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TENNIS MASTERS CUP

November 15, 2006

Tommy Robredo

SHANGHAI, CHINA

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. You lost to Nadal two times. This is the closest. Anything positive you can pull out from this match?
TOMMY ROBREDO: Well, I think it was a pretty good match. I had my chances in the first set. Well, that's it. That's happening when you play with the world No. 2. If you have your small chance, you don't get it, then maybe you're going to lose, no?
I think I was playing so good all of the match, having the break up on the first set. He make an unbelievable game, making two passing shots without angle. Then I miss one volley, then it was break back. On 6-5 I have a chance, as well, to broke him. I couldn't. Then on the tiebreak, you never know. You make the one mistake and you can lose it, no?
Then on the second one, I think I had the chance to break back him and be on the match again because I was playing pretty good. I make a mistake. Then the match was gone, no?
But, well, I think that I did pretty good. That's it.

Q. According to American newspapers, Goran Ivanisevic says he thought it's really difficult for him to believe that you are one of the Masters here in Shanghai. What is your comment about that?
TOMMY ROBREDO: Well, I don't know. He can think whatever he wants. I think if he thinks I'm not -- I shouldn't be here, then is his thoughts, no? If I'm here, it's because I was working all the year to be here and I did my results. Well, at the end I am here.
I think if you finish world No. 6, it's because you deserve it.

Q. Everyone thought you were a clay court expert. We have hard courts and fast courts in Shanghai. They may consider you are the easy one to beat for the other guys.
TOMMY ROBREDO: Well, I don't know. You should ask the others if I'm the easiest one to beat. I don't know. I don't think Davydenko thought that I am really easy to beat because he was in a big trouble the first day. And Rafa, I don't think he's going to say that I'm so easy to beat because today he was almost losing the first set.
I don't know. If they think I'm the easiest one to beat, then it's his thoughts. I cannot do nothing about that.

Q. This year you won a Masters Series in Hamburg, clay court. Now for years, other Spanish players have demonstrated you can play on other courts. That's a topic about not only Spanish players, but Argentinians and so on.
TOMMY ROBREDO: Thank you for your support (smiling). I think that anyway I did two semifinals in a Masters Series on hard court, and I did last eight in US Open and Australian. It's hard court tournaments. If you get all those points, it's more than, I don't know, 600, 700 points in four tournaments. If I don't play good in hard court, then I'm going to be losing first round for sure.
I don't know of course, if you check my points, I have a lot more on clay. It's like that. I did a great summer season on clay. Also then I did a great end of the year playing on hard court. I think I'm not that bad on hard courts.

Q. I heard you have already practiced with some Chinese junior player here in Shanghai.
TOMMY ROBREDO: A few times, yeah.

Q. Do you worry their level is far below you so you cannot get the proper preparation? Why didn't you practice with another player here in Shanghai?
TOMMY ROBREDO: If I was playing with them, it's because I think they are good for practice and because, I don't know -- for me, it was great to play with them. I think when I was young, it was an honor for me to play with great players. I think for them, it would be an honor to play with one guy like us, no?
If I was not practicing with the other players at the beginning, it's because in Bercy I got injured in the last match. I was not practicing a lot the week before till I arrive here. I didn't want to push so hard at the beginning. Then I used two of these guys to just keep playing, keep practicing to get my shape. Then the last two days, I was practicing with a few guys of the tournament, no?
But anyway, I don't think I need to practice with the top players because after all of this season, I've been playing for more than 60 matches with them. I don't think I was missing the rhythm of matches; I just was missing to get used to here, to change the clock and to get used to the court. I did pretty good. I think that my preparation for the tournament was perfect.
I think that on the court I'm feeling pretty good. If I'm not winning, it's not because I didn't practice or I didn't make the good preparation for the tournament. It's because I played with Davydenko first day. He's one of the most in-shape players of the last month. With Nadal, No. 2 in the world. If you want me to beat them, I thank you for your support, but sometimes it's not that easy.

Q. As you know, this is the sixth time in history that a Spanish player played another Spanish player. What is your comment on that, you are playing your countryman? What's the difference between playing your own countryman and playing with players from other countries?
TOMMY ROBREDO: Well, I think it's not changing that much, no? I think if I have to play with a guy from my country, it happen on the tour sometimes. If I have to play with another guy, it's the same, no?
I think that it didn't change the match. I wanted to beat him as much as he wanted to beat me. Here the important thing is to arrive to semifinals. That's what we both were trying to do.
Well, I think for me it didn't change the match to play against a Spaniard than to play against an American or a Russian.

End of FastScripts

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