WIMBLEDON

June 30, 2004

Mario Ancic

MARIO ANCIC: No, I mean, first set was really tough. We were both serving pretty good. He had lot of percentage in first serves. He had couple -- I mean, one chance. I had one small chance. It was high-quality tennis, I think. I was a little bit lucky in tiebreak. From there on I think I started putting more returns in. No, I think like second and third set, I was returning really good, plus, you know, I was serving very consistent, mixing it up a lot. Came out with couple shots, you know, when I needed. So, no, I play -- really third set was, you know, really great tennis for me.

MARIO ANCIC: I was a little bit nervous second set when I was up a break. But later on, I think, all the crowd was normally on his side. Especially third set when I broke him, I was just trying to be calm. And, you know, serve help me a lot I think at that stage.

MARIO ANCIC: I mean, he's obviously a great player. He doesn't need a lot for him to come back, I knew that. I knew that I had to stay on top of my game. Especially when I was a break up, I was, you know, trying, you know, just break him one more time. So it gets easier for me because he's already so many years in top of the tennis, so I knew if I give him a small chance, he would use. Especially on grass, things can happen, you know, quickly. Things can change very quickly. I think I had really everything under control.

MARIO ANCIC: Well, I mean, first set was really high-quality tennis, I think. And then maybe he make second set to where one double-fault. I think I just, you know, from there on, I think I played a great tennis. I mean, I think I really played -- from second and third set, I think I played great.

MARIO ANCIC: Well, you know, when you go out there on a Centre Court which is, you know, like -- with such a big English crowd, of course you expect -- you expect a tough match. And I was mentally prepared for that. But I knew I'm playing better from match to match, and already felt good in fourth round. You know, just want to go out there and, you know, I knew I had a shot. I was just happy that I could show that on the Centre Court.

MARIO ANCIC: No, I mean, just too quickly, but I think he'll send SMS for sure.

MARIO ANCIC: Well, I think, you know, me and Rohan, we were working on keeping more some technical things. I think my serve improved a lot over the year. Especially I think won couple major points with my second serve. That was also like main thing that I think I improved. Just we work also on aggressive style of game. I mean, when you playing good tennis, of course you're confident, and I knew I have to stay calm because you're playing such a great player. I knew if I, you know, just lose it a little bit, things can change a lot, especially with such a crowd on his side. Can change momentum really easy.

MARIO ANCIC: Yeah, I think helped me a lot because, you know, I was much more nervous against Roger first couple games, you know. But here I started from the beginning. And, you know, I just kept going.

MARIO ANCIC: No, not really. He just wished me luck, you know, just to enjoy and play good on Centre Court.

MARIO ANCIC: I was enjoying myself on the island (smiling). I had off-season. No, just on the island with a couple friends. But it was just remarkable. Everybody just waiting the next day. And then the whole town was silent. There was nobody doing anything, nobody work, just watching Goran. That was the biggest happening of the day. I mean, quarterfinals, semifinal and final, the place was really just focusing on one thing. Like, I mean, as you can see after when he won it which welcome he got. That was just like buildup, buildup for that. So, I mean, we were all really nervous, you know, cheering for him.

MARIO ANCIC: Yeah, I mean, I was watching. It was -- I mean, have to remember, we are small country. He's one of our ambassadors, not only a game, just ambassador of Croatia. So, no, we were all -- after he won, it's unbelievable. Half of Croatia cried. You know, I was happy that I knew him. And then I went to welcome him when he arrived in Split. Just some great memories I can take from that.

MARIO ANCIC: Yeah, I mean, he's like you laugh on his English press. People laugh also on Croatian. He's just a great character. You know, people don't appreciate him only for tennis because they appreciate him also because he, you know, in the time of war, he was carrying Croatian flag. And also his sense of humor, he was, you know, just staying normal guy, even he won so many titles, represented Croatia in so many ways.

MARIO ANCIC: I mean, I'll be really lucky if that, you know, momentum from when he was playing, you know, can also happen if I play or, you know, Sprem plays or Karlovic plays because that means that tennis in Croatia is popular, and lots of people are going to try to take a racquet and start. You know, that's a great thing.

MARIO ANCIC: I think only the one you see (smiling).

MARIO ANCIC: I think, I mean, he's still huge. People recognize him a lot. You go out on the street. But I think, no, will try, not only me, but like you saw here great Croatian performances all in all. I think that's great for a small country that it's going to start developing even more. I think that's good.

MARIO ANCIC: Well, like I said, you know, I felt like I'm playing better from each match that I played. You know, I play with both of them. It's going to be extremely difficult match. They are both, you know, like this time, both higher ranked than me. I know that I have to perform like this, at this level, to play with those guys. No, I'll try for sure.

MARIO ANCIC: Which is?

MARIO ANCIC: I don't think he had such a bad second serve all in all. No, I mean, for sure I think in that thing, Rohan has -- no, he has big credit for, you know, pushing me to be aggressive. I mean, because last year, you know, I was sometimes serving on first, but hardly on second. But from I think Rohan help me a lot in that detail to be more aggressive which, you know, really paid off in last couple matches when I was really aggressive in some points which were crucial, and I won that point. So still working on that kind of game, you know, aggressive, attacking style of the game. And I think that's a good way to go.

MARIO ANCIC: Well, I mean, he also, you know, when I was -- when I was small, 15, 16, 14, I was more playing from baseline. He was also, you know, saying that, you know, keep on improving that volley game, keep on going to the net. So, I mean, that was, you know, also he would tell me from tennis point of view. He also said when I was 12, "You know, keep on breaking racquets," things like that.