da Londra, Giorgio Spalluto – foto Getty Images
(cliccando sui pulsanti in alto potete leggere le interviste dei protagonisti in inglese)
FORMAT
DEL POTRO: E’ okay. È difficile fare questi calcoli perché Roger, io e Murray abbiamo vinto due partite, e Murray è fuori. Forse nell’altro gruppo, se Djokovic dovesse vincere il suo match potrebbe accadere la stessa. E’ strano ma a noi piace.
FEDERER: Ci sono alcune regole e queste vanno rispettate. A volte va bene, altre va male. Questa volta non è andata bene a Murray, ma ci è andato vicino.
MURRAY: Non è così complicato calcolare la percentuale dei set. Ma tutti, non so perché, la fanno sembrare una cosa difficile. Chi ha la migliore percentuale di set, passa. Se non basta, si scende alla percentuale di giochi. I giocatori che si qualificano, sono quelli che meritano di passare il turno
Dispiaciuti per Murray?
DEL POTRO: No, questo è lo sport. Solo
due giocatori possono qualificarsi. Forse per il pubblico non è bello non
poter vedere Murray in semifinale, ma vedranno Federer, di sicuro, e altri
buoni giocatori.
FEDERER: Del Potro ha battuto il n ° 1 del mondo, e credo che anche lui
meriti di passare il turno. Ci sono solo due posti, è così che funziona.
Accade molto raramente. Ma continuo a pensare che oggi c’erano un sacco
di fan di Federer, un sacco di fans di Del Potro che erano lì solo per
godersi la partita e non erano interessati a chi si sarebbe qualificato
per le semifinali. Poi, naturalmente, ci sono quelli interessati a questo
che erano lì con le calcolatrici. Io non ero tra questi.
Su Del Potro
FEDERER: Non pensavo potesse diventare
così forte, per essere onesti. Ho giocato con lui qualche volta in questi
anni, e ho un ottimo record, perché una volta giocava in maniera molto
strana. Non sfruttava la sua statura, giocando come un ragazzo più basso.
Oggi ha imparato a sfruttare la sua altezza.
E sarà interessante vedere come progredirà. Mi sono già sbagliato una volta
sul suo conto. Quindi non so dove potrà arrivare. Sembra che il cielo sia
il limite per lui in questo momento. Sembra molto solido, anche mentalmente.
Questi sono sicuramente degli ottimi attributi anche per il futuro.
Q. You’ve experienced many strange things
in your varied career, but being two points from going out and a round
robin qualification decided by one game, how curious is that in terms of
curiosity?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, obviously the focus
is completely on my own qualification. I knew I wasn’t looking very
good at whatever, 6-2, 4-All, let’s say. Still trying to find my
game and everything. It reminded me a lot like the first couple matches
I played in the round robin. I just started slow. Never really
found my game.
Also had a tough start to the breaker. Just
tried to hang in there. I mean, he served a great serve at 5-4, then
missed that forehand. I knew I couldn’t lose in two sets because
I knew that was going to knock me out. That’s why I was very excited
having won the second set.
It was disappointing to lose at the end, you
know, against Juan Martin, who I already lost against at the US Open. Had
chances, you know, at 3-All. Had a couple of break points. Had
him on the down the line backhand and stuff, so it was unfortunate.
I thought he played a really good match. I
thought he was able to lift his game after the first two matches where
I just thought he looked a bit weary.
So for me it’s a tough loss. But, sure,
I’m happy I’m through. That he got so close with the other two guys,
it’s quite incredible. I am – how do you say – in a way surprised
myself it came down to a couple games.
Q. Are you aware during a match like
that of all the mathematical probabilities and possibilities that are going
on or do you just play the match without knowing or taking that onboard
at all?
ROGER FEDERER: The only thing that was
important to me was the set I needed to win, trying to win the match. The
rest you block out and you concentrate on the match because I don’t want
to lose against fellow rivals. It’s not something I enjoy doing,
to be quite honest. A lot of money, a lot of points on the line.
