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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 2, 2019

Marcos Baghdatis

Wimbledon, London, England

M. BAGHDATIS/B. Schnur

6-2, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. A lot of players, they just express how it is to play with a clear mind. For you, in your career, how important is it for you to play freely or with a sense of freedom on the court?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: I think it's the most important thing, to be free in the mind. When you play a tennis match or, you know, even to have a career, you know, you need to be free.

That's where it's important to make the right choices and have the right people around you to make you be every day free and enjoy every time you go on court and enjoy, and also be free to get all the information in, you know. So I think it's very important.

Q. The other day you said that you had been preparing specifically for this tournament.
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Yes.

Q. For, I don't know, how many weeks?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Six weeks, five to six weeks.

Q. Are you happy the way you played today?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Against my opponent that I played today, yes. I'm very happy. You know, I think tactically we did everything perfect.

Q. We did?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: I mean, I did. But tactically, I mean, we talk as a team tactically. So I think I did what I had to do very, very solidly. There was only one moment in the match where, I mean, my mind a bit slipped and lost concentration was when I got broken in the third set. Started thinking too much of the victory maybe at that moment. Some emotions came back.

Yeah, so, yes, I'm very happy and also lucky at the same time that when I lost my concentration and lost my serve, I was able to break back at the game after. So that was very important, and I guess I was very, very happy and lucky to come back so quickly.

Q. Is it emotional for you right now? Do you find it a little bit challenging to be playing this tournament with this being your last tournament?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: It's been emotional for the last two weeks. So, yes, it is. Especially today also, you know.

But, yeah, I mean, I said it also before I came here to compete, also, you know, and I want to do well. I think that on grass it's the only surface -- not only. I feel more on grass that I can beat some guys, you know. I'm not saying I can go all the way, but I can beat some guys and make some damage.

Yeah, I'm here to compete. But it is emotional, yes, it is, knowing that it's my last one.

Q. The other day you told me that you didn't want to talk about Berrettini because not yet?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Yeah, now we have to, right? Shit. (Smiling.)

Q. I force you. I force you to do that. And later on I will ask you about Tsitsipas who was talking about you yesterday, and he lost to the other Italian, Fabbiano. I want to know if you saw that match?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Let's go one by one. What's the first one?

Q. Berrettini.
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: No, Berrettini, yes. He's on fire. I mean, he is having a great year this year. He's a young kid. I mean, he has huge weapons, and I think it's gonna be tough.

But again, I think I have the game also to, how you say, disturb him on grass and find ways to make him feel bad in some moments. That's what I'm going to try and do, you know.

I have the experience, and I think I have experience enough to know what to do on those moments. Yeah, I'll try my best to find ways to make him feel uncomfortable on the court.

Q. How much do you know of him?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: I never played him. I never practice against him. I saw him on TV. It's not the same, I think, watching someone on TV as playing against him.

I know he has a very good serve. He's been playing well on grass lately. But, you know, again, I'm going to focus on what I need to do, and I believe that if I'm on a good day, I can compete really well.

Q. What was your reaction to Tsitsipas? Did you see that match? What was your comment on that?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: I saw a bit of the fifth set, end of the fourth -- no, no, no, I saw the fifth set. That's what I saw. Yes, that's all we saw, because we came in late.

What did I see? I mean, with respect to Fabbiano, he was playing pretty aggressive. I wasn't expecting Fabbiano to play that well. I thought Tsitsipas would be all over him. But I wasn't expecting that.

I don't know. I didn't speak to Stefanos. I think credit to Fabbiano, because he played really well. Yeah, I mean, that's all I can say on that match.

Q. How would you describe your impact on the younger generation, like with Stefanos, and how they have expressed how much you have meant to them?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: In Cyprus and Greece?

Q. No, like in the sport of tennis.
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: You should ask them. I know about Cyprus and Greece, yes. You know, I had, for me, the biggest impact, and the thing that made me believe I could achieve and become who I am today is when Greece won the Euro in 2004. It was a big thing. And also having the Olympics in 2004.

It was a huge impact for me, and that's where I started really believing in myself and, you know, I saw a dream and I saw light and, you know, anything can happen, you know, even if you come from a small country.

From all the messages I hear, you know, after I announced my retirement, is I gave that impact home. I mean, it feels amazing and I'm really proud of that. Yeah, and I hope Stefanos and Maria can do the same for our country, because I think that's the best feeling a person can have. Yeah, that's it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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