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WIMBLEDON

July 2, 2008

Mario Ancic

LONDON, ENGLAND

R. FEDERER/M. Ancic
6-1, 7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Mario.

Q. What was the difference of this match and the other time?
MARIO ANCIC: He was still a winner. Doesn't matter. It wasn't too many differences. You know, he makes you play the hardest as you can, and on the other hand you can't give him anything. There's not one point you get for free.
I mean, that is the toughest to balance. You have to play hard. You have to go for your shots. You have to play difficult. And, on the other hand, you're not allowed to miss if you want to win.
I think I was doing -- I'm so proud of myself how I was doing that second and third set, going really aggressive, pushing myself to play like that.
But I think maybe the overall of the whole match we can see in the first game in the third set where I felt I'm playing maybe the best tennis, and still had to fight so, so much to win that game.

Q. At fifteen minutes, can you describe a little bit that game? That game was actually almost the length of the first set.
MARIO ANCIC: I think that just shows what I was saying, how well I played, how difficult it is. Like I said, there's no one point. I was serving 130 miles. You get on your feet, getting deep volleys.
I mean, I had to play every point. Every point had to be perfectly done. Like I said, I think that just shows.
I never saw him serving better. Every time against me, I think this is the best he ever served.

Q. Can you speak a bit about what makes his serve so difficult? Because he's not so tall and the serve is not the fastest, but why is it so difficult for the returner?
MARIO ANCIC: Well, I mean, I don't agree with you that it's not the fastest. I mean, it's not -- maybe he didn't break the record, but it's around 130 he can smack it. He has unbelievable precise, and it's very tough to read his serve because he's mixing it so well.
Today he was serving really, really well - not only the first serve, even with the second he was going a lot. You know, had a great speed and really pushing me, not giving me any chance to hit and come, which of course going into this match I was hoping I can have these opportunities to do that.

Q. When you come into today's match, I realize you played him very recently on clay in Paris. But coming into this match here, do you have in your mind memories, thoughts at all about your victory over him here?
MARIO ANCIC: No. I mean, I lost couple times against him. Of course I won it here, but it's a very distant memory. I take it always as a new match. Doesn't matter how was last week.
Even if we play tomorrow, doesn't really matter. I try to go out there and, like I said, yesterday or two days ago, try to come up to my level. I think second and third set I did. He was just the better player.
I mean, I can talk here, talk stories, but he was just a better player. The better player went through.

Q. You've been through a tough time physically. I think I heard you said, My dream was to play again on Centre Court a Federer match. Was it as good as you had in mind?
MARIO ANCIC: Yeah. I mean, I enjoy every moment. Not today, but the whole Wimbledon here. It was for me a great two weeks. Now I'm going to take a lot of positive things.
I show again how good I can play. I beat, again, top players, which is great for confidence. And I think today was overall very good match.
Of course, you want to, you know, hopefully win these matches, but I still take -- I can still take a lot of positives from this experience, from 2008 Wimbledon.

Q. Is this 2008 Wimbledon like a landmark now again, your comeback?
MARIO ANCIC: I mean, definitely. Like I said, I got a lot of confidence when you beat these players which I beat. But also, I mean, ranking-wise it's a big step for me.
Like I said, it's now take lot of positive things from here and keep on going. I mean, I know where I want to be and I know that I still want to continue.

Q. Having just played Federer, for the next match, Federer versus Safin, who would you put your money on?
MARIO ANCIC: Well, I still think from the beginning of this tournament Federer is number one contender. I don't think it changes anything.

Q. Can you compare the Federer of today to the Federer you played here and beat in 2002?
MARIO ANCIC: I have to repeat. I think I a million times I said this, but I will say again.
I mean, he was obviously struggling at that time with the Grand Slam record. Was very bad. He was serving and volleying at that time. Now he's staying back.
I think 2003, at least for me, 2003 victory in Wimbledon just help him to be this player he is now. Because it looks like, you know, he had always a lot of talent, a lot of touch, but that just gave him confidence that he can be, you know, this consistent and this good.

Q. Do you think you did not have the level of fitness, having played such an extended match two days ago?
MARIO ANCIC: Well, of course, I would like that I finish, you know, in three and it wasn't long match. But sometimes -- you know, it was very great victory for me.
I think a little bit in the beginning that was, you know, a little bit minus, because in the beginning I was a little bit heavy. Didn't start that sharp as normal, and that cost me first games, basically the first set.
But then I think from there on it didn't really matter.

End of FastScripts

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