So it would have been nice to go through. It was a clean sheet
to the semis. I missed that. But it was against a good player
today.
Q. I’d like to know, after winning the
second set, you had the knowledge that by winning one game in the third
you were qualified for the semifinal?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I didn’t know that.
Q. You didn’t?
ROGER FEDERER: No. Otherwise I
would have been gone on the ground and celebrated it, right (smiling)?
I didn’t do that.
Q. The end of the match was quite confusing.
Juan Martin was left on the court for some time.
ROGER FEDERER: I didn’t see that.
Q. Waiting to find out who he’d qualified.
ROGER FEDERER: Okay.
Q. Obviously you didn’t know about that.
ROGER FEDERER: I didn’t see that, no.
I was doing something else.
Q. What do you think about the qualification
system in general? It’s obviously been very confusing tonight for
at least one of the players. Andy Murray also tweeted that he was
confused waiting for the result to come through.
ROGER FEDERER: I think I answered the
question before. I mean, it’s – how do you say – there are certain
rules and these are the rules. Sometimes unfortunate, sometimes fortunate,
you know. These times are very hard for Murray, who didn’t get through.
But he got so close.
How can we imagine that we all play three sets
and it comes down to a couple of games. He had it maybe on his racquet
when he served against him at 5-1 down in the third. You have to
go back there, that maybe if he held that game, all of a sudden he gets
through. That’s not the way you can think.
I definitely tried to push myself to close
out matches as quickly as I can against fellow rivals because you never
know when you might need those games. They might come back in the
match and turn the match around completely. It happened to me once
this year against Tsonga. I was up 5-1 in the third and I ended up
losing. You always have to push yourself. The system is the
way it is.
Q. Through to the semis, do you prefer
one of the three guys that you can face?
ROGER FEDERER: I don’t know, again, the
scenarios on the other side. I think there, it’s a bit more
straightforward.
I hope anyway (laughter). No, I mean, preference? Not
really. I think whoever I play probably is in good shape, you know.
The guy who I play also has probably won two matches, I’m sure, so
he’s on a roll, as well, same as Del Potro and myself.
Yeah, I’m excited to be through. But
I wished I could have won today. That would have given me extra
confidence.
Now it’s the way it is. But I got a day to rest, which is probably
a little advantage.
Q. You said you know Del Potro could
raise his game. To which level? Are you surprised how good
he could play? Do you think he could be better, something more?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, time will
tell. It’s not disrespectful at all, but I think he’s done incredibly
well the last six months, let’s say 18 months. I think he’s really,
really improved a lot. I didn’t think he was going to become that
good, to be quite honest. I played him a few times before, that’s
why I have a very good record against him still, because back then, he
was playing very strangely, I thought. With his size, he was playing
more like a guy who is like a little guy. Today he’s finally using
his size to his advantage.
It’s going to be interesting to see how he
progressing. I was already wrong once. So I don’t know where
it’s going to take him. Seems like the sky’s the limit for him at
the moment. He seems very consistent, very tough mentally, too.
Those
are definitely good attributes to have for the future.
Q. You had those three break points at
3-All. At the start of the following game, he had the lucky net cord
that put you down Love-15. Did you have a bit of a mental letdown
after having missed those three break points and then the net cord?
ROGER FEDERER: No, not really. I
mean, I thought I actually played — I remember especially one breakpoint
– I remember both actually. I thought I was unlucky on the first
one, too, hit the net, gave him the advantage in the rally. The second
breakpoint, I thought I played it very well. I had a down-the-line.
Hit the net there, didn’t go over.
Sure, it was unlucky. But sometimes,
you know, games go very quickly. You seem unbreakable for a long
time, and then you just need, you know, one sort of unlucky spell or one
bad couple of serves in the first two points and then you’re down Love-30.
