US OPEN

September 6, 2006

Mikhail Youzhny

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What was most surprising: To beat Nadal or be in the semifinals of the US Open?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: I cannot say. Is both surprise. But I understand I can beat Nadal. It's very tough, but I can. I didn't think before the tournament I can go to semis. I didn't think nothing. I think is more surprise for me now, in semis.

Q. How do you explain you played so well in this tournament? You had a lot of big wins. Against Massu, you had five sets.
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Actually, all year was very tough for me. I work very hard end of last year and beginning of this year. Sometimes I was just waiting results, because I saw I play very well in practice. When I go in to play matches, I cannot show my best tennis in the court. I cannot understand what's happen.
After, I think after Hamburg, when I lost first round to qualify guy, Garcia Lopez, it's very easy, 6 Love, 6 4. I understand I cannot waiting any more for results because results are not coming for just coming. I need to do something for results is coming me.
I just work hard, and that's why results is coming.

Q. Rather than make excuses, Rafael said he played his best tennis, and it simply wasn't good enough to beat you. What does that say about the way you played?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah, I think it was one of the best match in my career now. But, you know, it's of course very tough to play against Rafael. I understand I have only one chance to beat Rafa, if I play together with my head. Because I don't have any chances to beat like, you know, if you play like, boom, boom, like a lot of players do, like I have no chances. It would be very easy to Rafa to beat me.
I start to play with my coach. Watch last year's match. We talk before the match about the tactic, how to play against Rafa, better against Rafa. I think it was a good tactic, and so I can beat him.

Q. I asked him about the atmosphere. He said the crowd
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Atmosphere, I'm very glad about atmosphere. Because when I came to court, it was almost all spectators was for Rafa. I understand he is like come here to play, he is No. 2 in the world.
But I was really, really glad when during the match a lot of people start to say, "Misha, Misha." They call "You, You, You," because Youzhny is too tough for. That's why I was really, really glad. I can contact with spectators, with public, and they help me a little bit.

Q. He said he heard more Mishas than Rafa.
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: I don't think was more, but I think it was half.

Q. Why did you do the gesture you did at the end of the match?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: I think is, you know the best was doing Agassi before. It's the best one, I think, what he is doing. If I doing the same, it was not really correct to Andre because where is Andre, where is me.
I saw what is doing Srichaphan. He's always doing like this after the match (bowing).
I was thinking what I can do after the match. I think it's really Russian, what I am doing. I start doing like this.

Q. What does it mean?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: It's the same. I want to say thanks for spectators. They just watch our match, and they help me maybe, maybe no.

Q. When you talked about your tactics, what were your tactics? Were you surprised that he played so much heavy topspin short balls, so many short balls?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: It's one of a part of our tactics. It was. You know, I tried to play of course, against Nadal, is stupid to play only to his backhand, because you can play one, two balls to his backhand, and after he start to play his forehand because he is already in this corner. I don't want to tell you exactly...
No, really, because, you know, it may be not really correct to Rafa if I tell you I beat him because I play like this, I play like this.
If you see the match, maybe you see some shots where it was really tactics. Because the match, all match it was the same from first set until end of set. I didn't change the tactics. If I change tactics for one moment, I was (indiscernible), I think. I had only one chance to beat Rafa, I play like I play today.

Q. What did you feel after 5 4 and three set points against you?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: I think I didn't have time for think about it (laughing). If I think about this, I think can lose.
I just I understand, for me it was to play against Rafa very easy because I didn't lose nothing. That's why when the score 5 4, Love 40 for me, is nothing. If I play against other guys, yeah, maybe I start to thinking. But against Rafa, he's favorite. He's play well. He's one of the best player in the world. I need just play what I'm doing. And Love 40, I just play. I just start to serve.
Of course it was I was lucky because he miss forehand at 15 40. But I just to play, and I was lucky again because I serve good. At Love 40, I think it was three first serve, good ones.

Q. You had success with the Davis Cup. You became instantly a hero, I'm sure, in Russia. The rest of the world suddenly knew about you. What impact did that have on your development?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Again Davis Cup hero. You know, Davis Cup was four years ago, and it was a great match for me. You mean about the final, yeah?

Q. Yeah.
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: It was great match for me. It was not really for me. It was great match for our country because for first time we won the Davis Cup.
But for me, it was really tough time because three months before the Davis Cup, my father has died. He doing a lot for me and he cannot watch this match. And I cannot be glad. I be happy, but I cannot be happy for hundred percentage after this match because it was just three months after the father.
Of course all country, we going to presidents', to one presidents, to former presidents. It was huge, huge for Russia, you know. But for me, it was like I cannot feel the same would feel, I think, a lot of people in Russia.
Of course after, when it was maybe one or two years ago, I understand what our team is doing for Davis Cup.
That's why for me, it's really tough to compete this match in Davis Cup. Actually for me was very tough time. I not was happy like I must be happy after this match, you know. If I win like one years before or now, it will be now another situation. But in this year it was really tough for me.

Q. Do you prefer to play Roddick or Hewitt?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: You know, for me, it doesn't matter. Against each, it will be very tough. I have some pluses and minuses with Roddick and with Hewitt. For sure against both is guys who play very tough very, very tough. Will be another match, not like was against Rafa or against another Spanish guys. Because we play (indiscernible) tennis. I need just go in and play.

Q. Will you watch the match?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Actually, I don't like to watch the match. My coach watch the match. For me, it's the best way.

