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U.S. OPEN

September 4, 2015

Fabio Fognini

New York, NY, USA

F. FOGNINI/R. Nadal

3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. 70 winners. It sounds crazy.
FABIO FOGNINI: Well, with Rafa you have to try that, because otherwise if you run -- he start running at the beginning and you finish at the end of the week. It's not easy.

Right now I can't tell you something more because was something incredible that I did today, I think. Is a really special win about the No. 1 on clay and he won two times here.

So really happy.

Q. What was the key to the match today for you?
FABIO FOGNINI: Well, I was starting to feel the ball really good, believe me. I lost that first set 6-3, but I was say in my mind, Okay, let's try, let's keeping working; do your tennis.

I went down a break. After come back on 4-4, I went 40-Love on that game and I lost incredible game. So was my fault. Even if I come back from break down, I was say, Okay, let's try. But two sets to zero against Rafa, maybe you have to go to Lourdes.

I went there tonight and everything was in a perfect way.

Q. You have beaten Rafa two times this year. Does it give you any confidence or belief?
FABIO FOGNINI: I mean, confidence or not confidence, you know if you want to play against him and if you want to do something different, you have to risk. That's the only thing.

Probably I make a lot of unforced errors, but it doesn't matter. You have to do that with a great player that run a lot on the baseline. He's one of the best player in the world.

Q. Was there a moment in the third or fourth set where you thought you could win this match?
FABIO FOGNINI: No, was not a moment. I was saying, Okay, keep working and try to do your best. In my mind I was feeling the ball really well, especially at the end of the fourth set. I make that incredible game with the backhand cross-court down the line. I broke him on, I don't remember, but, you know, fifth set was something different.

We play three, almost four hours; break back few times. I lost again incredible game on 4-3, 40-Love. On that game I think I went risk, but he was playing better than me.

On the other hand, on 4-4 again I was -- was incredible match for sure. It's 2:00 in the morning. I am really tired in the moment. I try to recovery as best I can.

Q. We saw you play in Argentina singles and doubles for Davis Cup, winning both. You're a great doubles player. You attack the net very well. You attacked the net 54 times and 72% of those times you won the point. Why do you think you're not getting so good results on hard courts, attacking the net more, not defining the points not necessarily from the baseline?
FABIO FOGNINI: That's a good question. But, you know, there's the statistic. Even if we lost the doubles yesterday with the match point, I feel good on the net.

I repeat again: with Rafa, you have to risk. You have to attack him when you have the chance. He is one of the best passing player in the world, if not the best.

That's what I think I was doing really well tonight.

Q. You've beaten him three times this year. You never beat him before this year. You played great in those matches. What do you think about his level this year compared to before?
FABIO FOGNINI: That's your work. I don't care if he's play better or bad. Only thing, you have to win against him. It's never easy for sure. I beat him three times, but, you know, it's just statistic.

I was saying three times, and all three times was something different on the game. Rio de Janeiro was 7-5 in the third and I was down set and break.

I was playing really good in Barcelona with two set.

I was playing really good also the final in Hamburg, even if I lost 7-5, 7-5. We played 2 hours and 40 minutes. It was a tough match.

Yeah, tonight, yeah. Maybe the victory of tonight is something different for sure.

Q. It looked like you injured something. You were limping a little bit. What happened? You were obviously able to recover.
FABIO FOGNINI: I hope, yeah, to recovery really well. I was a little bit tired sometimes. You know, when you start thinking with Rafa it's always difficult. Especially the fifth set when I went a break up three times, four times, I would say, Wow, I'm break up, so I have to do something different.

But he pushing all the time. Like try the best as you can.

Q. Ahead of the US Open you had a fairly rough year on the hard courts. Did you change anything?
FABIO FOGNINI: I mean, I start really bad the season. I was starting really bad at the beginning in Australia. I play well on clay on the second month of the year. I play really bad another time on Indian Wells and Miami.

But, you know, I was saying the first day that I came here, after play again really good on clay with the final against Rafa and two quarterfinal, I was feeling really well. I been playing really good, feeling on court really well.

I play only two matches, that's true. I play Monfils and I play Kokkinakis, but in two different way, for sure.

For sure with Kokkinakis I play high level, even if I lost. With Monfils I play really good the first set, 0-6, breakpoint won. Second set I was really tired because I was coming directly to Europe.

After Cincinnati I take two day off, recovery, start practice really hard four, five day of the week. I'm here for the first time in the fourth round.

Q. The argument that you have with Rafael Nadal in Hamburg this year, did it have an impact on your mind?
FABIO FOGNINI: It's not important.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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