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COUPE ROGERS

August 12, 2015

Vasek Pospisil

MONTREAL, QUEBEC

J. ISNER/V. Pospisil
7‑6, 4‑6, 6‑3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Just about the Canadian pride and being the last man standing, last Canadian standing, did that not weigh into your thinking at all? Did you give it a passing notice?
VASEK POSPISIL: Yeah, I mean, I was aware of it. But, you know, it didn't really change much in terms of my motivation or the pressure or anything like that. I wanted to have a great tournament from day one when I got here. So I'm equally disappointed now than I would have been even if there were other Canadians in.
Being the last one for me, that doesn't change much for me. I just wanted to have a great tournament. And it was still a positive tournament for me. I had a good first round. I played a good match today. John played well, served well. He's confident. He's just kind of in that period right now where he's not thinking on the court. That's kind of where every player wants to be.
He's won a lot of matches the last couple weeks. Credit to him for playing a good match, for sure. Yeah, at the same time it was still fun playing out there in front of the crowd, still really special being out there. Even winning my first round on the National Bank court, it was a moment I still cherish. Even walking off the court after the defeat, which was tough, for sure, you know, still an incredible crowd, the support. The atmosphere was great.
Yeah, I mean, I'll look forward to coming back, for sure.

Q. How do you compare just the way the matches last week and this week went? What would be different about the two matches?
VASEK POSPISIL: Actually, they're a little bit similar in the sense where I came off the bat starting both matches, I didn't serve up to my abilities. The conditions were very similar. Played at night there. Heavy balls just like tonight.
Like I said, I don't think that really goes into my favor playing against John. It gives him a little bit more time on the return. His serve is equally, you know, efficient in slow conditions as it is on fast. With his height and serve in general, it doesn't really seem to have a surface where it's not effective.
For me it was tough. I feel like I didn't serve that well. Yeah, it was a similar situation to Washington. I think I played better. I competed well in both matches, for sure. I competed well tonight, as well. Just, you know, he came up big on the breakpoints in the third set. Yeah, just a couple points here and there.

Q. What was the difference? In the first set you came back, disappointment after losing the tiebreaker, I think you came up with four aces. What was the difference in the second set when you came back?
VASEK POSPISIL: Well, definitely my physiology was good right from the beginning. The first set I had a bad start and just kind of maybe gave him a little bit of confidence right from the beginning. Not the kind of start you want to have. Maybe that carried over the rest of the set.
Took a break, went to the bathroom, calmed down a little bit as well. Just came out fighting for every point, trying to get deep into his service game. I was able to break early. Yeah, I kind of carried the momentum the rest of that set, into the third.
You know, the third set, he played well. He served great. I mean, as I said, even from the baseline he was playing quite well. You could tell he didn't have any hesitations. Just a sign of somebody that's won a lot of matches. Yeah, it was just tough.

Q. On either of those breakpoints in the third set, did you think there was something you could have done differently there?
VASEK POSPISIL: Well, I think he aced me both times. You know, maybe just guess the right way next time (smiling).
But, no, honestly, it was tough. A little bit of a chess match at that point because I know that he's going to come up with a big serve, he always does. I always have to guess in the right spot and still take the opportunity.
But he came up with two great serves in spots that I wasn't expecting him to go. I thought he would go more to his comfortable side.
But, you know, he serves well in every direction, every box. You never really know where he's going to go. You just kind of have to go with the feeling of the match. Yeah, I mean, unfortunately for me he came up with two great serves when he needed to.
When he missed his first serve, I felt pretty good on the second serve. I was winning quite a few points on his second serve. His first‑serve percentage was so high tonight, it was really difficult to have too many opportunities.

Q. Are you playing the qualifiers for Cincinnati this weekend?
VASEK POSPISIL: Yeah, I'm leaving tomorrow.

Q. Health‑wise, have you progressed since you came back in Atlanta, Washington and here? Any kind of setbacks from playing here?
VASEK POSPISIL: No, I'm feeling pretty good physically. You know, a couple things, couple issues, but nothing dramatic. Just things I need to kind of heal, but...

Q. When is the last time you had no issues at all?
VASEK POSPISIL: When is the last time I had no issues? Well, Wimbledon, I guess, after the first round until the fourth, then I had an issue again (smiling).
THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. I imagine you're very disappointed. The match was extremely tight.
VASEK POSPISIL: Of course I'm disappointed. It was tough. I was playing well, but he had a lot of confidence and he was playing well. The difference was just a few points here and there.
It's a pity, but that's how it is.

Q. The sixth game of the third set was a turning point. What happened with your game?
VASEK POSPISIL: You mean the game where he broke me?

Q. Yes, the sixth game.
VASEK POSPISIL: Yeah, it was tough. I believe the conditions were more favorable for him. It was very heavy. With his serve, it's better for him.
I didn't serve very well. But it happens often to me in such conditions. So when the balls are very heavy, it's good for him because he has more time to return and to move around. His game is not very explosive. When the courts are faster, it's not good for him.
So today the conditions were better for him than for me. But I also had my chances. It was a very tight match. Just a few points here and there. It's normal to have ups and downs in a match like this. It happened to me in the third set. I made some mistakes. But he played well, too.
After I had a breakpoint in the next game, but then he hit two aces. He was mixing up his serve very well. He served well and played well.

Q. But you are proud of the battle you had tonight. It was very tight. You can come out being proud of this tournament.
VASEK POSPISIL: Well, yes, I'm proud of fighting. But I never give up. When the match is tight, it's tough. Of course, I would be disappointed if I hadn't fought back after losing the first set. In the first game, I was a bit nervous. I started off very poorly the match. After, I started playing better.
He played well. You could see he had a lot of confidence. His game is not very physical. If he's tired, it's not that important. What is important for him is to be confident. Clearly, he was very confident today. He never gave up. He was solid. Maybe more solid than the last points I played.

Q. What made the difference tonight in your game?
VASEK POSPISIL: Honestly, not much. Maybe the serve. I think overall in the match he had a 33% stat for his serve. In the first set it was 85%, so it was tough. He served well all throughout the match. I didn't serve as well as he did. That is an important factor.
If I had played him during the day, it would have been more favorable for me, for sure. As I said, when it's faster, he has less time to return and to move around. His serve is the same. It makes no difference if it's daytime or nighttime for his serve. So tonight was better conditions for him.
But that's normal. That's tennis. Sometimes it's better for you, sometimes it's better for your opponent. It was not for me today.

Q. You were the last Canadian player in the draw. Was that an extra pressure?
VASEK POSPISIL: Not an extra pressure. I had enough pressure already. But I like that kind of pressure. It's a pleasure for me to play in the Rogers Cup here in Montréal. So it didn't change match. From the start I wanted to play a good tournament. I was happy I won the first match. Now, of course, I'm disappointed. But I need to see the positive side.
I'm playing well right now. I just need to be patient and keep going.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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