right things as soon as I came off.

But, you know, I don’t know how that’s going to feel in a few hours when I go back and relax and also when I wake up in the morning.

But, you know, I’m taking all the right medication and seeing the doctor, and I will do the best I can.

 

Q.  Given everything, how satisfying a victory was that?

ANDY MURRAY:  I didn’t find it that satisfying.  I just couldn’t believe I had won.

I guess when you’re in that position, especially in a Grand Slam, yeah, emotionally it’s pretty challenging, because you’re only one or two points away from having to stop.

Like I say, I couldn’t believe I was in a position to win at the end of the fourth set, so I was starting to get a bit, you know, edgy.

And, yeah, I just couldn’t believe that I had won when I finished the match.  Yeah, rather than it being satisfying, it was just quite emotional.

 

Q.  You seemed to be hitting the ball reasonably well, even if you weren’t moving well.  Does that give you encouragement for the rest of the tournament?

ANDY MURRAY:  I have been hitting the ball well in practice.  Yeah, like today I just wasn’t moving particularly well.  Yeah, but, well, I will see how I feel in a couple days.  I’m hitting the ball just fine.

 

Q.  Just to make clear, this is separate from the other back injury you’ve had since December.  Are you confident you’re not damaging that one?

ANDY MURRAY:  No, the thing ‑‑ like I was saying, it’s a different, completely different to what I had beforehand.

But the two could be connected, because it was very close to each other.  Like I say, if you’re a little bit weakened in one spot and you’re overcompensating using other muscles, if they’re working too hard, then, yeah, that could cause them to spasm or whatever.

But, no, I’m not doing myself any actual damage by playing with what I have.  I have had all the best advice from some of the top surgeons and physios.  I’m confident that I’m doing the right thing.

 

Q.  A question away from your body.  You have been on Twitter; you’re off Twitter.  What’s your thinking behind that and where are you now with all of that?  Are you on?  Are you off?

ANDY MURRAY:  No, I just do it sometimes when I feel like doing it.  I don’t think you can ‑‑ I mean, like anyone, you can decide when you want to say something on ‑‑ yeah, depends what certain people might use it for, I don’t know, to promote things or, you know, some people like to do it just to give their opinion on things.  Some people like to do it to interact with fans or with friends.

Yeah, I just use it for whatever and whenever I feel like it.

 

Q.  What do you like to use it for?

ANDY MURRAY:  Whatever I feel like.  It’s not ‑‑ I didn’t decide when I set it up that I was going to use it for one thing or the other.  I mean, it’s ‑‑ I think for me, anyway, it’s a fun way of sort of connecting with friends, friends and fans, and then, yeah, sometimes if there’s something that you read or hear and someone said, you know, it’s a way of having your own voice, I guess.

 

Q.  You touched on it, but were you surprised that a player of his experience didn’t change the game, didn’t make you pay for the injury that you clearly had?

ANDY MURRAY:  Yeah.  I’d say I was fairly surprised.

Like I say, I couldn’t believe I was in a winning position at the end of the match.  I mean, if you watch the end of the second set, I did put more balls in the court, but I wasn’t exactly hitting winners and moving unbelievably.  He started making mistakes, and, like I say, the wind did pick up a little bit.  That might have contributed to it.

But, yeah, I was very surprised to be in that position.

 

Q.  Do you have any concerns that you might be jeopardizing your chances for Wimbledon or looking further ahead by carrying on play?

ANDY MURRAY:  No.  It’s a completely different thing to what I had beforehand.  So if it was the same thing, then, yeah, I would be really, really concerned about Wimbledon and obviously the Olympics.

But so long as, you know, what I’m getting told by doctors and the physios is, you know, if it is just a muscle spasm, then, yeah, that’s nothing to be overly concerned by.

But they are, when they happen, very difficult to shake off, especially, you know, when, you know, it’s early morning.  It takes a bit of time for your body to warm up and stuff.

So, yeah, I’m not doing any permanent damage by finishing a match like I did today.

 

Q.  Last year you rolled your ankle and you fought through it.  Today you had back issues and the crowd was really into it, pushing you.  Have you had the feeling you were having a different relationship with the French crowd, they’re more into your matches, that maybe you have become one of the favorite here?

ANDY MURRAY:  I don’t know.  Normally I have had ‑‑ apart from obviously when I play French players, I normally got pretty good support here, here and Bercy.  I do like the French crowd, because they’re very passionate, and also, you know, they don’t like it when, you know, someone isn’t giving their best.  You know, I think they’re pretty knowledgeable.  They can see that.

Yeah, I’ve always had a fairly good relationship with the French crowd.