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ROLAND GARROS

June 4, 2018

Juan Martin Del Potro

Paris, France

J. DEL POTRO/J. Isner

6-4, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Could you talk a little bit about a great day for Argentine tennis, two guys both getting to the quarterfinals? Tell us a little bit about Schwartzman and your relationship with him, as well.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, we did a good day today. We both played good tennis. Diego played an unbelievable match, coming back from two sets down and breaking Anderson's serve many, many times. I think he played from the third until the end great tennis, and I'm looking forward to keep watching him in that level against Rafa. I know he has everything to do a good match, as well.

Q. Your relationship?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, we have a good relationship. We are close. We spend a lot of time together in this tournament. I'm so glad for him, because he has been doing a big effort to be where he is now, and he deserve it.

Q. The scoreline tonight, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, were you in cruise control today, or was it a bit harder than it looked?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: It wasn't easy match. John is very dangerous. Nobody knows what he could do, playing in a match.

And I think the key of the match was only three breaks. I broke three times. I took all my chances. That was enough to win today.

Q. Over the last few years you have played a lot of epic five-set matches, long matches in Grand Slams, but here you have only dropped one set to Mahut in the first round. What's been the difference this year? Are you feeling the freshness because of that?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I would like to be prepared for the big battle after tomorrow. Marin is a great player. We know each other a lot. We have played great matches in the past, many five-set matches together.

I know how tough is his game to myself, but I will try to be even better than today, play my tennis, and then see if I have a chance to win.

Q. Why did you sing "Allez les Bleus" on the court after your victory? Do you think you created a history with the French crowd, the French public?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No, because it was a lady singing all the time, like, "USA," and we are in France, and I know your song. That's what I did. I have great relations with the French fans, so I'm exciting to keep playing here because they are so kind with me.

Q. You played a big-serving player today and another one in the next round. What will you take from this match into the match against Cilic?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I will try to play a similar game than today, but Marin is a little bit solid from the baseline than John. He's very dangerous. He plays good shots down the line with forehands and backhands. He knows to play on the net, as well.

What I said before, we know each other a lot. He knows what he could do to beat me, and I know the same way. I will see what's happen. It's going to be interesting match to play, and also for enjoyment. Another quarterfinals for my career is good.

Q. I guess a lot of players would be very happy to break John Isner three times during a match. I would like to know what is your secret, if you have a secret? Was it your ability to read his serve? How did you do that?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I found the right place on court to return his serves. I was standing not close to the line but not behind. I mean, I was right in the middle, and I was reading his serve a little bit better than other guys.

But anyways, he made good service during the match, and I took all my break chances and I did well (smiling).

Q. If we look at the scoreline of the last two sets in each of your matches so far this week, they have generally been quite wide, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, with you holding serve. Are you simply overpowering your opponents or is that just too easy for me to say that and you are doing more?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, the first things to my game is trying to hold my serve during the whole match, and sometimes when you win the first set, you can take the control of the game and your game could increase and you can play even better for the rest of the match. That's what I am doing in the last two or three matches in this tournament. But that's it.

Q. Do you feel the sort of love and affection of the crowd? It appears wherever you play now there is a real will to see you actually win one of these big ones. Do you feel that?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I have good fans in every tournament. I like my connection with them. We are connected for my game, and they were cheering for me most of the time, and that's so good for myself.

And also, they have respectful with me, with my opponents all the time. I think the French fans are so nice, and they understand a lot about tennis, also. That's why I want to keep staying in Paris because I'm enjoying a lot.

Q. You said you won over some French fans today by encouraging them to sing the French anthem.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yeah.

Q. And you enjoyed it, we could tell. If you win Roland Garros, they would love you to sing it to them. Would you like to sing the anthem if you win Roland Garros for all your fans?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I'm still very far to get that, but I'm going match by match, and I sing a little bit today and I will see next match (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish.

Q. This was the first match in an open court with Isner. Before that you used to play on hard courts. Did the match take place as you wanted and as you expected?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, it's a bit like as usual against him. Whatever the surface, I have to maintain my serve. Maybe in the beginning the fact that the court was a bit slower helped me find the right position to return, meaning not so close to the line, not too much in the back. And I felt good to return from that position, and I managed to do that and that was sufficient to be able to win.

Q. For this short season on clay, well, you have played in Rome, Madrid, here, did you feel as good as this week in Roland Garros?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yes, I'm happy to be in quarterfinals. I didn't have the same expectations as I have in other tournaments during the year, but I seem to have good results, and therefore, this enables me to have more flexibility with my schedule and calendar for the rest of the year.

And as I was saying, being in the quarterfinals in a Grand Slam, in this particular Grand Slam, is very special, is something I'm very happy about and I'm playing well.

Q. You are in quarterfinals, like Diego Schwartzman. This is something that hasn't happened in many years for Argentinian players. Why do you think so many years had to go by?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, many years had to pass by because many people retired, and we're not as numerous as we were a few years back.

Personally, I'm happy for Diego, because in this case, he is playing well. He's getting close to the top 10. I'm not sure, but maybe if he's not, it will happen very soon.

As I was saying, I'm happy for him. He deserves it, and he's playing well. He found the right way to play. In the beginning he wasn't doing so well, but then he found a way to turn the match. Personally, after playing semifinals in 2009 and letting pass almost ten years and being in a quarterfinals and continuing to make headway, personally, it makes me very happy and I'm satisfied about the fact that I have had good years all these years, and I'm still playing well.

Q. What is your communion with the Parisian public? It seems they have this relationship with you since you came back. They were already supporting you in the past, but do you feel it's even more now?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yes, I feel it here. I feel it everywhere I play. The people treat me well. They are extremely respectful and nice to me.

They give me a lot of support. I can feel I'm playing with everybody behind me, and this is something that makes me happy. It makes me proud. I believe that all the effort I made to get back to playing tennis is something that people recognize.

For me, the way of giving them back some of their support is to be back, and we feel connected and that's very good.

Q. Okay, you said it already in English, but what do you expect from the match on Wednesday against maybe the person you know best and you have known since you were a kid?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, the latest matches we have had were somewhat equal, really. Maybe the match can be close in a way. Maybe we do not have a way of finding a way through. But he's a great player. He's a complete player. He moves well. He shoots well.

So I guess we'll all have a very great battle, and anyone could win it. For all eight in the quarterfinals, anything could happen, really. You have to be ready.

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