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WIMBLEDON

July 4, 2016

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

London, England

J. TSONGA/R. Gasquet
4‑2 (ret.)

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously it's not the way you'd want to win against a friend of yours. Can you tell us what happened?
JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Of course it's not the way I want to win this match at all. I wish I can win differently. But today, it's part of the game. I will be able to play quarterfinals. So for me it's something positive.
But, of course, for Richard, it's very sad. And even for me because I'm supposed to be with him maybe next week in Davis Cup, and it's going to be maybe tough to play if he's got something.
So, yeah, I wish I can win differently.

Q. After such a long match before, I suppose it's good for you that you got extra time to rest ahead of your next match?
JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, of course, of course. It's good for me. Everything is good for me today. To play quarterfinal, it's a good feeling, honestly, because I had some bad days at the start of the season. To play quarterfinal here in Wimbledon is good for me.
Then, yeah, yesterday was difficult. But today I was really fit to play five sets if I had to.

Q. You have Andy possibly next, if he wins. You've had a bit of a tough record against him. What makes you think maybe you can turn the tide this time?
JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: You know, that's why tennis is great. Two days ago I was 5‑All in the third set, 15‑40 against me, two sets to love down, and I came back. I'm still alive in this tournament.
So everything can happen in tennis. I know that. I'm also very confident on my capacity to play great tennis and beat players like Andy.

Q. What do you admire most about Andy's game and what is the biggest challenge for you in it?
JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: For me the biggest challenge is, of course, to break him because I know I'm able to keep my serve. But, to be honest, all the times I played him, I didn't broke him enough. It's going to be the key.

Q. How do you go about it?
JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: How will I do that? With my racquet (laughter).

Q. You mentioned that you and Richard have Davis Cup coming up, that you hope he's okay. What did he tell you about the issue?
JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: About Richard?

Q. Yes.
JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, I saw him in the locker room after the game. We came back together. He was not able to hold his back. Yeah, so it's maybe something serious. I don't know exactly what is it, but probably something serious.

Q. Did you have any idea at all before the match that he wasn't feeling well?
JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Not at all. Not at all. When you are tennis player, you always hope it's going to be okay. Even if you have something sometimes, you go on the court and you see how you feel, how the match goes. Sometimes the pain is too high and you're not able to play.
But sometimes the pain is okay and you support it and you play and you win.

Q. With Djokovic losing for the first time in a long time, Andy is now the favorite for the tournament. Do you think any extra pressure on his shoulders might help you?
JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: To be honest, I don't think he's got a lot of pressure. I mean, he won here already. He won the Olympic Games. He won US Open. He won so many tournament. I think he's feeling good in his body today.
He doesn't feel the pressure at all. Everything is bonus for him, I think. If I was him, it will be bonus, for sure.

Q. If you do play Andy, do you get on with him in the locker room? Are you close with him off the court?
JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, it's somebody I like. He's always nice I would say with all the players in the locker room. Nothing to say special. We have good relationship.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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