Q. You said this is the best match of your life today?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah, I think it was my best match because I play the same tennis from first point until last.

Q. Was that just because of the matchup, or was there something in you that brought you to this point, or did you feel going into the match that you were going to play well, or is it a surprise?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No, it's not surprise for me what I play good today. Because all matches before in US Open, I play really good. Against Robredo was really nice match. Against Ferrero it was. All matches I play, I play good, you know. That's why I understand this match I can play good, but I didn't know how I can play good, you know, which level I can play good.
And for me, I very glad because I play from first to last points the same, you know. For me, it's very important now.

Q. Why is it you have gotten to this level now? What has brought you here?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Because I work hard beginning of the year, starting. I play almost the same tennis in practice starting from April. I have the same tennis in Miami on practice. It was unbelievable. I play with top 20 guys, and for me, it was really, really good because I can beat him on practice. After, I think I am going to court and I play the same.
When I going to play against Rusedski, I lost 6 3, 6 1. First time in my life, I cannot show like 50% is from my game and practice on my match.
Now, the time is coming. That's why I start to I coming from practice to match now. Not early, not later, but just now.
But I can say thanks to all my team, my coach, my fitness coach, my physio, everybody who helped me, and this is results of work.

Q. There are many years that they are saying that you could be a strong, strong player. There are at least four years apart from Davis Cup, other tournaments. All players, they say that you are dangerous one. But are you disappointed by this last year, the fact that you didn't really succeed as much as everybody was expecting? You are 54, I think, in the world, and you could be much better. Are you disappointed? You think what is the reason? Is just mental?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Is not just mental, you know. I have some last year, 2002, start in 2002, it was Davis Cup year. After Davis Cup in Russia, everybody bring me up because I win last match. They didn't say what Safin win all matches before in Davis Cup. He won two matches in Paris. Everybody says, "Youzhny won the Davis Cup, he is like national hero." Everybody start to talk about me, he is next No. 1 in the world because actually people in Russia who understand the tennis, it was not a lot. It's a lot who doesn't understand the tennis. They know just he won, Russia won Davis Cup, he is the best.
But I tell you before, for me, it was very tough time. In 2003 I start very good with season. I was fourth round to Australia open. Was two sets up against Roddick and I lost this match.
And after, is end of 2002 and beginning of 2003, I play only on my emotion because I have to play, because I always thinking about my father and I have to play, I have to play. And after January, I was really down because it's impossible to play always on your emotions.
2003, I start to injury a little bit. 2004, I play very good, I think. I begin not so good, but end of year, top 20. I was No. 15 in the world. Again, I start very good. I remember Australian Open against Rafa, I have matchpoints, very easy match points and volley forehand. But I have injury, knee injury in this match. I start to going to clinic in Russia. It was wrong step to me. I didn't know before what is wrong, but I just miss three weeks. I going to play Dubai, Davis Cup in America, and I have the same problems. I have knee injury.
After America, I going to Germany, make the operations, rehabilitations. After, come back to Rome, fourth round against Rafa 6 2, 6 0.
End of the year, I have problems with back. And after, doctors tell me, Misha it's knee injury is because your back is not good enough. I start to work with my back. I work very harden end of last year, beginning of this year. Beginning of this year I said I have some personality problems with my family. I didn't say what kind of.
But, you know, that's why I work hard and sometimes I waiting results. I tell you, beginning of the year I waiting results because I start play well. After, I stop to look results and start to play. Now I just go on court and try to play my best tennis. That's why I'm going up and down.
I understand in Russia, I am lucky. I am very lucky because now is a lot of person forget about the Youzhny. We have a lot of good players now. Davydenko, top 10. Safin come back now. Tursunov play good. Andreev. We have many good players. I am really glad for not many people start to say Youzhny have to going, but up, up and down.
Yes, some players, some journalists or somebody says, Misha, when you going up and down. But I believe to my coach, I believe to my team. I just try to work hard, and I understand this is, yeah, now I'm 54, but my game is much better than 54.
Now I stop to thinking about the result, about the ranking. I think only about my game, what I need to improve. I know what I need to improve. I have a lot of things what I can improve. That's why it's looking positive to my future.

Q. Can you look ahead to your semifinals and talk about your match against Roddick and then your match against Hewitt and your chances.
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Is better if you talking about my chances. I just go in and play.

Q. If you were playing Hewitt, in other words...
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Hewitt, I never beat Hewitt in my life. You know, of course it will be both very tough and will be two difference matches against Roddick and against Hewitt, because it's two different players. I don't want to talk about my chances, because before Rafa, also I have not a lot of chances. Against Robredo, against Ferrer, I always was not favorite.
That's why against Hewitt and against Roddick, I think I again will not be favorite for sure. Guys already play semis in Grand Slams. For sure, it will be very, very tough match for me, because it will be now in our match not like against Spanish guys, because Roddick and Hewitt, it's another players and they prefer this surface. They play very good in hard.
This is two players very dangerous for me.

Q. What makes Lleyton so difficult to beat? You obviously haven't beaten him before?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: You know, it's I have, against Roddick, like against Roddick I have some chances. But, you know, he serve very well. And if he serve very well, very tough to beat him in this surface.
Against Hewitt, he's both players former No. 1, and Hewitt, good return and he's very fast, you know. He play very good. Of course he play very good.
That's why, you know, I don't want to think now against who I am going to play Saturday, because it's two more days. Now I have to play, go and play doubles, and I need to think how we can beat the Bryans, because really they are much tougher to this Roddick or Hewitt.

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