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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 12, 2017

Sam Querrey

Wimbledon, London, England

S. QUERREY/A. Murray

3-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How big a deal is it for you to defeat Andy today?
SAM QUERREY: I mean, it's a really big deal. For me, it's my first semifinal. To beat Andy, to have it be at Wimbledon, was even a little more special.

Just it was an incredible match. I'm just so happy right now.

Q. During the match, it became clear to people watching that Andy was having trouble moving. I'm sure you saw it. How much did you consciously try to take advantage, move him around?
SAM QUERREY: Not at all really. I kind of noticed it a little bit from the beginning. But I just kind of stayed with my game. I tried to play aggressive and keep swinging after the ball. I didn't want to alter my game and try to get into those cat-and-mouse points, because that's where he's really good. I just kept my foot down and just kept trying to pound the ball.

Q. This is the second year in a row you've knocked off the No. 1 player here. Now it also, with Cilic winning, means that somebody from outside of the big four will be in the final. What are your thoughts on the possibility that a non-big four player, and you especially, will be holding the trophy at the end?
SAM QUERREY: That's still a ways away. I'm going to focus on the semifinal match. Marin is ranked, like, 5. He's right outside of the big four. That's going to be a tough one.

We'll see. Anything can happen. Roger's playing great right now. Novak is finding his form. So maybe it will happen, but I'm literally just worried about the next round. If it gets to the final, we'll see what happens.

Q. You said before this match you wanted to get those emotions back, that feeling back, from beating Novak last year. How would you describe those emotions and perhaps relate it to today?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, it was similar. I mean, I was probably a little more fired up today, especially in the fourth and fifth sets. You know, there's a little more on the line.

It was similar to last year, honestly. But this year just feels a little better than last year.

Q. I read that your parents weren't here today but are coming for the semi.
SAM QUERREY: They might. I talked to my dad. I think they're going to look at some flights and probably head over.

Q. Had you anticipated being here this long, where you're staying? How confident were you of getting to the second Friday?
SAM QUERREY: I mean, honestly, probably didn't write that in. I knew I could make the second week. I'm comfortable on the grass. I like playing at Wimbledon. It's been a dream tournament so far. Hopefully I can keep it going and go one round further.

Q. The match starts, and obviously it's so early, but you lose the first seven points. Is there an internal conversation that allows you to reset, take a breath, regroup, or is it just so early?
SAM QUERREY: It was early. I needed that one point because I was aware I lost seven points in a row. I didn't want to lose eight, then have him serve, probably lose 12. That was on my mind (smiling).

I was a little nervous at first when we got out there. I had a little bit of a shaky game, my first service game. But then, you know, when I broke back in the second, kind of took a deep breath, settled in a little bit. As the match kept going, I just felt more and more confident, more and more like I belonged.

Q. That's three rounds that's gone to five sets. Are you starting to feel it in your legs at all? Are you worried that tiredness might affect you on Friday?
SAM QUERREY: No, I feel pretty good. Five-setters on grass usually aren't as physical as they are on a clay court or a hard court. I'm not sure our match time today, but it probably wasn't three hours.

I feel good. My body feels great. Get a day off, which helps. I don't think it will be an issue.

Q. Is there a tricky art to playing somebody you know is - you all hurt somewhere - but a tricky art to playing somebody who is not quite up to normal standard of movement at all? Have you learned through the years? Did you ever mismanage a case like that?
SAM QUERREY: No, not really. I mean, for the most part I just try to worry about what I'm doing. I don't want to alter my game that much or change things up based on what the other guy is doing or how the other guy is feeling. I just try to block it out and just focus on my game and do the things I work on in practice.

Q. Can you put us in your head a little bit and tell us how you were feeling right after you lose the breaker, you're down two sets to one?
SAM QUERREY: I was a little bummed. I didn't feel like I played a great breaker. I missed four returns. I think I maybe made one first serve. So it wasn't the cleanest breaker ever for me.

After I lost that, I knew I was in a little bit of a hole. I think fortunately I broke, like, the third game or second game in the fourth set. That kind of got me going again. I think if we would have traded holds, kind of got deeper in the fourth, I would have felt a little more pressure maybe. The fact that I kind of got an early break really helped. Really kind of got me going, gave me a little momentum again.

Q. Boynton told me he's worked with you 18 or 20 months. What effect has it had on you, what you feel you've changed, how important it's been?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, I mean, CB, as we call him, works with me and Stevie. It's been a great fit so far. I can't think of, like, one thing in particular that he's changed. We work on a ton of things.

When I'm on court, I'm trying to stay positive, stay levelheaded, committing to a certain style of game, kind of like I've mentioned out here. Even though Andy was hurt, I was trying to play aggressive, when the ball is there to be hit, hit it. He's kind of good about implementing that into my game, matches, getting me to stick with that game style.

Q. Sometimes it's not easy playing against someone who is hurt. It can make you a little tense. Have you had that before and this was better?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, uhm, it can be tricky. I mean, you just do what you can. You try not to look at the other guy and literally just focus on what you do.

Q. Were your folks around to see your match against Novak last year?
SAM QUERREY: They were, yeah.

Q. Were there any communications before this match, Maybe we should be there?
SAM QUERREY: No. I mean, I obviously text them, call them all the time. They were actually in Europe for a couple weeks, flew home a week before the tournament started. But they might come back now.

You know, I'm sure they would love to be here today. Sometimes you don't want to ruin the mojo, whatever's going on. But I think they're going to come out for the next one.

