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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 9, 2018

Kevin Anderson

Wimbledon, London, England

K. ANDERSON/G. Monfils

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

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Did you really not know you're going to play Roger at all?
KEVIN ANDERSON: No. I generally don't look at the draw. Next match. I mean, if it happens, it happens. If I find out, it doesn't affect me. Not a big deal.

Personal preference, you know, obviously it was either his match or Isner, who beat Tsitsipas today.

Really looking forward to it. Obviously it will be a tough challenge. I think it's a pretty exciting opportunity to play Federer here at Wimbledon.

Q. What is the reaction to your first quarterfinal? You came so close three years ago. Now you made it.
KEVIN ANDERSON: Yeah, I mean, it feels great. Coming in one of my many goals was to try to get a personal best achievement here. Lost in the round of 16 a few times.

So I said at the end of last week step one was putting myself in that position. Gave myself the opportunity to do it today. Definitely feels good.

But, you know, as I've said, definitely still a lot of tennis to be played. So, you know, you can definitely feel good about making it through to the last eight here for the first time. Pretty soon my mind is going to have to be pretty set on getting ready to playing Federer.

Q. First time for John Isner making it to the quarterfinals. He was saying this year, because of the heat, courts are playing firmer, getting the ball bouncing higher, which helped him. You're a similar sort of player. Has it helped you at all?
KEVIN ANDERSON: I didn't really feel that so much today as I did in some of my other matches. Maybe just the court's bigger. The way Gael covers the court, it didn't feel like the ball was sort of popping off the court like it did, especially in a couple of my matches out on Court 2.

I mean, towards the end of the match, it was around 7 p.m., it was a little bit windier. I didn't really notice, like, that much help on the surface with the serve. Obviously it being grass there's natural benefits for the serve the way the ball takes.

But I didn't notice it as much today as I did in other matches.

Q. Previous rounds it played differently?
KEVIN ANDERSON: If I think back to other years, it wasn't vastly different. But, of course, if it's hotter conditions, the ball is definitely going to move through the court more.

Q. First win over Gael. Does that make victory sweeter for you?
KEVIN ANDERSON: Yeah, it does. I've played him a few times. Going in there, there was a little bit of that on my mind, as well, trying to get a win against him. A little checked box for me there.

Still down quite a bit in the head-to-head. I knew it was going to be a tough match. He's a really tough competitor, just the way he plays, the way he covers the court really makes life difficult.

Getting through obviously first quarterfinals and also beating him, definitely feels good.

Q. Forgetting for a moment that he's your next opponent, when you watch Roger Federer play, what do you appreciate most?
KEVIN ANDERSON: I mean, there's quite a few things. Actually a pretty long list. His consistency, the way he plays such great tennis week in and week out. Just the way he moves, the way he conducts himself on the court is very impressive. Everything looks so easy, so fluid. The variety he brings to the court. The use of the slice backhand. The use of his attacking forehand. His defense.

I mean, obviously he's really got sort of the complete package. And on top of all of that, I mean, the expectations he's had to deal with for over a decade, 15 years, I mean, at the top of the game, he's able to deal with it so well, which isn't easy I don't think. People always look at that side as well, every time he goes out, obviously all eyes are on him. He deals with that very well.

Q. Given that list, how would you describe the task at hand?
KEVIN ANDERSON: Yeah, it's obviously not easy. I feel like a lot of aspects of my game can give him a lot of trouble. I'm a big player, big serve. I'm going to have to really take it to him. Also at the same time try to treat it like another tennis match. Only my second time out on Centre Court. He's played there a few more times than that.

Important to sort of try to think about the match a little bit ahead, visualize the conditions, being out there. The more I can just treat it like another tennis match, the better for me.

But I feel like, as I've said, I feel like I'm playing some of the best tennis of my career. When I'm doing that, I think I'm a very dangerous player. I think people can see that and can feel that. I'm definitely going to have to bring that on Wednesday.

Q. You've not played Gael on grass in a couple years. Similar against Roger, do you think this is the best version of you?
KEVIN ANDERSON: Definitely. I've been saying it for a while. I feel like over the last while now, I found ways to keep improving. That keeps me very motivated. I still feel like my best tennis is ahead of me. There's still areas of my game that I think can get better.

Haven't played Roger on grass before, haven't beaten him before. You could say that grass is one of his better surfaces. It's not going to be easy. If it was, more people would have come out on top.

Definitely going to have to sit down, come up with a good game plan, then really just have to trust my abilities, trust my strokes, trust the process, trust everything I've been doing. More than that I can't do.

