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WIMBLEDONJune 23, 2008Alex BogdanovicLONDON, ENGLAND S. BOLELLI/A. Bogdanovic 7-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 THE MODERATOR: Questions for Alex. Q. So near and yet so far. Two set points to make it two sets all. ALEX BOGDANOVIC: Yeah, it was a difficult match today. I felt like I was close, you know, to taking it to a decider. You know, I served pretty good. It was only one break in the whole match. It's a little disappointing after, you know, you kind of worked so hard out there. I thought I played well. I guess he deserved to win today. Q. Is there something about Wimbledon that gets to you, because your record is obviously consistent? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: Yeah, no, not at all. I just feel like, you know, I had tough matches in the past. I've learnt a lot from playing Federer, Nadal. I had some winnable draws, as well. I felt like today was a match where it could have went both ways. I feel like every year, you know, I'm getting better and stronger. I think it's just a matter of time, you know. It's just playing the bigger points. You know, I had two breakpoints to take it into the decider. You just never know. Also in the first set tiebreak, I had a little mini-break. It's just that next step forward. He's a top-50 player. I feel I have to play the bigger points better. Q. You're hovering on the cusp of the 250 mark in the world rankings. Do you feel you'll get another chance? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: Yeah, definitely. I've dropped down. I was 108 last year, highest. Now I'm inside 250. I feel like I'm a lot better player than 250. I feel like I'm going to finish the year definitely, you know -- try to get back inside the 150. Hopefully, if I play well, top hundred. My back injury that came in Newport last year, that took a lot of confidence out of me. You know, I really struggled after that. Q. When you say, "get another chance," do you think you should get another wild card next year? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: No. I mean, who knows. The criteria could be different. I'm getting older. I'm 24. There's youngsters coming up. So, you know, I'm not sitting here saying I need to have a wild card. Not at all. I believe I'm good enough to be top hundred and to get into the tournament with no wild card. Q. Do you still look forward to Wimbledon? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: Yeah, definitely. I mean, you know, it's the best tournament in the whole world. Every year that comes around, you know, I think I'm lucky. All the other British guys are lucky to get this, you know, unbelievable opportunity to play at Wimbledon. Some people kind of even just dream about playing. I've had the opportunity to do so on a lot of occasions. I just feel like, you know, I've got to bounce back from this and, you know, get back to my challenger circuit and try to win matches. I feel like if I put the effort that I did today, I don't see any reason why, you know, I can't be a top-hundred player. Q. Have you spoken to Brad since you lost? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: No, no, haven't spoken to him. Q. How much do you think you've developed under him? Do you feel you've made progress since working with him? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: Yeah, definitely. You know, I feel like physically I'm a lot stronger. You know, we worked really hard. For the first time, you know, going -- I feel like if I went into the fifth set, physically I was feeling fine. You know, for me that's one step forward. Last year, I feel like, you know, playing five sets would have been a tough task physically. And now, you know, I'm a lot stronger. You know, he's got me to try to play more aggressive. In the last, you know, three or four months, we've been working on just, you know, trying to be aggressive. You know, it's coming along. We've been working hard. I think it's just a matter of time when the result's going to come. Q. A lot of people are going to say obviously you've lost again today; the proof's in the pudding. Do you think that's a fair criticism of your relationship with Brad? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: No, I mean, I don't think -- you know, we expected to get better results, especially coming from Brad. But, you know, when you look at it, you can't expect results to come, you know, like in a few months. I think it's a long process. You know, I know I've been working really hard. He knows if I keep doing like this, it's just a matter of time until, you know, I get back there where I was, and hopefully break top hundred. Q. I know you speak highly of Brad. He's got a great track record as a coach generally. But do you feel extra pressure having such a big-name guy, given where you are in the rankings? That must surely weigh on you a bit, the fact that he's kind of there in your corner and he's costing you a lot of money. ALEX BOGDANOVIC: Yeah, I mean, for me, I'm really thankful for the LTA. The experience has been unbelievable. Obviously, he's used to being with top players week in, week out. But I'm really surprised how, you know, he traveled to challengers with me, and he always had my back. That was something I was really surprised, you know, me coming from a challenger level, I would have thought that -- you know, he coached Roddick, Agassi, all these great players, and now me, who has been around this 250 mark. He's just been so supportive. He still believes that I could be a top-hundred player. For me, you know, that's a huge thing. Q. You said Brad has made you more of a hard-working player, that your stamina is better. Has he actually technically improved you as a player? