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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 14, 2017

Tomas Berdych

Wimbledon, London, England

R. FEDERER/T. Berdych

7-6, 7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Has Roger Federer just got kind of an X factor that doesn't seem to fade with age? There's also been a lot of interest in your trainers. There seems to be a picture of Novak Djokovic on the tongue. Why are you wearing those?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, first, I think you're pretty much right. I mean, I don't see anything that would indicate really Roger is getting older or anything like that. I mean, I think he's just proving his greatness in our sport. So I think that's all I can say about that. That's very simple.

The other question, yes, that's right. I'm wearing Novak shoes because the other shoes just doesn't fit well to me, so that's why I have to play in the shoes that they are fitting well and doesn't hurt my feets.

Q. In your words can you try to describe what it's like for you, what's happening with you when you play against a player like Federer?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, I don't know how much detail you want to go (smiling).

Yes, it's very difficult. I mean, as I said before, this guy doesn't really seems is getting any older or anything like that, or slowing down at all.

It's extremely difficult. I think I played really good tennis throughout the whole tournament. But, you know, I just unfortunately faced a guy that he's playing in his best. I think he's playing by far the best tennis right now.

Q. You had a few glimpses. How close did you feel like you got? Do you feel like you weren't too far away?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Close or far doesn't really matter. The score is important, and that shows pretty much straightforward.

Q. Do you think other players are going to do what Federer did, skip even a big tournament, to rest up for the ones where they have the best chances, especially as they get older?
TOMAS BERDYCH: I don't know. How should I know? I'm not going to decide for them, so I have no idea what the other guy's going to do.

Q. Just watching, it seemed like you switched tactics halfway through the second set, going for bigger shots? Is that right? If not, talk about any adjustments you made during the match.
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, yeah, I was trying to find my way. So whatever was possible to do, then I was trying to do so. Also trying to come up little bit more to the net.

But obviously it's very, very difficult. I mean, Roger doesn't give you any rhythm at all. I mean, he's playing barely with any mistakes. You know, he was controlling the game pretty well. I mean, even those two sets in the tiebreak, I was still the one facing couple more breakpoints down.

Even so, I had a little chance here and there. Then great serves come up from him, stuff like that. So it's just showing how well he's playing right now.

Q. You mentioned a couple times that he doesn't show his age. Would you expect a player his age to show some signs of abilities being reduced a little bit?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Of course. If you look at the other guys who are 35, 36, I think you can very clearly see that the age and the years on tour are affecting them.

But not with him. He's doing the things very right way. I mean, you have to be unique one for that. It's not just that, okay, you're going to take a half year rest. If I take a half year rest without a tournament, I don't have to come back. Things doesn't work like that for everyone.

It's very nice that he's proving that this is the ideal way. But it just doesn't work for everybody.

Q. How was the match compared to the match in Miami?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, in Miami I went really without any chance from a set and the beginning of the second set, then all of a sudden I just got a break, and somehow I was able to hold it up. When you play just best-of-three sets, it's a completely different story. It's just winning a set, then you get one set close. All of a sudden it's a chance to win.

Here when you win a set, you have one close, it's nice, but it's not enough. It was two completely different matches.

Q. You've been thereabouts in slams so many times. How hard is it to keep believing?
TOMAS BERDYCH: On one hand it is hard. On the other one, it's a part of the sport what I'm doing. I'm still fully committed to be around and trying to fight for the results. So then I don't really see it as a big deal.

I mean, it's a part of it. Same thing if somebody said they doesn't like to travel. Okay, you can play in your country. I don't know how many tournaments can be there, but it's impossible.

That's really a part of the sport. It's part of the game. It's not only that you have to go train, that you have to go recovery or stuff like that. This is also a big part of that. You have to put all those little things together.

Q. If the tennis gods came up to you and said that you're such a great player, please tell us one weakness of Roger Federer, what would you say?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, yeah, that's a good one actually (smiling).

First of all, I don't believe for these things, so it's hard to say. The other one, probably it would be Roger who would come and ask me for that. Then, yeah, there was a good point, it's challenging.

Q. Do you think Roger is better than he was in 2010?
TOMAS BERDYCH: I don't like these kind of questions. Sorry, guys. There is no way to prove this, if we can measure it, if he's better or not. He's playing just too good.

Q. You've seen him years ago, you see him now. Do you see any hint of any diminishing abilities or is he just as good as he was years ago?
TOMAS BERDYCH: I think he's just proving it hundred percent. He played one slam, he won it. He's playing second, he's in the final. I don't really see anything what you guys trying to find something, but so far it's not there.

Q. Why did you wear the shoes of Djokovic?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Did you came late?

Q. I came late, yeah.
TOMAS BERDYCH: I was just saying that the other models doesn't fit my feets, and it hurts. That's why I have to wear this.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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