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MASTERS SERIES MONTE-CARLO

April 20, 2007

Tomas Berdych

MONTE-CARLO, MONACO

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What's your feeling of the game? You score 12 games in a row. Did you have any rhythm for that?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, I have not much -- doesn't matter if it's 12 games in a row, we count 12 games. And if it's step by step, that doesn't matter.
But, yeah, today's match, the start wasn't so good, but then the things change. I'm really happy that I can sit here and trying to prepare for tomorrow semifinals.

Q. What do you feel on clay is your best result? Even if you have got some good rhythm, but what is best ever? How do you feel on clay?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, I said before in Czech we playing half year on the clay courts and other half indoor on some hard courts.
So I'm used for the clay and I have like no problem. And now, yeah, it's good result here, and then my first tournament was also on clay.
Then I went also the Masters Series in Paris which is indoor. Yeah, these two surface it's not too much different.

Q. Do you adapt your game on clay, or not really? You adapt a little bit?
TOMAS BERDYCH: I can, yeah. I can adapt and play both of the surface. That's why -- I play all the time you are so small on clay and then indoor, so you are used to be in two surface.

Q. The fact that you have already beaten Federer and you almost always win against Nadal, does it cause you more pressure? I mean, do you have more pressure on yourself, or you always expect to win? You disappoint when you lose, or not?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Of course I'm disappointing when I lose. I think it's like everybody. Losing the matches it's nothing nice.
But of course, if you are 50 and you are in semifinal that everybody say, Jeez, that's fantastic. Yeah, and it's first time or something like this. But if you already have some good results and then I think the potential like to beat the players, and so many people say that you are one of the guys that can beat top something, of course the pressure is a little bit bigger.
But that's the tennis. You are alone the on the court and you have to fight with all the things around.

Q. Presuming Nadal beats Kohlschreiber, are you excited about the prospect of playing him again?
TOMAS BERDYCH: We play many matches. We play most of them on the hard court, and I think that's my advantage. Now I think it's going to be on, for sure his surface, and I think he also like this.
He won twice before, so, yeah, I'm just going to try to make him harder to win it, and we going to see.

Q. Do you think you can beat him on clay?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Why not? Yeah, I think the chances is maybe not 50/50, but, yeah. Also he's a favorite on this surface, but you never know.
If you ask me before I go play with Federer I said no chance. Maybe one percent and then I won, so it can happen.

Q. We don't now a great deal about you. Do you prefer perhaps to be a little quieter, not in the limelight, rather than be in the headlines? You seem like a quiet, shy kind of person.
TOMAS BERDYCH: It depends. So maybe Djokovic or some other guys -- and then also it's like other part of the guys, maybe me and some other. But also it depends maybe when you have Murray that everybody makes like something big around him and he's got this coach and, you know, he's from England.

Q. Scotland.
TOMAS BERDYCH: Sorry.

Q. Big difference.
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah. So they are making so big things around him. Depends also on the country and everything.

Q. So you would probably rather be as you are without the big hype all the time?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah. I think it's better for me. Yeah, I start and I grow up like this. So now if it starts again like 180 degrees then maybe it's not good for me. But you never know. I'm just this way and that's fine for me.

Q. In the Czech Republic are you sort of a star that people stop you to sign autographs?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Not too much. Now it's getting higher and higher in the popularity, but we still have like football and then ice hockey, so these two sports are a little bit -- so, yeah, I think tennis is number three.
So now I think it's getting better and better. More results and more good results coming, and I think they are trying to recognize more the sport and we see.

Q. Gossip papers write about you and Lucie Safarova and things like that, or you don't care?
TOMAS BERDYCH: I think it depends like on the results. If you have a good results, then they come and they want to know everything. But if the result not too much then they are a little bit far.

Q. Who has more front covers, you or your girlfriend?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Depends on the result. If you are like here semifinal and then she's maybe not playing the tournament or something, yeah, of course they're writing about the results. But it's not like it's every day in the newspaper or something.

Q. I mean, you're probably most regarded by some people for your gesture in Madrid last year when it was a very interesting reaction to beating Nadal. Did that make you, do you think, stronger as a person because of having to deal then with the reaction the next day, strengthened you as a person?
TOMAS BERDYCH: I mean, the time what I spent after that match and playing with Gonzalez, I never -- it never happened to me before. I played in Argentina for Davis Cup and it was tough, but nothing like this.
So, yeah, that's one kind of experience, and yeah, I made it. It's after me. And now, yeah, we say what's not going to kill you it's -- you going to be stronger.

Q. Do you and Rafa get on pretty well as two guys? Do you have a --
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah. I mean, if we meet in the locker room or somewhere we just say Hi. That's all. It was like before. I don't think there is like something different. I can say it again: I think it was just maybe have been a little bit more emotion from his side. Maybe not. That's done.

Q. And with you and Santoro it's better now?
TOMAS BERDYCH: With Santoro I don't know. It was at Wimbledon, so it's better to ask him. I have no problem with him. He started with some talk with me and some conversation, and maybe he doesn't like me or -- that's his choice. I don't care about it.

Q. Are you the kind of player who thrives or enjoys a hostile atmosphere when the crowd is against you? Do you like that?
TOMAS BERDYCH: If the crowd is against me or with me?

Q. Yeah. Can it make you stronger?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, that's a tough question. If it's like the match with Gonzalez, then there's no chance to like help you, or like something gives you more or be stronger or something.
But if it's the atmosphere like the match before we played with Nadal, then, yeah, it wasn't too much. It was, yeah, kind of like atmosphere like on Davis Cup ties.
But if you are playing well and if you are in shape then it helps you. But if you are down and you are losing then there's no chance.

Q. In your last two matches -- and certainly today -- you've been behind and have come back tremendously well. How do you feel physically, because obviously the Nadal match will be a very physical match.
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah. With my physical I have no problem. I'm feeling well. We just playing for best of three sets so you have to be ready. Yeah, it's not here, but if you have some tournaments playing for best-of-five sets it's much stronger and much tougher the games.
So, yeah, I'm feeling well, and I think I'm going to be ready for the next match.

Q. When you need to practice and you want to find a partner to hit some balls you ask any player, or you have somebody you like better to play with? And would you ask Nadal one day, or you prefer not?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Before the accident in Madrid we been practicing sometimes. . But since that time, yeah, of course, then it was just one tournament in Paris and then, yeah, Masters Series.
So and until now, no. But maybe it's going to take some time and then I think that's going to be fine. But before it was no problem and we practice.

End of FastScripts

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