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AUSTRALIAN OPENJanuary 23, 2015Andreas SeppiMELBOURNE, VICTORIA A. SEPPI/R. Federer 6-2, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 An interview with: ANDREAS SEPPI THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Did you surprise yourself today? ANDREAS SEPPI: Yeah, of course. You know, to beat Roger first time, especially in a Grand Slam, best-of-five, is a special moment for me. Of course at the beginning I just went on the court to enjoy the match and to play my best tennis. Yeah, but especially after the first set, then I felt, you know, I am there, I am hitting the ball very well. I start to believe that I can do more. Yeah, then I think very important was the second set tiebreak. And, yeah, it worked out pretty well. Q. His record against you is very imposing, 10-0. How do you go into a match trying not to think about that? ANDREAS SEPPI: Yeah, I mean, as I said, I went in the court of course to, first of all, enjoy the moment. You don't play every day on center court, full stadium in a Grand Slam against Roger. I was pretty calm, I have to say, from the beginning. Also in the important moments. Maybe it was the match where I felt more comfortable in my life also with my emotions. I think that help me for sure in the end of the match a lot. Q. What did he say to you at the end? ANDREAS SEPPI: Yeah, I can't remember well. But I think he said, Unbelievable last point. Congratulations, something like that. Q. You had a lead back in 2012 against Djokovic, also up two sets. Did that ever enter your mind when you had the two-set lead against Federer and then maybe lost the third as well? ANDREAS SEPPI: I wasn't thinking about anything, I have to say, about this match. As I said, I was very calm. I really enjoyed the atmosphere out there. I was not thinking I'm leading two sets to love or two sets to one. It was going to the end, the match, so just if I could do that any time, it would be great, yeah. Q. You'll be the higher ranked player whoever you play next, Kyrgios or Jaziri. What does this opportunity you've created mean for you? ANDREAS SEPPI: I played them both. Against Jaziri a long time ago, and against Nick at US Open last year. You know, for sure two different players. Nick, especially here in Australia, he wants to do well. He has the crowd behind him. He is serving well. Maybe not so much a rhythm. And Jaziri is a player maybe a little bit like me, a lot of rallies from the baseline. So it's going to be two completely different players. Q. Do you think it's tougher now because you have this pressure because you're the higher ranked? ANDREAS SEPPI: I mean, I don't put myself under pressure, I have to say. Of course I want to stay focused on the next match. I try to do, you know, the same things as usual. Of course, I won a great match. Yeah, I am going to try to keep up my level, but don't put me so much under pressure. As I say, it's another match. Just try to play like the previous rounds, and then we see. Q. If it is to be Kyrgios, how do you think you'll react to the home crowd he'll have behind him? ANDREAS SEPPI: Yeah, you know, he's always a player who involves a little bit the crowd, always get pumped, especially here in Australia. It's not going to be easy. But I think, you know, I have to approach it like today: go out there, enjoy the moment, just try to focus on my game, and try to play my best. Yeah. Q. Is it still such a moment to play against Roger Federer compared to five, ten years ago? ANDREAS SEPPI: Yeah. I mean, especially for me it's always special moment to play against him. I know him a long, long time. He had so many great results. So step on court against him for me is always something special. Yeah, it's always different than against anyone else. Q. What does this win mean for your career? Biggest one so far? ANDREAS SEPPI: Yeah, of course. It's first time I beat him. I beat once Nadal in Rotterdam when he was 2 in the world. Was also a big win. Against Roger, you know, I never went close. I never had the chance. To have this win in my career, it's for sure something big, yeah. Q. Your countryman, Bolelli, played Federer before. Did you get a chance to speak to him and get some advice? ANDREAS SEPPI: No, not really. I didn't ask any advices or anything. I mean, it's tough to ask some advices because, anyway, Roger, you know how he plays. You know him well. I just saw the first set yesterday. I think, yeah, Bolelli played a great set, and the rest I didn't see. I didn't talk to him after the match, I have to say. Q. Do you think Roger can still win another Grand Slam? ANDREAS SEPPI: Of course. I mean, I think he's still playing because he believes he can win another one. I do also. He's a great player. I think not many people thought that last year he can almost go again No. 1 in the world. I think for sure he has good chances to win another one. Q. Did you believe before the match that you could beat Roger? ANDREAS SEPPI: It's tough to say. I mean, of course, when the match went on, especially in the middle of the first set or after the first set, I start thinking I can win. At the beginning, you know, I went in the court and - yeah, I don't know how to say - to try to play my best and enjoy the moment. Yeah, but, of course when the match was getting close I start to believe that I can win, otherwise I don't win this match. Q. The way you play, beating him, did it tell you anything about yourself as a player which you didn't know before? ANDREAS SEPPI: Yeah, of course. Now I know that I can handle also some very difficult moments or some big pressure. Maybe I'm a little bit more mature, you know, on court. Especially, yeah, I know myself a little bit better. Yeah, it's for sure a big confidence for the next upcoming matches. Q. Did you feel that playing in the day helped you? Was the court faster? Do you feel like you would have had the same victory if you played in the night session? How different are the sessions? ANDREAS SEPPI: Actually I like more to play in night session, I have to say. I like more play without sun. It's not so hot. I mean, for me it's also better if I play at night, I have to say. But, I don't know. The conditions were not so hot I think today. Maybe at the beginning, but then during the match was pretty okay. So comparing to maybe yesterday or two days ago, so... Q. Was it faster? ANDREAS SEPPI: No, no, no. I don't think it was faster than the other days. I mean, for sure I like to play on faster surfaces, but I think also he do. So I think, yeah, it's pretty even. Q. How about the match point, that shot, how did you see it coming and how highly does it rank on the list of shots you've hit? ANDREAS SEPPI: Yeah, was for sure a strange shot. At the beginning I thought I couldn't even reach the ball. Then, yeah, when I hit it, I didn't saw it going there. I just saw when it bounced in. Was, yeah, for sure one of the important shots of my life. Q. Have you watch it on video yet? ANDREAS SEPPI: No, not yet. I will. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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