TENNIS 2014 ROLAND GARROS – 1st of June 2014. F. Verdasco d. R. Gasquet 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. An interview with Fernando Verdasco
Q. Can you talk about how you handled the break overnight and were you worried that the momentum would change? How did you handle that?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: The best way as possible (smiling). But, yeah, is never easy, no, when they stop a match when you are two sets to love up and you are starting the third, no?
Because you know that you need to be 100% since the first point or everything can change very quickly. Even more when you are playing against a player from the place like Richard here in France, no?
So I knew that as soon as he got a little bit of the fans or crowd and the people would be supporting him would be helping him to get advantage in the game.
So that was my goal, no, is start 200% like last game yesterday, knowing that it was the last game when they told us, same today. And try to at least get the score for few games and then try to break him as soon as I can, of course, no? To at least release the pressure and play better.
So I think the match today went perfectly like I expected, and, like, I wanted to be. I’m very happy. Now will try to recover for tomorrow’s match.
Q. Yesterday the coach of Gasquet told me Fernando is playing his best tennis like in Australia, your semifinal. Is it your feeling?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, I really played very good this match yesterday and today. Best tennis like Australia? I don’t know. I mean, I think there, because it was also hard court, the conditions, the tactics, the way of play might change a little bit because of the surface.
But, yeah, I think I played a pretty good match. Right now I just, my goal and my focus is all 100% to try to keep playing the same way as I did this match with Richard.
Q. It was easier than what you expected. You had good feelings, I guess. Did you sleep well? Were you worried or did you feel comfortable on the court?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: I felt good yesterday, and I felt good today, as well. I felt good on the court yesterday. Then we debriefed a bit. We talked about the first two sets, and we talked about how I played.
Then I tried to have the same game level. I tried to have the same attitude. I tried to have the same let game. I felt good yesterday, and I wanted to maintain the same level today, which is what I managed to do.
There were a few tricky games, and there were difficult points to play, but I pulled through. I’m very happy about it. I’m very happy with the way I won this match.
Generally speaking, I clearly did not expect to win with such a comfortable score 6 3, 6 2, 6 3 against Gasquet. I would have never imagined that. But yesterday I gave 100%, and everything went fine.
Q. Would you say Gasquet played below his level because he was injured? And second, what do you think about the fact there are five Spanish guys playing the quarterfinals this year?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, as for Gasquet, I can’t answer this question. You need to ask him the question. Gasquet is a very talented player. He can play very well. And in fact, I think he was feeling uncomfortable. I can’t tell if he was 100% present physically speaking. He knows about his physical condition. I don’t.
But in any case, he played very well yesterday. His backhand was very solid. His cross shots were wonderful.
Looking at the shots he played yesterday, you would have never believed he was out of the court. But he’s very talented.
Now for the question about the five Spaniards in quarterfinals, I’m delighted, and I hope there is a larger number of Spanish players who can go far in the tournament. As a Spanish player I’m delighted there are so many Spanish players in the quarterfinals.
Q. You’re gonna play Murray.
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Oh, he won, did he?
Q. Yes, 12 10. So can you tell us, what do you think about him? He played more tournaments here than you did. He won Grand Slams already.
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, playing Murray is never easy. He has wonderful tennis, and he won Grand Slams already, so I think he deserves all my respect. It’s not going to be an easy match.
Then after Murray there is Monfils, Garcia Lopez. When you say that the draw is quite open, this is not really true. Monfils is a very tough player. So in order to win this tournament, you need to keep all this in mind. Monfils, excellent. Garcia Lopez, excellent. Murray, excellent. So it’s not an open tournament. Not at all.
My objective right now is to rest and prepare the best I can to play this match against Murray. This is going to be a very tough match again.
I will try and give my all. I have nothing to lose. He is a favorite because of his ranking. So I will try and play my best tennis, and I hope I’ll be as regular as I was yesterday or today.