OLYMPIC TENNIS TOURNAMENT

August 17, 2004

Tomas Berdych

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

TOMAS BERDYCH: Thank you.

TOMAS BERDYCH: So I think it was my best match which I ever played because I play first time with Roger and I beat him. And I think it's unbelievable feeling. Because, you know, Roger is, in this moment, I think the best player who's on the ATP circuit. So he's winning every tournament when he come. And on Olympics I had the chance and I beat him, so it's unbelievable.

TOMAS BERDYCH: I don't know. I saw Roger only on TV. I saw him, he was winning. So, I don't know, I think maybe not -- maybe it wasn't the Roger who was winning, but I beat him so I'm very happy.

TOMAS BERDYCH: I don't have the point to go to tournament and I say, "I want one day." But I go to tournament and I try to play my best. I go to first round. I'm trying to win. If I win, I'm trying to win next round. Not I say, "I needs to go to semis or I need to win the tournament." So I try beat Roger. I beated him, so it's very nice. And now I try won next match, so we will see.

TOMAS BERDYCH: I don't think I -- I don't have -- not strategy, but it's really very difficult to play some strategy with Roger because, you know, he's great player. So I only try to play my best tennis and I try pushing him. I play best my tennis today, so I won today.

TOMAS BERDYCH: I think I was serving well today and then I not making so much unforced errors. So maybe that was the point. Maybe Roger wasn't in his shape. So I don't know.

TOMAS BERDYCH: I think that the two games before the end I was very lucky because I had three matchpoints down. It was very tough game for me. But I holded the game. And then I go next side to return, and I think that there was good for me because Roger make two -- I think two double-faults. And if he make the two easy mistakes, it's two point, which is good. First matchpoint I think Roger play well. He hit the first serve and then perfect winner from forehand side. And then the second matchpoint it was good for me because he didn't make first serve. So then it was good chance for me second serve. And I hit a backhand winner, and that was the point.

TOMAS BERDYCH: I think it was everything. Everything in my head because, you know, if you see the guy, he won Wimbledon, he won Australian Open, and now you are the player which beat him. So it's unbelievable. But I don't know what special hit was (smiling).

TOMAS BERDYCH: I think it was in second set when I broke him, because to broke Roger is very tough. I broke him to 5-3, and then I lost my serve. So it was very tough for me because 5-3 in serve. And then on score 6-5, I break him again. So that was, I think for me, very good chance because if you break two times Roger, so you can think you can beat him. But anyway it was tough, the third set.