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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 10, 2017

Milos Raonic

Wimbledon, London, England

M. RAONIC/A. Zverev

4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It's a very important question. Who is going to win the Nadal-Muller match?
MILOS RAONIC: I don't know.

Q. What is the score going to be in the last set?
MILOS RAONIC: Do you want to be there watching instead of being in here, but you have an obligation?

Q. How pleased are you with the grit you showed today?
MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, that was the most important thing. There was a lot of moments where it didn't look necessarily to be going my way. I just tried to stick around, tried to show in a way that I just wanted it badly, if not more. It paid off.

Q. What do you think was the turning point in that match for you, if you could nail down one game or one point?
MILOS RAONIC: Well, that game to break in the fourth was important at 5-6. Then I just got a little bit on a ride after that. He sort of dropped off a bit.

Q. What about the four games you lost in the second?
MILOS RAONIC: That was also important. But then he was controlling after that in the third. So I think there was quite a few momentum shifts throughout the match.

But I guess that last one was the one that I sort of rode the longest.

Q. Would you say that in the fifth set your experience took over, made a difference?
MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, I think so. I think it's definitely a part of it. Experience and just I've been in that situation definitely more times than he has. It just came together nicely for me.

Q. You just spoke about experience. What do you think will help you most in facing Roger Federer from both the physical and the mental side?
MILOS RAONIC: I think it's just really about taking it one step at a time. Roger's been the best player I think this year, hands down, when he's been on court. But it's not about six months or whatnot, it comes down to Wednesday, one day. So I just got to try to find a way to try to be better on that day.

Q. What do you take from previous matchups with him?
MILOS RAONIC: A little bit of strategy. But I don't think it really means much. It's far removed from the last time we played. Things are a little bit different sort of in terms of momentum for both of us.

It's just about going out there and trying to really put together a good match.

Q. I think it's fair to say you haven't started well in almost all your matches here. Do you have any explanation for that?
MILOS RAONIC: I think just maybe lack of matches, this kind of thing, it's taken me a few moments to really get settled in, sort of dialed down on what's important, what's going to get me through to win.

Q. Any chance you would watch a tape of last year's match here against Roger?
MILOS RAONIC: Probably not. I'll watch more what he's been doing over this period of time rather than that specific match.

Q. When he had the five-year drought between majors, then won in Australia, what went through your mind about his accomplishment?
MILOS RAONIC: I thought it was quite impressive, the way he did it, at what stage in his career he did it, all these kind of things. When you put together the storyline, it was sublime.

You know, he did it by going out there and playing the best tennis. He was playing more aggressive than he had over the last few years. He was doing it well, taking time away from guys, making guys feel uncomfortable, without much hesitation.

You could see he had an ease, a comfort, through experience, but also he's done and accomplished a lot of things. He's just trying to make the most of every single match. He really seems to be enjoying that.

I don't think there's anybody that you look at their face when they're playing that enjoys tennis as much as Roger.

Q. What do you consider to be his place in history?
MILOS RAONIC: At the top.

Q. When an opponent, as today, seems not to fear your serve, seems to have found a way to nullify it as he did in the first set, what does that leave you in terms of the adjustments you have to make strategically?
MILOS RAONIC: It's about mixing up the serve. I sort of played into what he wanted to see, what he was prepared for. I kept going around him too much. He's got a long wingspan. I sort of kept going too much at the same speeds.

It's about just keep mixing it up. I think I have a great ability with my serve. If the other guy isn't able to get into a rhythm, it's going to be not a fun day for the other person. I've got to always be looking at it from that perspective.

Q. Sometimes do you think about the last final here in Wimbledon or not, is the past?
MILOS RAONIC: Not really. Not really so much any more. It's given me a lot of fuel, motivation and everything. But tennis moves on to quickly. There's been too many slams since. There's been too many matches, good ones, bad ones. Too many injuries. It feels like it was more than a year ago.

Q. How do you feel about your game now compared to a year ago?
MILOS RAONIC: I feel like as a shot-for-shot player I'm better. I just feel like I'm still sort of trying to find that rhythm that I had last year, playing a lot of matches consistently.

It doesn't mean it can't come, but I've just got to be sharp each and every point during the next match.

Q. Win or lose, when you play Roger, maybe the greatest player here at Wimbledon, do you have a sense that someday you'll always remember these matches?
MILOS RAONIC: I thought that early on in my career, yeah. But to be honest with you, I don't remember many matches, like standout matches. I remember what happened, scores, what I did or didn't do well. But there's not many matches that I remember with a fondness of, I was so happy, it was a miracle to be there that day.

I guess it's always because I'm looking forward. Maybe one day when I don't have any more tennis-wise to look forward to, I'll have a different sight line of it.

Q. A very penetrating question. Nadal is down two match points -- oh, he's lost. How many pairs of shoes do you have and what would your strategy be if you had to go that long in the final set?
MILOS RAONIC: I'll call, tell somebody from my box to go home and pick up some more.

Q. How many reserves do you have with you?
MILOS RAONIC: I have two pairs every three sets.

Q. Did you use them all today in three?
MILOS RAONIC: Yes.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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