Q. Roger being half South African, does that make it more special to play him?
KEVIN ANDERSON: I don't think so. I mean, he is half South African. Just coming from South Africa, he doesn't really identify as a South African. Definitely identifies coming from Switzerland. Obviously it's great all the work he does in Africa. But that side of things with his mum being South African doesn't really play too much into the equation.

Q. Are you surprised you have played better since the US Open final, what's been better?
KEVIN ANDERSON: After 2016, quite a few injuries. Also beginning of 2017. I think coming back, you know, I was really able to find ways of constantly -- find ways to just keep improving. I mean, the experience that I had up until that point was very valuable.

But as I've gotten older, I think just understanding my game better, staying healthy is obviously really key. Any injuries really is a setback in terms of momentum. Just being healthy for the last 18 months has also been very valuable.

I just think in the last year the biggest thing is being able to play my tennis more and more on the match court, in the big moments, trusting my game, trusting my shots in different ways.

I just think as I get more experienced, finding better ways that helps me as a player and as a person bring out my best tennis, the way I compete. I've looked a lot at, and people have asked me about my emotional side, as well. I feel like being a bit more outgoing has definitely helped me play better tennis. Those are the areas that I think have contributed towards me playing better tennis.

Q. When you're on court, do you ever get nervous any more?
KEVIN ANDERSON: Yeah, definitely. I was nervous getting out into the match today. As big moments in the match came and went, I had to deal with nerves there. I'd be surprised if no tennis player feels nervous. I was listening to Roger earlier in the week. He said he was feeling nervous going out into his first-round match. You're talking about Federer who has won 20 of these Grand Slams.

Yeah, I've often said the day that you don't feel nervous is the day you should be more worried about. I think nerves is a great thing, it gets your system going. I feel like the more experienced you are, the more you can deal with those better. But I think those can be a very good thing.

Q. Chances are you'll be on Centre Court. Have you played on Centre Court?
KEVIN ANDERSON: Yeah, I played Andy Murray there maybe '14. Yeah, I think 2014 or '15. 2014, I think.

Yeah, it wasn't a great match for me. I was pretty nervous going out. I remember there was a rain delay halfway through the match. When I went back out, I played much better.

Definitely look at having a better start going out there. I feel like I'm a much more experienced tennis player. Played on some of the biggest stages of tournaments. I can definitely rely on some of the experiences at US Open last year.

But what a great opportunity. I mean, Centre Court at Wimbledon is one of the courts you dream about playing on. Playing somebody like Roger Federer is going to be, you know, a great experience.

Not just an experience, but a challenge that I've set for myself. Hopefully I'll be able to come through.

Q. He's most widely considered the greatest player ever. Is that something that's good for your mentality going into the match because of the opportunity, or the opposite because it's such a large hill to climb?
KEVIN ANDERSON: Yeah, I mean, I'm definitely going to have to look at it the right way. I think the right way of looking at it is it's an opportunity to test myself against a player of Roger's caliber. These are the matches we work so hard for, me and my whole team. These are the matches I spent the last sort of week getting through my last four matches to have this opportunity.

So, you know, as I was saying earlier, people often say, Well, the pressure is all on him. But he handles that very well. So I don't know if that's going to be too relevant.

It really comes down to me, as I said, doing my best to treat it like another tennis match, and really trusting each and every process I've got; my routines in between points, getting ready for the match.

I think I'm experienced enough and have played these guys enough to have a lot more comfort going out on the court and being able to play my game.

Q. You mentioned your routine between points. What is your routine on changeovers?
KEVIN ANDERSON: Yeah, I mean, sometimes the changeovers can feel pretty quick. The most important thing is keep hydrating, have electrolytes and water. I mean, that's important. Also trying to take some sort of food intake, whether it's bananas or gels. That's always the first thing. You're toweling down, trying to resettle a bit.

Then if there's time after that, it's a good opportunity to sort of reset, maybe think of what's going on in the match a little bit.

But definitely using that time period, you know, is really important.

Q. What is the schedule? More guitar, more Jack Johnson?
KEVIN ANDERSON: Yeah. I don't know if I'll be going anywhere concert-wise tomorrow.

Yeah, number one thing is just recovery. Obviously it was a very physical match today on the court for three and a half hours. It's very important tonight, then tomorrow I'll have a light hit for about an hour or so, then sort of more recovery work.

I think right now for me the most important thing is trying to feel as fresh as possible on Wednesday. It will also be nice to spend a little bit time at home just with my family. And maybe a little bit of guitar time, as well.

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