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SONY ERICSSON OPEN

April 2, 2009

Juan Martin Del Potro

KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

J. DEL POTRO/R. Nadal
6-4, 3-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What do you think was the difference today for you? You've never beaten him before, never taken a set off him, I don't think. Why today do you think it turned?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Because always I was keep going and keep trying. I beat him with my mind and with my game. When we played long points, I was dominating every time, so that was the key of the last set, of the tiebreak.
But I beat for first time.

Q. Did you come into this match thinking differently about him, or did you just come in the middle of the match and you realized you had a chance?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No. I know him since 12 years. We play many times. Sometimes I can play good and sometimes bad, but today I did everything. I served very good, and with my forehand with big confidence.
To beat Rafa, you have to be in good shape and every part of your game, and today I did a great job.

Q. Did it feel like Buenos Aires out there, and how much did that help you?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yeah, a lot. There are many Argentinians and Latina, they all support me a lot. They help me too much for this victory.

Q. Rafa did not think that you played unbelievably good. He didn't think it was one of your better matches. He thought he really played terribly? How would you categorize your play tonight?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I played unbelievable. I beat the No. 1 of the world. If you don't play unbelievable, you cannot beat him. I'm happy, but tomorrow I will play again, so I have to think in the next match.

Q. It looked like when you were down 2-3 in the tiebreak that you got aggressive and you took the match to him. Did you feel that way?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I have a little bit lucky in the tiebreak. But I fight like three hours to be in the tiebreak, so five more points will be to decide to the match, and I was trying until the final. That's was the big thing of the match.

Q. You're down 3-0 at the beginning of the third, two breaks. What are you thinking right then?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I start to enjoy the match, the people, the crowds, the quarterfinals. And I start to play more relaxes and more aggressive, too.
Then the match going different. I broke his serve in 3-0, and then 3-2. When I was 5-4, I say, Now I can beat him. That's was a big difference in my mind.

Q. Even when you had three match points and you had the forehand set up, even when you missed that, you still believed?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yeah. Because Rafa did two aces, and then I have my opportunity with my forehand. But sometimes go in and sometimes no. The important is I was fighting until the final, and now I'm happy for the victory.

Q. Is this the biggest moment of your career?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Of course.

Q. How about a win on Sunday? Would that be better?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: It would be better, but I have to play tomorrow.

End of FastScripts

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