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WIMBLEDON

June 29, 2009

Ivo Karlovic

LONDON, ENGLAND

I. KARLOVIC/F. Verdasco
7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 7-6

Q. Your serve seems to be unbelievable because no breakpoints, fourth round and first time in quarterfinal.
IVO KARLOVIC: Yeah, I mean, on my serve I was feeling good. Unbelievable he did not face one breakpoint. Only thing that I was a little bit -- actually it was a little bit unlucky, in the last tiebreaker, he returned a few unbelievable, but it was -- I don't know if it was lucky or how it is, but other than that, I was feeling good on my serve. Of course I'm really happy because I'm in the quarterfinal.

Q. Do you think the fact you are in the quarterfinal means you've made some progress, maybe mentally, to keep your serve --
IVO KARLOVIC: In the last few weeks, actually months, I was working really to increase the percentage, and it helped my game.

Q. Do you think it's sad that you're the only real big server who likes to volley it a little bit left in the draw? Do you think it's sad the way men's tennis has changed?
IVO KARLOVIC: I don't know if it's sad, but I mean, I grew up watching serve and volleyers like Becker, Edberg, Ivanisevic, Sampras. I mean, I think that back then it was more of a variety.

Q. Do you think that because you're pretty much the only one that it makes it a little bit easier for you because people aren't used to having to deal with that tactic?
IVO KARLOVIC: Well, I mean, there is others. There is Stepanek. He lost today, but I don't know, like maybe some of them are not used to serve and volley game.

Q. How tough is it mentally just to keep serve, not to be broken? Is it a very mental step you have to make?
IVO KARLOVIC: No, it is easy for me (smiling).

Q. Can you talk a little bit about your celebration at the end? It was a bit unusual.
IVO KARLOVIC: Yeah, it was my victory dance.

Q. What does it mean, and where did it come from?
IVO KARLOVIC: No, I don't know. It just came because I was happy. I don't know.

Q. So it wasn't planned?
IVO KARLOVIC: No, actually it was planned because all of my matches here after I was doing that. So yeah.

Q. How will you celebrate if you beat Federer? Will you do another dance?
IVO KARLOVIC: It will be the same dance.

Q. Are you familiar with Peter Crouch, the English striker who dances, the footballer?
IVO KARLOVIC: Yes.

Q. Are you aware of his dance?
IVO KARLOVIC: No. Really? He also does?

Q. He does a dance similar to you.
IVO KARLOVIC: Then it's okay.

Q. You play an awful lot of tiebreakers. Roger Federer told us today how he prepares in the head for the tiebreakers. What do you do between the minute of a last game and a tiebreaker?
IVO KARLOVIC: Well, I mean, I try to relax myself, to focus on my serve and try to concentrate on actually trying to realize what he's most likely going to do. That's it.

Q. You haven't been broken on grass this year --
IVO KARLOVIC: Queen's.

Q. Do you consider grass your best surface?
IVO KARLOVIC: Well, this year, yes, definitely. This year.

Q. You've played Roger a few times, and usually you don't have much trouble holding your serve against him, but he seems to win most of the tiebreakers. Is it different serving to him in a tiebreaker situation knowing that he's so tough in those type mental situations?
IVO KARLOVIC: Well, I mean, the reason why he was No. 1 and also why he's maybe the best player ever is because in the tight situations he can play his best tennis. It is difficult, sure.

Q. You said before that you might be working on a fashion range, a tennis fashion range. Whose style do you admire at Wimbledon this year?
IVO KARLOVIC: Whose style?

Q. Yeah, of the men in the draw.
IVO KARLOVIC: Well, I mean, it is all pretty much the same clothes, so I don't know.

Q. What do you think of Federer's outfit?
IVO KARLOVIC: I don't know. No comment. (Laughter.)

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