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ROLAND GARROS

May 31, 2015

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

PARIS, FRANCE

J. TSONGA/T. Berdych
6-3, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Tomas tried to turn around, but he got to the sunset, then you managed to go to four sets. How did you manage? How did you feel?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, it was not easy, because I played really well, you know, during three sets. And when it was time to finish, you know, I played a little bit differently and because he's a good player, he came back in the match. Then I start to miss a little bit more. But I had a good reaction in the fourth, and finally I won it. So it's good for me. Yeah, I'm happy to beat a guy like this, with one of the best at the moment.

Q. How do you assess your performance so far? You had the injury before, but now physically do you think you feel like 100%? You played as good as you did before?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, I'm feeling good. I'm playing good tennis. I'm solid. Yeah. I mean, when I play my best tennis, I know I'm able to beat many guys. So, you know, even if the last couple of months was tough, you know, I always believed in me. You know, I continue to work hard and try to be really consistent in my head. When it's difficult, you know, you have people who tell you that it's finished for you and you have people who tell you, Continue to fight, because you have the tennis to play well. I have the chance to have those people around me who stay positive for me, and they help me to, you know, to never give up. Yeah, that's why I'm happy today, because I'm playing solid tennis. You know, the confidence is back.

Q. Could you tell us your impression of Kei Nishikori and how you should play against him?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: He's a very good player. He's younger than me. He's got a lot of talent. He's able to do many things on court. I had problem to play against him in the past, so for me it's gonna be the opportunity, you know, to take revenge and try to, again, to play my best tennis and try to reach the semis.

Q. There was a moment where a fan yelled something and it sort of distracted you. Many other sports where fans are always yelling at players. How would you react if fans were allowed to do that more often in tennis? What do you think the reaction would be?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I mean, it's not tennis, so we will not talk about something that's not tennis. I mean, you know, when we play tennis, you know, the umpire ask everybody, you know, just to stay quiet during the point, and they can make some noise, you know, in between. So that's it. I have nothing more to say.

Q. What did the fan say? Because you had a particular reaction to that.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, but I don't want to talk about. You know, sometimes you have people who say, you know, something you don't like on court. This is my right, you know, sometimes to not be happy with what somebody say in the fans, you know. It's not because it's sports that everybody can say, you know, everything, you know. Just need to respect -- I respect, you know, everybody in the crowd and giving my best, you know, on court. So, you know, when people, it's not really fair. Sometimes I can have, you know, a reaction just to say, Hey, what you doing, man? That's it.

Q. Just a moment ago you talked about having people around you to keep you positive. Has it been hard for you to stay positive the last few years with injuries and other things? Because you seem very positive.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I think, you know, I always been very positive. I'm a guy who likes, you know, want to enjoy life. I like to be here. I mean, it's amazing for me to -- I mean, every minute for me is great. Sometimes when you play tennis, you have difficult moment. Of course, you know, I try to be positive, but sometimes you can, you know, if there is too many people around you say, you know, things negative, you can feel it. You can feel it. The thing is, you never have to feel this. You have to feel positive all the time. So it's important, I think, for everybody, I mean, to have positive people around.

Q. You talked about your confidence being back. Was that confidence already there at the start of this tournament, or is it something that you have acquired, you know, now that you're in the quarterfinals?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: You know, when you're injured for few months, you know, sometime it's difficult because even if you try to be confident, you have sometimes your body was not right. Sometimes, you know, you don't have enough tennis. So you never know. Since couple of months I'm working hard, I try in every match. I have a lot of possibilities in matches. But I lost a few of them, you know. Now, you know, I think everything I did, you know, last couple of months prove me that when you work hard and you stay positive and you continue to believe in yourself, you are able to do something.

Q. You didn't have a good record against Kei Nishikori, but I know you're going to be first time on clay on Tuesday. What do you think is going to be the difference?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, I think he's a good player on clay. He had very good results on clay. He won tournaments what I didn't. I didn't do that, you know, during my career. Not even one time. So I think he's a good player on clay. He's able to play on every surface because of his game, which is complete.

Q. I think everybody knows that spectator in the French Open are quite enthusiastic. I was wondering, if playing in Roland Garros pressure for you or it's more like a privilege for you?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, for me, it's a privilege. Always enjoy to be here. They always push me. They also are there to remember that, to remember me that they are behind me all the time. It's good to feel it. It's good to feel it. Anyway, you know, it's tough for the opponent. I can believe, you know, sometimes opponent can say it's not fair. But, yeah, it's like this, and it's good for us.

THE MODERATOR: In French.

Q. You said that in English you have had six, seven difficult months, but are you feeling that you're back?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No. I have had difficulties over the last 15 years, to be honest. But when I play my tennis at a good level, I can do something. I didn't play an exceptional level of game today, but I won. I'm going to continue and focus on what I have to do, try and do my best, and that's it. We will see where it takes me.

Q. Are you surprised it's the third time you make the quarterfinals here but you had less practice. You didn't play much tennis before. It was the first big match for you after the Davis Cup final. So did you arrive with a good level of confidence?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: As you just said, the confidence I have is that I'm always present when I play a Grand Slam. When I feel good physically, I know that whatever the results I had before, I'm a solid, robust player in that type of competition. It's clearly a different sport, because the matches are much longer and it's all different. My approach to matches is totally different, strangely enough. So for me it's not such a big surprise.

Q. Aren't you fresh from a physical and psychological perspective this year?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Well, there is one thing for sure. I want to win. I want to win as many matches as possible. It's been a while since I stopped playing or I have not been playing my best tennis, so I'm hungry. My main concern is to play good tennis.

Q. After the match you said you'd have to work on minimizing your weak points. What exactly were you talking about? Is it a specific shot?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, this is what I'm working on with my coaches. I won't say more, but clearly my objective -- well, I think I have my strong shots. I have my weaknesses. One of my biggest weaknesses is to lose focus sometimes. To me, what I need to make progress on, I'm not gonna work trying to change my technique on volley or forehand or backhand. Of course, there are small things that I need to work on from time to time, and there are a few things that I need to improve, but what I can improve most is the way I manage matches.

Q. Given everything that happened over the last few months, don't you think there is a bit of pride for you?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: There is always pride. Is it justified pride? I don't know. But when I come here in Paris at Roland Garros, I want to prove to everyone that I'm a good tennis player and that I mostly want to fight for the top matches, for the top places. So pride, call it whatever, when I'm here I want to be in the forefront.

Q. Coming back to when you served for the match in the third and in the fourth set, at 5-4 you were slightly nervous in the third set, and you won the game very easily in the fourth. So having this one-minute rest in the fourth set and playing on your serve, was it a bit of a stress for you?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, the problem is that sometimes I don't think enough. I have to use my brain. I know how to use my brain, but sometimes I forget. But in the fourth set I was managing the game much better, because I had the experience of the third and I thought, okay, you're not going to do the same thing again. So it went fine, but you're right. Sometimes you're caught in the game, and you don't think about the right things. There you go. That's how you miss a game.
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