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QATAR EXXONMOBIL OPEN

January 6, 2017

Fernando Verdsasco

Doha, Qatar

N. DJOKOVIC/F. Verdasco

4-6, 7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What went wrong in the second set? You had break points, 4-All, and then the tiebreaker. What according to you, I mean, got your nose?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: I mean, it's tough to lose against someone so important like Novak having the match so close.

Honestly, thinking about how was the break points, how was the match points in the tiebreak, and honestly, I don't think that I really played that bad or I didn't play bad at all.

I think that it just didn't come my way. The three I had with my serve, I serve good. He just return deep. I tried to change the direction. Two of them, one I hit with the frame and the second one it went wide for a little bit, but it was a good play and how I think I should do, no?

It's just that sometimes doesn't happen. It's tough of course because then you lose that set and everything is very tough mentally.

Also, he gets a lot of confidence, and at the end, that moments, it's not easy to be on top of the game again, no? So of course I'm sad more than disappointed because I think that I tried everything. I played good the whole week. I gave all from my side to try to make the best tournament here as possible in Doha.

I cannot say anything more that.

Q. Do you use data for your matches on your opponents? Do you use that or do you just go out and play and just do your own thing? Does your coach study stuff about your opponents?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: I have been on the tour for 14 years. I know my opponents normally pretty well. I play against them for many times. Novak, this was the 13th I think we played against each other.

And like him, with normally all of them I have played many times. It's a little bit tougher when you play against a player that's maybe new on the tour and you don't know him that well and you never play him. That's the ones that you really have to look at videos to see how he plays.

But about these players, for example like Novak or Karlovic yesterday or like Goffin the day before, we played each other many times. We know each other. I'm sure that they know me also very well, so we know what to do against each other.

It's just, you know, if they have better days, not that good, and at the end it wins the one that takes these key points to his side and is more stable the whole match.

At the end, you know, almost all the matches here on tour are very even, and you have to be very focused from the first point to the last point. At the end, if you are not like that, you can lose with everybody.

So of course I like to watch tennis. Many times that I'm just in my house I put the TV and I watch tennis just because I like tennis. Also it helps me to of course see how other players play and study them.

But like I said before, we know each other pretty well. I know exactly what to do against each player.

Q. So of course now you must be disappointed, but you played really good in this tournament. You were very close to winning today's match. You played a really good match against Karlovic and Goffin. What kind of positive things do you take away from this tournament?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: It was a great week to start the year. I beat two top 20s, and I had No. 1 -- No. 2 in the world right now, but No. 1 almost for the last four years -- just one point away and four, five times -- I had five match points.

Like I said before, I was not able to make it finish, but I think that I played a really good tennis this whole week.

Of course right now I'm sad. At the end you don't want to lose like that against anyone, no matter the number of his ranking and no matter the name he has. You just go out there and give your best and try to win against anybody. When you have five match points, it's hard to lose after how well I played and how close I was. So that's pretty normal.

Of course for another side, I'm happy of the way I played, how I start the year, and hopefully it's going to help me to make a good year this 2017 in my career, make good tournaments.

Q. The question is not related to the game of today. We heard that you're based here in Doha now. Can we know a little bit more about it? Why did you take this decision? Is it an invitation from the Qatar Tennis Federation or you just decided to come and live here in Doha?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, I mean, I know this place since 2004 -- 2005, I'm sorry, I came here for the first time. It was I can say pretty different than it is right now.

But, you know, I made very good relationships. I have very good friends here. I'm a good friend of the Emir, Tamim, and also I'm a good friend of Nasser and many other people. Karim Alami, the tournament director, and many other people that are working in many things here.

And not only in the Qatar Tennis Federation, but also Bein Sports and also in Smash Tennis Academy. So I think it's a great place for me to be part of.

Also having friends by my side, it's so important that they support me. I think it's really good for me. I feel like home here. They make me feel like home here. That's what I really like, no? To be in one place, no?

So that's why I decide last year to come to Doha and have my residence here.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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