THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 11, 2023

Roman Safiullin

Press Conference

J. SINNER/R. Safiullin

6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the press conference for Roman Safiullin.

Roman, tough day today. Give us your thoughts on the match.

ROMAN SAFIULLIN: Yeah, I mean, I'm still happy about this tournament that I could make to quarterfinals. Jannik is definitely one of the toughest opponent. He's playing on all surface very good. Yeah, he was much better, I would say, today than me. He deserve this win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. There appeared to be a momentum change in the second set. Did you feel you maybe lost a bit of momentum at the point when you needed to push it on or he just played better than you?

ROMAN SAFIULLIN: Would say in the third set and the fourth set, especially also in the first set, I made like one mistake which cost me the set. The third and fourth set was the same situation. I was playing, like, good on my serve. In some moment I just lost the concentration, and then Jannik put his, like, 100% and he break me.

Yeah, then it's different definitely, so... You need to work more to be ready to play against guys like this.

Q. TV commentators talked about you becoming a top 50 or even better player. Jannik said the same thing. Do you sense you've made a real advance particularly this fortnight in terms of where you're going in your career?

ROMAN SAFIULLIN: I mean, now we just talked with my coach. The entry deadline next week for Masters, he told me that I'm, like, 42, 43 approximately after this tournament. So I should get in to Masters and many more tournaments this year, next year. This is very good opportunity for me to play main draw, not playing quallies on many tournaments, show my best tennis as I show here.

Many tournaments before, like when you're ranked 100 or 115, then you have to pass through qualification. It's like two or three rounds. Grand Slam is three rounds. In ATP tournament is two rounds. Still you spend energy. When you come playing fresh, especially Grand Slam for five sets, then it's makes difference.

Q. Jannik has won, he's through, very young, youngest semifinalist for 16 years. Could he be a potential winner here?

ROMAN SAFIULLIN: Honestly, I think everyone who's playing now semis, who will play semis, can win 'cause Novak is here, but he's also fighting with Andrey now, as I can see. Jannik also, I saw last year match against Novak, he was two sets to love up. I guess Novak just has more experience to play these five sets.

Yeah, but Jannik, now he's experienced to play against Novak in quarterfinal. If Novak wins, he'll experience him in semifinal. I assume that's going to be very interesting semifinal.

Q. How did you adapt to grass? Are you just a natural talent on grass?

ROMAN SAFIULLIN: As I said before, this is my let's say third year on the grass. First one was 2021. I just arrived straight from Roland Garros, almost straight from Roland Garros, from clay to grass court here in Wimbledon quallies. So this was one tournament I have played.

Last year I played just one tournament in Stuttgart. So this is second tournament on grass in my life.

This year I played all the tournaments which I could play before Wimbledon on grass. I getting more experienced on the grass.

Still, let's say, every single tournament was different grass, so everywhere you have to adapt. First time when I stepped on practice courts here in Wimbledon, it was completely different feeling that I was playing on the Mallorca or Halle. Then I stepped to the match courts. It's also different feeling.

Every time when you step there, you have to adapt. I think I done it pretty good, this adaptation.

Q. What is your strength on grass?

ROMAN SAFIULLIN: I think serve. Before today, before today match, it was serve. Me and my coach find out that I could play more aggressive and come to the net. That's makes opponents big pressure on them and I can finish the volley.

This one I think works very well, especially after the first match against Bautista, because we had three days basically we played this match. After the first day, I was two sets to one down. I made so many mistakes at volleys. Let's say basically you have to fix it in a couple practices that I could play more volleys in, put more pressure on opponents.

Q. Is this going to change your life a little bit, if you said you can qualify now for the Masters? You'll be off to Toronto, Cincy. Does that change your life as a tennis player?

ROMAN SAFIULLIN: Of course. I mean, it's changing. Canada, I'm not sure I will get in because it's already past deadline. Still there is also some problems with visa. So most probably I will skip this one.

But Cincinnati, I should be in. It's a big tournament. If I wouldn't get that far here, then I wouldn't get in, then probably I would play challengers. Challenger, it's also a 125, it's good. But when you play Masters, you pass one round, it's 45 points I guess. To get these 45 points on challengers, you have to pass minimum two rounds.

Q. Last year Russians were banned from playing here. What has the reception been from the fans?

ROMAN SAFIULLIN: I don't know. I mean, I felt great support here. I heard some Russian language, as well, supporting. Also when I was playing on the ground courts, I guess it was British supporters, it was also like great support here.

Q. How much of a distraction has that been, the Russia ban?

ROMAN SAFIULLIN: That we get ban, I mean, I just accept it. I was trying to play some tournaments before. As I said, last year I played on Stuttgart. Didn't get in to Halle. Then I got injured, and then I just skipped basically when it was Wimbledon.

Basically I was practicing and preparing for other tournaments.

Q. You played Novak before. What's the one thing that's especially difficult about playing him?

ROMAN SAFIULLIN: I think mentally. This is the one word what I can describe. He's mentally like on different level. When you step or when you see how he prepares before the match and when he step on court, it's like you feel that it's different energy.

To play against him, you have to be like 120%, 150% all the time. If you need to play five sets, you have to be on this one. If you drop 5%, then he takes you.