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ROGERS CUPJuly 21, 2008Richard GasquetTORONTO, ONTARIO R. GASQUET/M. Llodra 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Can you just talk about how important returning serve is against Llodra. Seems like if you take that away you chop out a big weapon of his game. RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, it was the key of the match. He has a big serve. He's lefty. He's really talented with his serve and after to the net, so it was important for me to return well. I did it well in the first set. I was leading 3-2 in the second with a break, so the match was good for me. But after I lost the game at 3-2 on my serve I lost a little bit my confidence. He played better, and, yeah, I lost the second set. At the beginning of the third it was hard for me because he had two breakpoints. If he did it it's another match for sure. But I tried to fight. The wind was difficult to play, but I am happy to win. Q. This is such a punishing tournament. Is it a little bit of a disadvantage to have to go to three sets in your first match? You've been to the finals of this tournament. It's a very hard week from beginning to end. RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, but it wasn't too physical with Michael because he has a big serve. He's playing with one or two stroke to win the point. It's not a Spanish guy. It was okay for me to play three sets. For sure I prefer to win in two. I could. I did three sets. But, no, I'm happy to win. Q. What's your feeling on the state of the tour right now in terms of everybody is talking about Rafa and Roger and about how difficult it is to crack the top two. Now that Rafa has moved up, it seems like it's even more difficult at the high end of sport right now. RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, for sure it's really difficult right now to be in the top 5. I think they're a little bit better than the other guys, even Djokovic. Yeah, Nadal and Federer are the best players in the world, so it's harder maybe than the beginning of the year. You know, in Australia they didn't play well, but now they are at their best level. It's really hard to play against them. Q. Boris Becker was just in here and he said that he thinks that Rafs has passed Roger. That he is a little bit better right now, there's no debate. Do you feel the same way? RICHARD GASQUET: On clay court, yes. But, you know, on hard and grass it's 50/50 I think. But more on clay, for sure he's better. On this court or everything Federer can win. At US Open it's fast. So for me it's 50/50, yes. Q. You've beaten Roger, and not many people can say that. Do you think he can still improve, or do you think he's kind of reached that ceiling? RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah yeah, he will improve for sure. With Nadal he has to improve because for now -- maybe two years ago he had no opponents, but now it's good because he will improve. With Nadal I'm sure he will play better in the future. Q. Do you know Michael very well? Are you good friends off the court? RICHARD GASQUET: You, for sure. I know him a lot. I played Davis Cup with him and I practice with him, so it's always difficult to play against a countryman. Q. Especially so early on in a tournament, get him right off the bat. RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, it's really hard, but you have to win. I'm happy to win this match, but it's always difficult to win a friend. End of FastScripts |
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