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BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 18, 2009

Fernando Verdasco

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

F. VERDASCO/P. Kohlschreiber
6-4, 3-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How was your level compared to your match with Gasquet, would you say?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: You know, I think with Gasquet it was different match also than today with Kohlschreiber. For sure in the beginning of the second set today I start serving -- you know, I think the serve at the beginning of the second set, it was with less power than with Gasquet, and than today also than in the first or the third set.
He started to put more pressure with the second serve and with the returns. Also I was, you know, not moving that fast at the beginning and I start to make more mistakes.
So he made the two breaks and then it was -- you know, I made one back, but, you know, he makes two breaks, it's almost impossible with this kind of players.
So I think that the level was good. In the third set again I was feeling pretty good. Like with Gasquet, he started to make more mistakes, also. On the first set I start good, and then the first game with my serve, I also made some mistakes and he played good.
But, you know, I think Kohlschreiber is a very dangerous player. He have very good games, then another games he made more mistakes. You need to be ready for all these good games, be prepared and to try to put all the balls in, no? Because he played so aggressive, and it's tough to play against him.

Q. You had a great tournament in Australia. Then you got hurt and had to take some time off. What were your expectations coming into this tournament?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: You know, right now, I'm in quarterfinals. For me, it was so important, the first matches, after one month without playing a match, pulling out of Dubai and Davis Cup because of the injury in the middle Australia in my ankle.
So it was hard month for me, no? And the first matches it was so important to see myself, to see if I was feeling good of the ankle, winning or losing. Just if I was okay, without pain and everything.
So now that I won three matches already, I'm in quarterfinals, I will play normally with Federer, No. 2 in the world. I did all the good things that I supposed to do. Now with Federer I will try to do a great match. I don't have nothing to lose. He's No. 2 and I'm No. 10. I will try to enjoy, and I will try to win semifinals.
So my expectations already are so good to be in quarterfinals. Now I will try to do more.

Q. Do you have a different level of belief now when you go on court against someone like Federer where you say, Yes, I have the weapons to win this match?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Of course it's different. It's different mentality than months ago, no? Even one year ago, like four months ago it's different. I'm believing in myself much more against the top players than before.
The Australian Open helped me so much when I won against Murray and Tsonga, and then also the match I did with Rafa. All that made me feel that I can play and I can beat these players, no, top players.
So of course tomorrow I will try to, you know, to go outside and to the court and try to beat him. He is so good. Everybody know that. But, you know, if I have a good day and he don't have a good day I can win.

Q. It's the left ankle, isn't it?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Yes.

Q. How did you do it?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: With Murray. He made me one serve wide, and when I return, he just hit a forehand cross again. When I was recovering and trying to go to the backhand again, I twist my ankle. In that moment, I didn't know that it was that much, no? I just keep playing that match. I didn't feel so much in that match.
With Tsonga I felt pretty much -- that morning it was so hard for me, the warm up and everything, and also with Rafa.
After the tournament, I made an MRI, and they told me that I had a split in the perineal tendon. They told me to be eight weeks with a boot. You know, I said, like, Come on. No chance. Eight weeks? I need to pull out of Dubai and Davis Cup and also Indian Wells, Miami.
You know, I don't know. I was telling the doctor that my recovery normally is faster than the doctor says. So when he told me eight weeks, I said I will not put the boot. And I was just, you know, don't do anything, like play hard on court and just maybe hit some balls.
Just also see how is it feeling, and I was just doing that, no? Just doing things without pain and, you know, slowly taking the rhythm in the practice. You know, I think I made a good recovery.

Q. Did you have to adjust your game in your last two matches in Australia because of the injury?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: You know, I was just enjoying that it was my first quarterfinals and my first semifinals in a Grand Slam. I was feeling so good, big confidence, and, you know, I was just playing my game and doing the things that I supposed to do.
But for sure with the ankle it was tough for me. I was holding the pain all the time. It was -- the balls, when they was playing hard to my forehand to recover, the precision on court was so tough for me.
So it was a few balls for me it was so difficult to defend. I was just trying to hit the winner, no, to don't recover and don't put my pressure on that ankle.
So of course I change a little bit, but that is normal, no? I was with a lot of pain. I was just trying to play the best I can with the pain I had.

Q. Since Australia, have you been in touch with Gil Reyes or with Andre?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: I was a month in Las Vegas. All February I was practicing with both, with Gil and Andre and Darren Cahill, also. Also more players of adidas came. I was only two weeks alone there, but then after Wozniacki came and Sorana CrÃ®stea came, and Mirza. So it was fun.
It was a great time with all the players there practicing. You know, it was a good spirit for me, also. One month there with Gil, practicing so hard, not doing all the things that I supposed to do or that I was doing in December in the pre-season because I was in pain in the ankle.
But I was practicing so hard, and that makes me feel good also now again on the court.

Q. And if Andre said, Hey, I think I'm going to come back to the ATP tour, what do you think he would rank?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: I don't know. But I was practicing with him a few days and he said that, no? He asked me, If I come back to the tour, do you think I will still be good player? I said, Of course you will be a good player. But ranking is tough to say one number.

Q. Did you play some practice sets with him? Did you have any results?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: No, we didn't play points. Just normal hitting and, you know, some exercise. No sets or something.

Q. But he's still got it?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Yeah.

Q. You talked in Australia about what Andre said to you in December. So when you came back to Las Vegas this time and he saw your great result, what are some of the things he had to say to you about that?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: No, first of all, he congratulate me and told me that I made a great job. He was so proud of all the game I made in Australia. We was talking about the matches and we was talking about things that, you know, he thinks that I need to change a little bit. Just talking about a little bit of everything, no? He's helping me a lot.
He have unbelievable relationship with Gil. They see each other a lot, and he came a lot of days to watch me also, and to support me. It was so good for me.

Q. Gil and Andre are so close, and Gil has had such an influence on Andre, do you think they sometimes think or talk in a somewhat similar way?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: They were together for twenty years, so of course they have unbelievable confidence. I think they're like family, no? So, so close.
You know, I'm just trying to enjoy this time with them. They treat me unbelievable, and I'm so happy to be part of the team, no?
I just hope to learn a lot from them, because they're unbelievable professionals. For sure they have a lot to teach me.

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