APIA INTERNATIONAL SYDNEY

January 13, 2015

Juan Martin Del Potro

J. DEL POTRO/S. Stakhovsky
6‑3, 7‑6

THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  Very happy.  Just talk about it.  Obviously it was very emotional.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO:  Yes, it was a great moment for me.  I think I play well to be in my first match after ten months.
I serve well.  My forehand is still working out.  So that's mean good signal for the future.  I need to work very hard to my backhands and my movements, but I think now is time to think about my comeback and enjoying this moment a lot.
I been at home for a long time really sad.  To be honest, I didn't expect this moment to be early in the season.  I'm so happy, so glad.
I would like to share with a lot of people who was behind me last year, but all of them are in Argentina.  So I will meet them once again very soon.

Q.  Talk about the left backhand.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO:  Yeah, I'm working on my backhand every day.  I just start to hitting backhands here in Sydney like three days ago.
I think I'm improving.  It's take time to feel the ball again on my wrist, to play hard, to make winners.
Also, I'm doing a big effort when the guys play me to my backhand, because I don't feel confidence yet.  But if I don't have a big pain, I will still practicing and I'm positive.  I need to be patient and survive with these kind of things in the beginning of the year.

Q.  How does it feel?  Is it sore, the wrist?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO:  Now?

Q.  Yeah.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO:  I think the wrist is okay.  I will be ready to play tomorrow for sure.  I will do treatment after here that take me like an hour every day.
It's supposed to be worse after intensive match like today, but I'm feeling well at the moment.  I will see tonight and maybe tomorrow morning, but my doctor is behind me.  He give me big confidence every day, so I'm still positive and I still want to play tennis.

Q.  Did you enjoy the feeling of going back out there for the first time in a long time and just hitting some tennis balls?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO:  Yeah, for sure.  I enjoy the match, enjoying the atmosphere on there.  They are still Argentinian fans coming to watch me, which is very good for me.  Obviously be the defending champion here means a lot.
But I don't have to think about that.  Just try to be calm and go step by step, trying to go slowly.  I know many people expect me playing like a top 10 very soon, but I will say to them that it takes a bit of time.
Anyway, I will try to do it.

Q.  After the actual wrist, what was the hardest thing to get back into in the match?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO:  It was a big effort mentally, and physically, too.  I was nervous in the beginning; in the end as well.
I played tiebreak very solid; I served well in the important moments.  If my serve still there, my forehand works well.  Trying to find winners and to make winners.
I will be an aggressive player again very soon, but now it's time to work on my physically and the treatment and the recoveries every day.  Obviously my backhand, too.

Q.  So how was it last year?  Must have been difficult trying to come back and then couldn't; come back again and couldn't.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO:  Yeah, it's been horrible for me.  I say before I spend a lot of time at home.  I was watching tennis on TV.  I think for all the players watching the big tournaments on TV is really, really bad.  Supposed to be there playing with these guys, looking on trying to win a Grand Slam again.
But I was at home trying to fix my wrist.  One doctor say something to me; another doctor say something different.  It was difficult to believing one or the other.
But I also have a big support of my family, of my friends.  Because of them, I'm here now.  They want me to still watching playing tennis.  And I feel young, so I will try to play tennis as long as I can.
Could be another start of my career after this match.

Q.  You said after every match you need an hour treatment.  Is that something you'll have to do throughout your career or just for a little bit longer?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO:  No, I mean, the treatment takes me an hour before the match, an hour after the match.  Every single day I do the same.  Nothing magic.
But I have to be consistent doing the treatment.  It's not easy for the mind, you know.  Now I want to go to the hotel and recovery for tomorrow, but I have to stay here with the physical trainers doing the treatment.  Then I have to do imagining on my body because I'm tight.
But I think this is part of my life at this moment, and I'm trying to manage all of these things to be ready and to be there in the future.

Q.  Playing Fabio tomorrow.  Feelings about that match?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO:  Not much.  I just want to get on the court again and enjoy the match.  Fabio is a great player.  He's the No. 1 seed.  He is a friend of mine as well.
So just try to play as I did today will be great for me.  Obviously focus is on my wrist, trying to don't get worse after tonight and after the match of tomorrow.
If everything happens in the good way, I will be happy for this week.

Q.  Have you thought of just hitting with your right‑hand like this?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO:  No.

Q.  Federer does it; Wawrinka does.  I mean, you can hit the slice, right, very well?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO:  Yeah.

Q.  Have you tried it just flat and said, Maybe I can do that someday?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO:  No, I never try it.  Franco doesn't want to teach me the one‑handed backhand.  But I thought I improve a lot of my slices.  My volleys, too, which is nice.  But now I need to get my backhand again.
If I get all my arms, in the future I will be ready for play with all the players.

Q.  What would you be happy with achieving later this year?  Like what would you be happy with?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO:  Just stay healthy for all the season will be great for me.  I'm making a schedule, but very shorter schedule, and seeing tournament by tournament.
I supposed to play here and Melbourne and then stop for a couple of weeks, and then I will try to play Delray Beach and Acapulco, Indian Wells, Miami.
But I have to go very slowly, tournament by tournament.  But if I play like 15, 20 tournament, between that number, will be a great season for me.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports