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OLYMPIC GAMES RIO 2016: TENNIS

August 14, 2016

Juan Martin Del Potro

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

A. MURRAY/J. Del Potro
7‑5, 4‑6, 6‑2, 7‑5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It's been a very good tournament for you. Your thoughts about the performance level you achieved during this week and what it means going forward. A lot of people seem excited about your form.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I didn't expect to do like this. When I saw the draw, saw my first opponent will be Djokovic, I say, Okay, it's going to be a short tournament for me.
But in the end of the day, it's an honor to play the No.1 of the world always, and I did a great match at the beginning of the tournament. Then I keep winning every day. The crowd made me cry every night. I think that was the key to keep going and never give up.
Today I made a great final. But Andy deserve to win in the end.

Q. Could you talk a little bit about playing in this kind of atmosphere with all the songs, the crowd. How was it for you to live this experience?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, it was like a dream. I never see something like that in other courts, in other tournaments. The crowd make something special with me all week. And also the Brazilian fans was cheering for me with too much respect. That's strange. I think the people make a fantastic tournament. They deserve to see good tennis from us.

Q. You've been an escape artist this week, escaping Djokovic, Nadal, the elevator at the Olympic Village. Did you just run out of steam? Did you think you were going to escape this, too?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No. I want to escape from here, I'm so tired (laughter). Too many things in only one week.
But this will be for the rest of my life on my mind. I never thought something like that at the beginning of the tournament. It's even bigger, like a dream. Now I got a silver medal, which means a (goal/gold?) for me. I cannot believe I will bring another medal for my country.

Q. You've obviously played tough matches, sometimes consecutive days. Do you feel ready to go back to the tour and play a regular schedule, more than what you have been doing recently?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, my best goal is trying to finish the year healthy, without problems with my wrist. I'm doing a smart schedule already. I will play a few more tournaments.
After this, I think I have enough tennis for a while (laughter).

Q. Could you talk a little bit more about how fatigued you were during the match. You were bending over several times. It felt like you were also drawing from the crowd to keep you going.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I cannot describe how I did tonight. For sure, the crowds make me run all the time, one more ball. I never give up because of them, because I saw my team, I saw all the Argentinian people who came to watch me in the finals. My country was behind me watching on TV. I felt all of these things on court. That's why I tried to never give up and fight until the end point.

Q. When you were up 5‑3 in the fourth set, you were already quite exhausted. Since the end of the third set, you looked tired. Did you feel you could make it? If you were going to a fifth set, did you feel you could still do it, or it was almost impossible?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No, I always been positive trying to win the match, for sure. But against Andy, you never know if you're going to win your serve because he returns unbelievable. The crowds make me run all the time, but I never feel like, Okay, I will win the match for sure. Andy was playing really well in important moments. He has experience to put the ball in in that moments.
He deserved to win because he were smarter than me in the end of all of the sets.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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