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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 10, 2017

Sam Querrey

Wimbledon, London, England

S. QUERREY/K. Anderson

5-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Second year in a row you're in the quarters here. Feel like you're making progress? One more step and things will go great?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, it feels great. I mean, I love playing here. To go back-to-back quarters is exciting. It's obviously something I've never done before. Hopefully I can go one further this year.

Q. How would you describe the challenge of facing Andy Murray? You've played him eight times. He's gotten the better of you. Right now, with that crowd, with his game where it is, what's ahead for you?
SAM QUERREY: It's going to be tough. I mean, I've played him in the past. Like in Australia, many times before that. He's playing at a high level. He's defending champion. No. 1 in the world.

He loves playing here. The crowd is going to be behind him. But sometimes it's fun to go out there and play where the crowd is behind the other player 100%. I'm going to try to play aggressive, hopefully play well, and can sneak out a win.

Q. What do you think you've learned from previous matches with him, perhaps the most recent in Australia?
SAM QUERREY: I haven't really learned anything. He makes a ton of balls. He plays great defense. Who doesn't know that? You have to try to beat him playing my game. I know what's coming on the other side. Hopefully I can make that extra ball or close out a little harder at the net, try not to let him dictate with his defense.

Q. When you win long five-set matches, how does that build a momentum that you can draw on later?
SAM QUERREY: It feels good. I mean, the last two matches, you know, more than anything I felt like I kind of scrapped through at points. There have been times where I hit the ball better these last two matches, but I felt like I did a good job of hanging in there, hanging around, winning those tough breakpoints when I needed to. A lot of times you can get a lot of confidence from that more so than actually playing well.

Q. How much confidence can you take from the big win you obviously had over Novak last year? Is that relevant going into a match against another top guy here?
SAM QUERREY: I don't think so. I rarely draw on matches from the past. I've played Andy on Centre Court before. I've played really well at times this year. I'm just hoping I'm going to have a moment out there on Wednesday, you know, where I play great and play aggressive, have a high first-serve percentage, can challenge him.

You never know, hopefully get a win.

Q. Before the match against Kevin you said when you're facing a fellow big server, you have to focus on holding your own serve, not worry as much perhaps about playing against his serve. How is that flipped when you play with Andy?
SAM QUERREY: I've played him before where it feels like he makes every return in play. You know, I feel like against him, I'm going to try to probably be a little more aggressive on return games than I was against Kevin.

Against Kevin, he serves so big, you're trying to stab the ball in, kind of pray you're going to win the point after that. Against Andy, you'll get a few more shots to kind of find your rhythm, get into some points a little bit. I'm going to try to do that.

Also I'm going to try to be aggressive and keep the points short. That favors me. The longer the points go, probably the better chance he has to win.

Q. What is it like being the outsider to the party when the big four is working to make its way through, you are in the group aspiring to break that door down?
SAM QUERREY: I mean, it's nice. I just kind of quietly go through the draw on the outside courts. I'm pretty happy with it.

But if you're going to win a Grand Slam, you're going to have to go through at least one of those guys, probably more.

I've never looked at it that I'm in a group trying to take those guys down. I'm trying to go as far as I can in the tournament.

Q. Does it help you being slightly on the margin?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, possibly. I mean, it is nice sometimes if you can play a match on Centre Court that's a match that you're kind of expected to win. A lot of times I've played on Centre Court, but against Roger, against Murray. You kind of step out there and you're in such a big moment, it would be nice to go out there and play a qualifier on Centre Court, get your feet wet, kind of feel like the dominating player out there.

It makes it a little tricky as a guy like me, and pretty much everybody outside of 10 in the world, when you step on the main courts, usually the first time you do it, you're playing one of the guys that are top four in the world.

Q. Is there a comfort level you feel here at Wimbledon?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, it's more so just comfort on the grass. I like playing on the grass. But, you know, this is such a special tournament. It's my favorite tournament during the year. I love playing here. It's easy for me to get up, get excited, play well.

Q. This is Andy's 10th straight quarterfinal here. What do you think that says about him, behind the obvious talent, winning here twice, but that longevity?
SAM QUERREY: It's really impressive. I mean, I've done it twice in my life. He's done it 10 in a row here. I don't know how many times he's done it at the Australian Open and US Open and French Open, but I'm sure it's a lot more.

Him, Roger, Novak, who am I forgetting?

Q. Rafa.
SAM QUERREY: Rafa. All those guys, the longevity, they've literally had 10-plus years of making the quarterfinals of every Grand Slam it feels like. Any time you can dominate in a sport for a 10-year period, which you would say Andy has been doing since he's been at the top, is so impressive.

Q. Is there a sense this year he's slightly more vulnerable? He had a lot of injury and illness, a few shock losses.
SAM QUERREY: Maybe slightly. But a lot of times those shock losses seem to come early in events. He's played four matches now. I'm going to assume he's feeling good, feeling confident, ready to go.

Q. He has been limping. Have people been talking about that in the locker room?
SAM QUERREY: No. But everyone was talking about it 12 days ago, but he seems to be fine.

Q. It's a bit surprising when you see a guy limping through matches but still winning them.
SAM QUERREY: It seems like he's the guy over here. If a bee stings him, everybody is going to know about it. I think his hip was probably bugging him early, but he seems to be fine now.

Q. As an opponent, is that annoying at all?
SAM QUERREY: I mean, maybe. I've watched him play. I don't see a limp out there, so... If he does, so be it.

Q. How would you explain to someone in the States the scrutiny and the attention that Andy has over here that you witness during Wimbledon?
SAM QUERREY: I mean, it's like nothing that we have in the States. He is probably, I'm sure a couple of the football players are massive names, too, but he is arguably the biggest athlete over here. In the U.S. we have 10 athletes that are kind of, you would argue, on the same level.

The entire country seems like they watch Wimbledon. In the U.S., whether it's football, baseball, basketball, tennis, a lot of people watch, but it's not 100% of America watches even the Super Bowl. It feels like everyone watches Wimbledon here with Andy Murray.

Q. What would it be like to be in his shoes?
SAM QUERREY: I mean, it's cool. He's earned that position. I'm sure he feels some of the pressure sometimes. He's done an incredible job by backing it up and living up to and winning Wimbledon, winning the Olympics, being No. 1 in the world.

He's really accomplished all that a player can accomplish. Everything now is just like icing on the cake.

Q. Do you laugh at some of the stuff? Should we put a picture of you, say rub the Sam Querrey picture?
SAM QUERREY: I doubt people in L.A. even know what's going on over here.

Q. The level of it. Feels like a religion almost.
SAM QUERREY: These two weeks, it's all about him.

Q. Small country and focus on their top athletes, whoever they are, whether it's a tennis player, golfer. Much more concentrated than in the U.S.
SAM QUERREY: Definitely, yeah. With tennis, there's a handful of those guys. I'm sure even a guy like Gilles Muller, who is playing Rafa right now, he is the one guy from Luxembourg. I'm sure everyone is watching and rooting for him there.

I'm sure for a lot of those athletes, it's a pretty cool feeling.

Q. Dave Stockton, who won a couple PGAs, once told me, I'd like to be famous, but just famous enough so I didn't have to wait in line for a restaurant. Would you like to have the pressure that an Andy Murray has or are you happy where you can escape a little bit?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, because that would mean I'd probably be No. 1 or 2 in the world, have a ton of money, have Grand Slams, life's pretty good. I do know that comes with a lot more to it.

I'm very happy right now with my life. Yeah, I'd love to be at that next level.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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