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ROLAND GARROS

June 7, 2018

Juan Martin Del Potro

Paris, France

J.M. DEL POTRO/M. Cilic

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

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. First time in the semifinals here since 2009, and you came in with some injury concerns. I guess, how do you feel about accomplishing this?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I'm feeling so, so happy to make the right decision for play here. I am doing well. Of course I didn't expect to get in semifinals couple of weeks before (smiling).

But now I'm here, and I'm still alive. My physical is good, and hopefully I can be ready for tomorrow.

Q. That was a great performance and a great win. After everything you have experienced in your career, just tell us briefly how close did you come to retiring from tennis and just talk us through the emotions you experienced straight after the match on Chatrier today.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, as I said before, everybody knows that I was close to quit this sport two years ago, but then I, for one reason, I never give up. And I have been trying and trying every day to fix my problem in my wrist. And in the end, I got it, and now I'm having a great present, looking forward for the future.

And of course I didn't expect to be in the top five again, to reach semifinals at the big tournament after all my injuries, you know. But now it's time to talk about my present in a good way. I think all the tougher moments of my life are completely in the past, and I'm enjoying a lot this present.

Q. There was a moment at the end of the second set, one of the spectators seemed to get under your skin. You were quite angry with him. Can you describe what happened and what you said to him and what made you so irate with him?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: It was someone who made a loud before my serve, and I made double fault. That's why I got angry with someone. I couldn't find the right person (smiling).

But I get closer to them, just asking who was it? But I'm still trying to find the right person. (Laughter.)

But anyways, then it was my fault. I mean, the crowd are amazing, and that happens very often. But I wasn't focused in that moment, so I made the mistake.

Q. Nine years ago you lost to Federer. Now you have to beat Nadal. Are you surprised that after all these years you still have to beat the same two guys to win a Grand Slam title?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yes, well, I thought that after nine years I will play a different one, not Rafa or Roger. But all my semifinals in Grand Slam was against them. The last one in US Open I lost against Rafa. In Wimbledon I lost against Djokovic. Here with Federer.

And, I mean, it's a big challenge to play them in Grand Slam. But anyways, I think they show how good they are at playing Grand Slam because, after 10 years, they are fighting to win these kind of tournaments. It's amazing for the tennis, the tennis world.

Q. Rafa's only ever lost on clay in best of five two matches in his entire career. But for a set and a half yesterday, Diego looked like he had the answer. I'm just wondering, will you speak to Diego and find out what he was doing? And also, how confident are you that you can beat him in this format here?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, Diego and me have completely different games. I mean, one of his best are his legs, his movement on the clay.

And I like to play short points, hitting flat, even the surface.

But Diego made a great tournament, great match against Rafa. He deserve to play in this level.

But tomorrow I will try to play a match as I did in a different surface against Rafa, but he's lefty and what I say before my match against Ramos, a lefty player has advantage with me because he can find easily my backhand, and he knows what my backhand is at the moment.

But anyways, I will try to do my best, to play my best tennis, and see if I can do a good match.

Q. I remember after Miami you were unsure the amount of clay matches your body would be able to take. You have played a lot of clay matches. You got injured in Rome, but you're still in the semis here. Why do you think it went well this year, getting the rhythm and everything that clay didn't hurt as much as you were feeling it with...
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I did a good preparation before Madrid, because I had a big expectation in these tournaments. But I got unlucky in Rome when I was playing with Goffin that I felt something wrong in my leg.

But then I came here without big expectations, just seeing how my body feels match by match. Now I'm semifinals, which means something great to me.

So I have nothing to lose tomorrow. We'll see what can I do against the king of clay (smiling).

Q. After the rain break yesterday, have you ever started a match at such a crucial moment, 5-All in a tiebreak? And if so, could you just explain how important that was for you to win that first set?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yeah, it was very important to win the first one. It wasn't good night because I was thinking too much, where could I serve, "T" or wide? (Smiling). I made too many questions to myself.

But then I got lucky to win the first set, playing two good points and was enough to replay a new match after the first set.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish.

Q. Last week you commented that the great favorite for this tournament was Rafa. Do you still think the same today?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yes, I still continue thinking the same thing. And in two years, I will continue thinking the same thing because Rafa, as we were saying, I believe he has lost two matches here in his whole life. Because of the way he is, his fitness and the way he plays, he's the king of the tournament.

But it's always a pleasure playing him in a Grand Slam. These are unique moments, and many players would like to have this opportunity. As I was saying the other day, we have to enjoy the moment, and I will try to enjoy it tomorrow.

Q. Some people say that it's impossible to beat Nadal here. What do you think you're going to do tomorrow?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, this is nothing new. No need to repeat it, but I'm going to try and come out with my best tennis, to hit all my best shots and, even then, it's going to be difficult.

But he has lost two matches, after all, so you should never lose faith. I have very little to lose in a semifinals in a Grand Slam. He's aiming at his 11th title. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Q. Rafa said that it was a good thing for him, the rain stop yesterday. You had an interruption. You were 5-5 in the tiebreak. Was that useful for you? Were you able to overturn something in the match? You had a drier court. Was it useful to be more precise in your shots?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, thinking about my match against Cilic, I preferred the conditions of yesterday because it was a bit heavier, a bit slower. He was not hurting as much with his serve or from the baseline.

At the time of the tiebreak, I had had a lot of break points in the first set. He was serving aces., but I still felt more easy.

But when we continued the match, he continued in the same way. I knew that it was more or less an equal match, as it is always when we play each other.

In the final set, he could have closed the match with his three successive backhands.

Q. I would like to come back to something that happened in January 2010 in Zagreb. It seemed you were hurt and you had very little mobility. And I remember in 2010 I was the only Argentinian there, and I remember you fought Cilic for four-and-a-half hours and almost crying. I thought, well, what can have come through his mind at the time? What did you have in mind? When you started the second set this time, you were shaking your head. You had won the first set. What was in your mind? Were you thinking about that?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: What a vision you have. No, nothing was happening in my head. I had just won the first set.

No, I was okay in the second set. Even though I was losing 3-1 in the third set, nothing was happening to me. And Cilic was not playing as bad as he could have, but I knew, as I know him well, that I had to remain focused and hope for him to reduce his game a little bit, and this is what happened.

Q. It seems that you don't have any sequelae from Rome. Thinking that you're playing against Rafa tomorrow, and Rafa and you have both played three days in a row, what do you think you'll feel like?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I'm okay, because I have enough of the day left to recover. Anyway, even against Rafa, I have to give everything I have.

So obviously my physical health is my priority always, but I'm feeling good today. I see how I recovered to play this tournament, and I trust in my team that they will help me recover for tomorrow.

Q. At the end of the match, you had like an explosion of emotions. What came through your mind, your heart, everything? What did you feel?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, the match was a lot of attention. And to me, getting to the semifinals in this tournament was incredible.

The first time I was getting to the semifinals, it's extremely special to be here at that moment on clay. As it was very hot, I enjoyed it very much.

And I had also some other thoughts that are deeper maybe that shook my legs a little bit more, and I felt a lot of relief.

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