AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2006

Robby Ginepri

THE MODERATOR: First question.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Not really. There's no easy matches out here. Even though the score might have looked it, it was still tough. Jurgen is a tough player. You never know what to expect from him. He was a little off today, which made it a little bit easier for myself.

ROBBY GINEPRI: I thought I returned extremely well. I moved well. I got my passing shots down low, set up some easy shots for me in the beginning of the match. Attitude was fairly good throughout the match.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Definitely playing a lot better and smarter. There's so many tough matches out here. You have to grind your way through. If you're not playing as well, you have to think your way through it. That's what I'm doing with my game now.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Definitely shooting for top 10. The first half of the season will dictate, you know, the year. It's funny, last year I didn't play that well the first half, and played extremely well the second half. If I could just get something going throughout the whole year, it will be fun to see how well I can do out here on the tour. I think top 10 is definitely in the future, but I got to focus one match at a time and do the work.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, it's always fun to get through in three sets, especially the beginning of the tournament. Makes the week seem a little bit easier, and definitely easier on the body.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, definitely. Jurgen and I, we've had some tough matches. Just as long as I didn't get down two sets to love like in Davis Cup, was my goal coming into this match. He's a tough player. He puts a lot of pressure on you. Luckily today he was off.

ROBBY GINEPRI: He made a lot of unforced errors. He tried to force too many balls at the wrong times, wasn't patient enough.

ROBBY GINEPRI: A little bit. I thought he would have stayed back a little more. I thought he came in off the wrong shots too many times. You know, I don't know how he's trying to play for 2006, but wasn't his day today.

ROBBY GINEPRI: A little bit. I didn't feel I hit the ball as clean as I should and could. But first round of a Grand Slam, no complaining here.

ROBBY GINEPRI: A little bit. I think guys are a little more fearless (sic) for me. You know, what I did at the US Open by grinding five sets four times, not a lot of guys can do. Going into a Grand Slam, it's nice to know that guys maybe fear you, your fitness, they maybe have to go for points too early. You know, there's so many tough players out there, you have to be on your game week in and week out. Doesn't really matter what they think, as long as you keep focusing and fighting hard.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, probably get a little bit more press, more in the spotlight a little bit more. But definitely it comes with the surface. With me playing like I can and should, I hope that I can do the same thing here, reach the semifinals, even go further now. But it's not going to be easy.

ROBBY GINEPRI: He's always got a tough decision with all the boys. Taylor, myself, James, Andy's always in contention, and the Bryan brothers. You know, with James winning last week, that obviously is in Patrick's mind. He's going to wait for the first week here and decide. It's going to be fun to see. As long as we win the first round, it doesn't matter who plays.

ROBBY GINEPRI: I think so. I haven't heard anything about it. I'm sure if he wants to play, then Patrick will probably let him play.

ROBBY GINEPRI: I don't look at it, so don't tell me (smiling). I just look at one match at a time. I know I play Gremelmayr, another lefty. So it was good practice today against Jurgen. I don't know how he plays, but I know my coach went out there and watched it. Sit down tomorrow and talk a nice game plan out.