That’s what happened to me. I don’t think I should have missed
the overhead either. I underestimated that it was going to go longer
than I thought it was. That would have been a 15-All game then instead
of being a Love-30 game. Then I needed to push it and force the issue.
I couldn’t do it.
It was a bit of a pity because I thought I
was starting to figure him out actually. So, yeah, he caught me on
the finish line, I thought.
Q. Do you feel sorry for the spectators
who didn’t know at the end of the game who had qualified? There must
have been thousands of people who didn’t know Murray was out, that Del
Potro was through? Maybe some of them didn’t know you were through.
Do you feel sorry for the spectators who paid money to watch you
tonight?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I didn’t see what
happened after the match. Like I said, I had other things to do,
like a doping test and showering, stretching and stuff, getting ready for
Saturday, when I heard I was through.
Sure it’s confusing. It’s hard for Murray.
Yeah, I mean, I asked Juan Martin myself at the net, Did you make
it or not? He said, I don’t think so. So that’s the story I
got. Of course, you got to feel sorry for the guy who didn’t make
it, you know.
At the same time, Del Potro beat the No. 1
player in the world, in the group, and I guess also deserves to go through.
There’s only two places, and that’s the way it is. It happens
very, very rarely. But I still think there were a lot of Federer
fans there, a lot of Del Potro fans there, who were there just to enjoy
a match and didn’t really care who is going to make the semis. Then,
of course, the ones who also really care about who is going to make it
there. For those, it definitely was quite a rollercoaster match then,
too, the ones who were there with the calculators. I wasn’t one of
them (smiling).
Q. When exactly did you know you had
qualified? At what exact moment did you know?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Franco told me
I qualified after like 25 minutes after the match, because nobody knows
what happen.
But, well, I qualified (smiling).
Q. Can you sum up your performance against
Roger Federer tonight.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I play good tennis
today, similar than New York, a little better in some moments of the match.
I serve good in important moments. I take my opportunities.
That’s what I have to do against the best player of the world: take
the opportunities and try to play the best tennis.
Q. Can you describe your emotions at
the end of the match? Must have been a strange sensation to beat
Roger Federer but don’t know if you qualified.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yes, it was very
strange. But I don’t want to talk about that because the people who
has to made the numbers to see who qualify, they knows what they did. Now
is the past. I’m in the semifinals. I happy for that. But
was strange.
Q. We saw Carlos Tevez?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No, we talk last
night. We talk this morning. I know he’s gonna come to watch
the match. Maybe if I play Saturday night, he will be here.
Q. Federer said he didn’t feel sorry
about all the people that were supportive of Murray. What about you?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I’m sorry?
Q. Federer told us he don’t feel sorry
about all the people supporting Murray. How about you? Do you
feel sorry he’s not in the game now?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I didn’t understand
what you say.
Q. Do you feel sorry for Murray’s
supporters?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No, this is the
sport. Just two players has to qualify. Maybe for the local
public is bad to not have the opportunity to see Murray in the semis, but
they will see Federer, for sure, and another good players.
Q. What are your thoughts on the other
group matches tomorrow, possible semifinal opponents?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, all players
are playing very good this season. They are very strong. Djokovic
for me could be the most dangerous. But Robin has a good serve.
Davydenko
is so fast. Everyone has good things to play against me.
But I will try to play like today.
Q. You said you play as well, maybe even
better than the US Open. Do you feel it’s one of your best matches
in your life?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No, I don’t think
so. Well, my best match was the final of the US Open. But I
feel better again since the US Open, and that’s important for the next
matches.
Q. Do you like the round robin format
or is it too confusing for players and spectators?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No, it’s okay.
Is difficult to do these number because Roger, me and Murray won
two matches, and unfortunately Murray has to — he’s out. Maybe in
the other group, Djokovic win two matches and maybe happen the same. So
it’s strange for us, but we like it.