US OPEN

September 7, 2005

Robby Ginepri

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

ROBBY GINEPRI: I'm ready right now, so any time you get to bed at a normal hour, it's good for the next day and the day to come. Waking up, going to the bathroom five, six times a night, getting to bed at three in the morning just wasn't any fun.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, it's definitely stress. You don't want to go to sleep, but you're so happy about the match and the adrenaline is still going at 3 a.m. It's tough to fall asleep.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, right now I'm struggling. Pretty beat up. This match was rough. He made a lot of balls. We were both running each other side to side. Other two five-set matches definitely didn't help this match out.

ROBBY GINEPRI: I hope I'm more notable for my tennis than being with her. Just a little fling, and that's over with, and now I think I'm making my name with tennis. So that's what I'm here to do.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, I don't think it's really sunken in yet. I think that it's going to hit me later tonight or even tomorrow. Just overwhelmed right now. Just exhausted.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, I thought the process was going to take a lot longer. You never know what to expect. You only hope good things will come, and good things have come this summer extremely quick. I was hoping it would have clicked by the end of the year, but by the end of the summer, everything seems to be folding in place.

ROBBY GINEPRI: I would probably laugh at them at first, be like, "Get out of here," you know. But you never know what can happen. Like I said, every day you wake up and you just want to be positive and work hard, and that's how I've been since pretty much Wimbledon.

ROBBY GINEPRI: I thought I was going to get that game when I was up 40-Love on his serve. I didn't think I was going to get back to deuce even and lose the game. I thought it was going to be over there. I was hoping he'd throw a double-fault in like he did the last game. I didn't want to play a long point. You know, with the crowd so energetic, it kind of got lost in the moment a little bit, kind of lost focus those matchpoints. But, you know, can't ever lose focus out there. And the crowd's been unbelievable for the three matches I've gone five.

ROBBY GINEPRI: For me it's huge. I think I give a lot of credit to the crowd. That's why I'm here right now. It's great to play in I think your home -- this feels like my hometown even though it's not. I feel so welcomed here. The crowd's always been great. They've been so energetic, and to boost me through to another five-set victory is just tremendous for me. I know the crowd love seeing the fight of two competitors out there and give them that.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, it's tough. He runs down so many shots. The balls that he gets back you kind of want to go for a little bit more, a little closer to the lines, and then you end up missing his shots. But you just got to stay focused and calm out there, and hopefully he'll make a few unforced errors at the right time, but you never know.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, it's awesome. I love Under Armour clothes. They've been so supportive. It's so unique, you know, no one has it. That's what I love the most. They're coming out with some good stuff, they're asking me, getting my opinion. It's only going to blow up from here. It's going to the top.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, definitely. I think that's what they're looking for. With the football and basketball players wearing it, they wanted to get into tennis, and I'm glad I'm their guy.

ROBBY GINEPRI: I was getting a little help from my grandfather up there. I know he's been looking down and would have been proud of me today. You know, he's just been tremendous in my life.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, we were practicing, hit a dropshot and just came running up to the net and catapulted into the net post. You could tell it was pretty ugly because the impact of the net kind of shook the court a little bit. I looked at his coach and we both knew it was pretty serious. I didn't think it would be -- he'd have two neck bones broke, but it was a tragic day right there. You know, I felt so bad that I was the one practicing with him, I was the one hitting the shot. But, you know, the way he's recovered and bounced back, I just tip my hat off to him. He's a great guy.

ROBBY GINEPRI: That happens. Can't deny winning, though. So as long as I keep winning, you know, I'm gonna get the spotlight sooner or later.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, we were both giving 130% out there, we were fighting so hard, and we're both going through the exact same thing. I think it was a little bit sigh of relief. When we both smiled, we knew that we were in for more battle.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Just trying to stay calm, stay focused, and get back to what I do best, which is get the ball in play and go for my shots when it's there, you know. Match isn't over until it's over. I was just down a break and bounced back before, both matches. Being down a break in the fourth against Gasquet and coming back, winning that, I knew I could do it. I just had to get a little regrouped and...

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, it was my dad's father. He loved tennis. His favorite player was Boris Becker. I guess he loved the dive, he'd call him "Boom Boom" because he'd always have so many bruises and cuts on his elbow. He loved the game. He came down to the Ericsson - when it was called the Ericsson - because he lives in Fort Lauderdale. He loved tennis. You know, just to be this close to something that I can look up and kind of get some motivation, it's just amazing, what I've done so far, and I owe a lot to him.

ROBBY GINEPRI: James?

ROBBY GINEPRI: I called him probably once a month to check in on him. I know he was pretty much down-and-out, and I know he needed a lot of support. I know he's got a lot of great friends. I just told him to hang in there, everything's going to be fine, you'll be back to the top in no time. Sure enough, he is.

ROBBY GINEPRI: No, we haven't. We know that that was far away yesterday, and the day before. You never want to look ahead. He's got an unbelievable tough match tonight, so I don't think he was looking too far, and I wasn't either. So if it happens, it happens.

ROBBY GINEPRI: I like the individual, you know. I didn't want people -- I guess when I was younger, on the basketball court, if they missed a shot or if a ball dropped in baseball, you know, I'd get mad at them. You know, kind of had to take matters into my own hands, and I guess tennis was the way to do it.

ROBBY GINEPRI: I played him two out of three night matches at the US Open, so I've kind of been in this situation before here and I know what to expect. It's going to be a rough, grueling match again. But he's the king, and I know that, you know, I got to take my opportunities if it's there when they come.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, you never want to see someone like that leave the game of tennis. He's done so much for the game, with all the kids that he's helped out. He's been inspirational to so many people. I've loved watching him grow up and play the game. Hopefully, this won't be his last run here, but I wouldn't mind to be the one to take him out from the Open if I play him.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, actually, I knew that, that's what it was called.

ROBBY GINEPRI: No, my dad's from Luxembourg.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Not that I know of. I should probably check up on that (smiling). Read the family tree.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Pretty much showed you what I got the last few matches, with the orange and blue and the turquoise and black and this one today.

ROBBY GINEPRI: I could go standard-issue all white maybe.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Not yet. Unless they come out with it in the next couple days. They have two days to make it so...

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, wasn't too bad today.

ROBBY GINEPRI: I thought he played great. Obviously, he's one of the toughest guys out there. He loves clay, and this isn't his favorite surface. To get to the quarters and, you know, he had chances, obviously, to get past this match... But he's a rough competitor and definitely don't want to see his name in the draw next to mine.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Right, definitely wasn't looking for another five-set match today. It takes its toll on the body. Luckily, I have two days off to get ready for Saturday's match.