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U.S. OPEN

August 31, 2007

Radek Stepanek

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. When you started the tiebreaker, the crowd, have you ever been through anything like that before?
RADEK STEPANEK: To be honest, I don't think so. The crowd today was just amazing. Those are the matches we are playing tennis for. If the crowd is involved like that, I think it's amazing atmosphere.
You just want to leave everything you have on the court, you know, to appreciate their support.
I think we both did that today. Novak was the luckier one today, but I can be proud of what I did on the court today. It's tough to be proud when you lose, but, anyway, I have a great feeling from that match. I gave all I had. I know I had my chances, but that's life.

Q. Why did you walk over the net? Why did you make a special point of going over the net to hug him?
RADEK STEPANEK: You know what, I think that that match was really special. I think it was not a match you can see every day here. You know, I just felt we know each other very well. He's got his Slovakian coach, Marian Vajda.
We know each other very well. We spend time on the tournaments together. We play doubles in L.A. I think we have respect to each other.
You know, after such a match, it had to be done like this, I believe. But I didn't plan it. I just felt it to do it.

Q. Have you ever done that much dancing on the court, jumping around?
RADEK STEPANEK: I'm jumping around all of my matches for a while. But, you know, as I said, after my injury last year I'm seeing tennis differently. I'm enjoying that much more. I'm appreciating the things differently as I did. You know, that's the way I am.
I want to enjoy playing. That's the way I'm doing it.

Q. How much does Petr help you to overcome some of these things when you're with him?
RADEK STEPANEK: You know, I'm with him for sixth year already. We are communicating daily, not only one time but maybe more times. He's helping me a lot. To come after this injury I had last year, to come back, you know, I never, throughout my career, been injured that badly, out for such a long time.
He went through it. He just gave me the advices, what he was going through, especially the mental things what is going through your mind, you know, that nothing is going to happen quickly, that I have to stay patient, work hard.
I finish No. 8 before my injury. Don't come on the court and think that I'm gonna play the same tennis I did when I was before the injury.
Those are the things which I had to respect and I did it and I was waiting for my chance. I think my tennis is getting back. The things are coming together. I'm playing good tennis.

Q. What was the injury?
RADEK STEPANEK: A dislocated disc in the neck, which cut the nerve to my hand. I lost the feel, power and touch in my right hand.

Q. Did you need surgery?
RADEK STEPANEK: Actually, I tell you honestly, I went to five doctors, and four wanted to operate me straight. Only my doctor said, you know, don't do that. Wait two, three months. You'll see if it's gonna come back slowly, then you have a chance that you can avoid the surgery.
And after two and a half months, when it was slowly -- I felt that it's coming back, I ask him what was the risk the surgery. He said the risk was that you would never take the racquet again. I said, Whoa. It's good he didn't tell me in the beginning because it was pretty scary.
I had no touch, no feel. I was not able to lift this bottle, even to open it, nothing.

Q. Are New York fans different from French fans, English fans, Australian fans? If so, how?
RADEK STEPANEK: I think they are different. I think they love the showtime. They love the show. You know, I think I'm different on the court, as many other players. You know, I'm enjoying myself. I'm happy when the crowd enjoys watching tennis and watching the match.
And the crowd is just energizing here. Even we didn't play on Arthur Ashe, we played on Louis Armstrong, the court was full. To play in front of such atmosphere is just amazing.

Q. Do you think they're more knowledgeable here in New York than the other Slams?
RADEK STEPANEK: I don't know if they are more knowledgeable, but definitely they are showing more emotions, which actually is very close to me because I love to share my emotions with everybody on the court, off the court. This crowd is very close to me.

Q. You looked so ready for the tiebreaker, enjoying yourself, telling the crowd to get loud. How quickly did it get away from you?
RADEK STEPANEK: It didn't get away. I just, you know, started the tiebreak not pretty well. I miss-hit the first return of the second serve, which was not a good start.
But anyway, you know, at 1-All, he hit a great return of my second serve, then suddenly I made two mistakes and the tiebreak was nearly gone.
To play tiebreaker in the fifth set is also kind of lottery. You know, I didn't had the right ticket today for the lottery (smiling). You know, I was there the whole match. As I say, I gave everything I had.
It's sad that it was not enough today, but I'm leaving the Open this year, you know, with my head up, with a great confidence, and with a feeling that I played a good tennis here.

Q. Why are you coming back into Davis Cup?
RADEK STEPANEK: This is a different story. I decided -- I saw the draw this year. The Czechs played the United States in the first round, to play and stay in the World Group. To play against Switzerland, it's a pretty tough draw.
You know, the things which went around with the Federation, everything, I'm not going back, I just want to help the team to stay in the World Group. Everything is set up and I'm looking forward to that match.

Q. You were so close to the No. 3 player in the world today. After what he did in Montréal, do you think he deserves to be in that conversation with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal? Is he right there or what does he need to do to get there?
RADEK STEPANEK: You know what, compared to those guys, he's playing incredible tennis. To beat No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 in one tournament in a row, you have to play really good tennis.
So I believe, from my point of view, I would say give him still a little bit of time. Even he beat them there, to keep beating them every tournament, especially on Grand Slams, maybe he's able to do it right away. But he's closing on them and he's very close to catch them.

Q. Does his bouncing the ball so many times before serve bother you?
RADEK STEPANEK: Actually we had a fun with my coach in Montréal because we've been watching his match. He said, I mean, he's bouncing the ball so much. I don't know how much is it, but I guess it's 18.

Q. Yeah. 24 on match point.
RADEK STEPANEK: I fall asleep maybe.

Q. Is it possible to have a serious romance or be engaged and play your best tennis at the same time?
RADEK STEPANEK: I think so. It's always how the people manage the things around. Definitely it's different, but I think it's possible.

Q. How are you dealing with this breakup?
RADEK STEPANEK: You know, that's life. People are getting together, they are leaving each other. But it's not easy. It's not easy. But, as I said, that's life, and I don't want to commentate too much (smiling).

End of FastScripts

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