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WIMBLEDONJune 28, 2003Olivier RochusWIMBLEDON, ENGLAND MODERATOR: Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. Olivier Rochus. Q. Really amazing feat to reach the second week here. After losing so many first-round matches this year, how do you explain walking in here and winning three straight matches? OLIVIER ROCHUS: I don't know. But I think I haven't played that bad this year. Just on clay at the beginning I lost a few time the first round. But I was confident. Even before coming here, that was my best season. I won a lot of matches, and I was pretty confident to come on grass. My game was there. Just try my best. Q. Is this the biggest moment of your Wimbledon career so far? OLIVIER ROCHUS: Yeah, of course. Yeah, to reach the fourth round is just amazing for me. Q. You're obviously very happy. OLIVIER ROCHUS: Yeah, of course (smiling). Q. What have people been saying to you since you came off the court? OLIVIER ROCHUS: I just seen my coach. The only person I saw. So we'll see. Q. Can you tell us a bit about the match? You had a very tough first set. He's not known for giving up, but it looked like he was. OLIVIER ROCHUS: Yeah, it was strange. After the first set, I saw him a little bit down all the time. At 4-1, you know, I thought he wouldn't play. Then he try some winners, that was it. You know, he broke me back. At 4-3 I broke him again. I think at 7-6, 5-3, it wasn't there anymore. I mean, I was fighting, but he was I think in the lockers. It was very good for me. Q. Is it hard to stay focused? OLIVIER ROCHUS: Yeah, it's hard. When you see somebody not 100% in the match, you think is going to give up, is going to miss, is tough for you to play your game. But I just hang in there, I just fight, and then... Q. You're around with all these 6'10" Karlovices, 6'6", everything. Did anyone ever tell you when you were a kid, "Forget about it, you're too small"? OLIVIER ROCHUS: Yeah, I heard some of these things when I was playing under-14. Then they tell me, "16, is going to be tough for you." The same with the junior. "You're going to play against the bigger guy. Is going to be tough for you." I just keep playing, try to play my game, that's it. I play good in the junior. In the senior, after one year I was almost Top 100. So, you know, everything work well. I have to continue like this. Q. How old were you when you stopped growing? OLIVIER ROCHUS: I have no idea. Maybe 16. I don't know (smiling). Q. Were you as tall at 14 as you are now? OLIVIER ROCHUS: Maybe two centimeters, I don't know. Q. Have you ever played Alexander Popp before? OLIVIER ROCHUS: Yeah, I played him two years ago in a challenger in Germany, indoor, carpet. He won 7-6, 6-4. He's very tough. I mean, when he's playing, when he's fit on fast court, for me, is the best. So many injuries. That's why I know he's there, his ranking dropped. Otherwise, I think he would be Top 50 or more. With his game on fast court, his game is one of the best. So we see. Q. When you came to the net to shake his hand, was it difficult? Did you have to reach up a long way to shake his hand? OLIVIER ROCHUS: Yeah, but I played Karlovic already, so it was even tougher (smiling). Q. Do you view your career as perhaps an inspiration for other guys who aren't too big, that you don't have to be so big to be good in this game? OLIVIER ROCHUS: Yeah, I hope so. If I can be an example for the small guy who are coming on the tour, no, that would be great, I hope. Q. Have you ever had discussions with Justine about how the both of you have to fight more to make up for your lack of size? OLIVIER ROCHUS: No, no. End of FastScripts…. |
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