Q. You know how tough it's been for American men's tennis for a long time. Talk about how happy you are in terms of its impact on American tennis.
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, I mean, American tennis isn't that bad. I know it kind of gets a bad rep. That's just 'cause guys don't win majors. We've got four guys in the top 30, a great group of young guys.

To be in the semis is great. Hopefully myself and the other guys up there can have more weeks like this. Hopefully, you know, American tennis will get a little boost from this maybe, and other guys will gain some confidence, and we can just have more and more guys go deeper in slams.

Q. Obviously not one of the top four players, so sometimes people are like, Who is this face, even though you're not new. If somebody said who is Sam Querrey to you, how would you describe yourself?
SAM QUERREY: I'm ranked 26, pretty good grass court player. That's about it.

Q. That's it?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, I don't know.

Q. Do you think looking at the way Andy was playing it would be sensible for him to take a break for a little bit?
SAM QUERREY: You know, I don't know. He's got his team. He's going to do what's best for him. He's ranked No. 1 in the world. He's been at the top for so long. He knows how to manage his schedule really well. Whatever he does I'm sure is going to be the right decision.

Q. Two days ago we were talking about playing Andy on his home court. You said it would be fun or interesting to see what happens. Did you get the feeling like it was you against the world out there, or just another tennis match?
SAM QUERREY: No, it's not like that. I mean, I think sometimes when you play in places like South America, it's a little more intense. But the fans out there, yeah, they're mostly behind Murray, but I felt like they were cheering for my good shots, too. It's a highly intelligent tennis crowd on Centre Court here. For the most part they were cheering for good tennis, good points.

Obviously the crowd's behind him, but I didn't feel like it was me against everyone.

Q. This is your 42nd Grand Slam tournament and your first-ever semifinal. Did you doubt you'd ever make it this far?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, probably. I mean, last year definitely kind of gave me a new boost that I could do it. But there have been times in my career where I definitely thought, if I had to bet, am I going to make a semi, I probably would have gone no.

Now that I made the quarters last year, and semis here, I'm feeling confident. I think I can go even a little further.

Q. How proud are you of what you achieved?
SAM QUERREY: Really proud. It's an exciting moment. Not many people get to play tennis professionally, let alone play at Wimbledon, play on Centre Court, play against Andy Murray. It's something that few people get to do, so it's really special.

Q. Did you feel that Andy's deterioration of his physical problems was really acute in the fourth and fifth sets? On a scale of injured players you've played against, did he seem quite an extreme problem? For us Brits, we thought he was staggering around the place.
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, I mean, you're British. He kind of does that a lot sometimes. Even when he's feeling healthy, sometimes he can limp around.

I think it was a combination of both. He was maybe feeling it a little more and I was gaining some confidence. Once you kind of go up a break in the fourth, go up a break in the fifth, I'm kind of playing with house money at the time. I can be more aggressive. I'm feeling better. My shots are going in a little more.

As an injured player, you start to kind of hurt a little more. The pendulum swings both ways.

Q. How does it feel to just dash the hopes of an entire nation?
SAM QUERREY: He's won the tournament before. Like, it's not -- it would be one thing if they hadn't had a champion in 80 years and he lost. But I don't feel like I just ruined the hopes of every British person out there. Everyone needs to take a little chill pill. It's fine.

Q. You changed the top line results of your career these last two years. How much better do you feel of what you just accomplished in your career with these two runs? How much does it change your satisfaction?
SAM QUERREY: It changes it a bunch. I mean, before last year, having never made the quarters of a slam, was kind of a bummer. I felt like I was a good enough player to have that, I guess, piece checked off. Now to do it back-to-back years, make a semi, it's extra toppings on top of the career. It feels great. Hopefully there will be a little more.

Q. You'll now face Cilic. What do you remember from your rather lengthy encounter with him here? What do you think for you will be the key in that match? Might it be as much strategy being in your first Grand Slam semifinal?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah I lost to him 16-14 in the fifth years back. I lost to him 6-4 in the fifth in 2009. I lost to him 6-4 in the third at Queen's. I've had some tough grass court losses to him.

I'm sure my coach Craig will look at those results, tweak a thing or two. I haven't talked to him yet about it.

I mean, yeah, part of it's mental, part of it's physical. I'm going to go out there and try to keep doing what I've been doing these last five matches, and hopefully that will be good enough to win.

Q. What is it you do for hobby outside tennis? Do you have time to relax after tennis?
SAM QUERREY: I mean, I'll ride my bike around, I'll hang out with my friends, go to concerts. I like other sports. I'll watch football, baseball, basketball, those kind of things.

Q. Obviously you're not crossing the finish line here. How do you temper the excitement of this moment and keep focused on your ultimate goal?
SAM QUERREY: You know, I don't really know. This is the first time I've been in the situation. I'm still pretty excited. I think it helps we get a day off tomorrow so you have a day to kind of relax, wind down, actually hit some tennis balls again before you go out on the stage and play the semifinal match.

Just going to keep my routine what I've done the last nine or ten days, and hopefully that will work.

Q. Back in the States there's going to be all this bloom of expectations. Will you do anything, like staying off the social media, to sort of buffer yourself from that a little bit?
SAM QUERREY: Not really. I mean, it's not like tennis is the most popular sport in America. This isn't the NBA championships or anything.

No, I'll keep doing what I do. I'm not a big social media guy. I don't have Twitter.

Q. Don't have Twitter at all?
SAM QUERREY: No. Hang out, talk to my friends, keep it at that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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