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WIMBLEDON

July 3, 2016

Juan Martin Del Potro

London, England

L. POUILLE/J. Del Potro
6‑7, 7‑6, 7‑5, 6‑1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I just wonder how you felt playing again like that this Wimbledon. How you felt playing like that, after your injuries.
JUAN MARTIN del POTRO: Well, I'm feeling well just to be playing tennis again after almost three years. That means a lot for me. But now in this situation, it's tough to say something positive, because I just lost a really tough match. And I also have a few chances to win.
But anyways, of course I got frustrations, I feel sad for my loss. But in the end that means I'm still having the fire on myself, and that's good.

Q. How did you prepare physically and mentally coming to Wimbledon?
JUAN MARTIN del POTRO: Well, I'm so glad to have the chance to play tennis again. I want to be better in the future.
But I know it's a very long road to get better and get 100%. One match for me means I have to prepare like mentally, physically, doing my treatments on the wrist like one month, you know. I feel like that.
And after the match I got exhausted in every match. I don't have many times, too much time to recover between matches after Wawrinka.
But anyways, Pouille is a great player. He's 30 player in the world, and I'm not losing against no one, you know.

Q. Just talk us through the match. What in particular was troubling you with his game?
JUAN MARTIN del POTRO: I think he was really smart to play, because he came to the net all the time to my backhands, and I couldn't make passing shots.
And then sometimes he plays backhands down the line, and I don't know where he gonna shoot any time. I was expecting the cross backhand and then he plays it down the line. He played really well.
Anyways, I had my chance. I had a lot of chances to win in three sets or doing better. But these things happen because I'm not playing usually. This is my first Grand Slam after three years, and it's pretty normal to have this sensation, I think.
If I'm still smiling after this loss, that means I don't care about the match. And of course I wanted to win today, but I couldn't.

Q. You were one break up in both I think second and third set. Forgetting about the problems that you have with the backhand, of course, if you had served better in those two situations, you would have won in three sets, as you said. What was that? Tension also? Why you were unable to serve as you usually serve?
JUAN MARTIN del POTRO: Yeah, many things. I got tensions. I was nervous, as well. Normally, three years ago, I could close the match in three sets.
But now, what I said before, it's a different sensations for me, different present for me. And maybe if I'm still playing matches against the top guys and these things when I got the chance, I will close the match as I did few years ago. But you never know.
Anyways, he was really smart in all the times, and he had lucky in the second‑set tiebreak. Then he took the opportunity to win. He deserved the victory.

Q. You played consecutive weeks on grass before Wimbledon and here you got in consecutive matches, three days in a row. How do you feel physically? Are you pleased with the way your body has been holding up? Have you been able to think about where you're going to go next?
JUAN MARTIN del POTRO: Well, of course, as you can see I'm exhausted. I finish really, really tired this tournament. Yesterday was even worser than today.
My body is hurting everywhere, but that's normal after a big match against Wawrinka. I have to keep working hard, because in the future I will need to be ready between matches and feel better physically than today.
I'm not hurried to play better, I'm not hurried to grow up in the ranking. I'm just have to stay patient and keep working hard, trying to get better as soon as I can.

Q. Hopefully everything is fine with your wrist for the next year or so. Where would you sort of hope to be in terms of the way you're playing by this time next year?
JUAN MARTIN del POTRO: Well, hopefully be here, once again. I'm very confident, very positive with the situation. I already played three matches in this tournament against big players. I did a great match today against the 30th player in the world, and I was there very, very close to win that match.
So that's mean my level could be better in the end of the year or the next season, too. But I need to work hard my physically, my wrist, my backhands. Then I will be competitive in all surface and against all the players.

Q. Grigor told us yesterday he's not working anymore with Franc. Are you considering talking to Franco perhaps and starting to work with him again?
JUAN MARTIN del POTRO: No, I just started to work with Dani a few weeks ago.
I say to you before the tournament, I wish all the best to Franco, to Grigor. They are great persons, and both are very good professionals. They deserve to be better in the future, together or separate. But I wish all the best.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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