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: Technically, no. I feel like it's more like mentally and tactics we've been working on. Technically, I mean, I feel like, you know, my technique, when I was young, that's where we really worked hard. I feel like my technique on all strokes are pretty, you know, decent. He just got me to, you know, kind of think a little bit more on the court, trying to use my strengths, and see what my opponent's weakness is. Just try to use my game to kind of deal with that. Q. People sometimes look at you in defeat and say you don't look as disappointed as you might do. Can you just talk about the level of disappointment you're feeling at the moment? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: Yeah, very disappointing. But, you know, I try -- I'm a guy, you know, I try to keep it inside. You know, I'll kind of probably just go back in the hotel, it will stay with me for maybe two or three days, sometimes weeks. I think in the past, it's kind of cost me a little bit. You know, I feel like, you know, after I lost this match, you know, the coaches came in and said, you know, it was a lot of positive things out there, don't get down. And I feel like in the past, you know, I got down on myself. That I think is not good. It just doesn't help me next week, the week after. Brad has got me trying to be just, you know, positive. Even, you know, defeats, I'm going to lose so many more times this year anyway, and it's just about, you know, taking the positives out there and getting back on the court and working hard. Q. After your loss today, we heard some reports that there was a risk that your LTA funding might be withdrawn. Were you aware of that? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: No, not at all. Q. And so do you think the LTA should continue to support you as you try to move forward? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: I mean, that's up to them. But I've never heard -- I haven't heard from anyone about that at all. You know, I guess I'm going to have to speak to the coaches and they're going to have to tell me if there's anything. Q. Do you feel yourself you can continue to get better? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: Yeah, no, I'm still enjoying it. I feel I can get better out there. You know, the day I feel like I cannot get any better, and that's maybe the day when I'm going to think, okay, maybe my time is over. But I feel like, you know, I'm still young, and there's a lot of things I can improve and get better. Q. This time next year, do you think you will have qualified for Wimbledon as of right and won finally a match at Wimbledon, as well? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: It will be nice to win a match. You know, I think that's what I'm working towards. I'm gonna be, you know, working hard towards that. And I believe I can. You know, it's just a matter of time. For me it's just about, you know, breaking the top hundred. I believe if I'm a top-hundred player, I'll be playing bigger tournaments week in, week out, playing these guys week in, week out, so that's going to help me. Q. There will be some celebration when you do finally win a match at Wimbledon, wouldn't it? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: It will be, definitely. It will be -- for me, it will be just purely that self-satisfaction. All the work I've been putting in, I mean, just all to gain, I guess, from it. Q. What deterrents do you think are in the works as to keeping British men from attaining what they can in tennis? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: I think, you know, we've been really working hard. I think there's a lot of juniors coming up. You know, I think one good positive that we're lucky to have such great coaches, you know, working behind us. Obviously, you know, the LTA has good money from obviously Wimbledon, which, you know, we can provide the good coaches and the training. It's just a matter of, you know, the guys just working hard. You know, I believe in the future there will be a lot of, you know, good British players. Q. Davis Cup is going to be played here in September. A, are you available for selection; and B, should John Lloyd pick you? ALEX BOGDANOVIC: I am always available for Davis Cup. And, uhm, I guess just, you know, how my form goes after this, after Wimbledon, how many matches I win, how I'm playing. You know, I believe -- Q. There was a time when you said you didn't want to play Davis Cup for Britain a few years ago. ALEX BOGDANOVIC: No, that's only when I was injured, I think. That was for an injury. I said, you know, it's better not to pick me because I was injured then. But definitely, I'm always available for Davis Cup. You know, it's just how I, you know, bounce back from here. You know, if I do well before the US Open qualifying, all the challengers leading up to that. John is obviously going to be following my results. He'll come out and watch me in the States. I believe, you know, I should be part of the team. I'm a good player to be part of the team. End of FastScripts |
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