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WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 17, 2009

Sam Querrey

CINCINNATI, OHIO

S. QUERREY/Y. Lu
6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Thoughts about the match, and then also the next one with Roddick.
SAM QUERREY: This match, I thought I played well tonight. Lu is a tough player. He hits the ball really low and flat and the court is fast, so that makes it a little tricky. But I thought I served well, and I hit a couple good forehands in there. I'm happy to get by.
Now I've got Andy again. I played him two weeks ago in Washington, and lost 6 and 4. Was up a break twice in the first set. That first set could have gone either way. And second set as well. Second set I was like 0 for 8 or 9 on breakpoints.
So it's gonna be a tough one. I'm sure it's gonna be another close pone. He's playing well. I'm playing well. Just gonna have to adjust a couple things to get him this time.

Q. Like what?
SAM QUERREY: I don't know yet. Got to figure it out.

Q. You've had finals Newport, finals Indy, you won L.A. They're not the biggest tournaments, but are these the kind of tournaments that can really build your confidence to go deeper at the one of bigger tournaments?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, definitely. I've got a lot of confidence just after those three. Look at Del Potro last year here. They didn't have the 250/500 thing last year, but he won what would kind of be four 250s in a row, I guess you would say. He went into the Open with a ton of confidence and quarterfinaled there.
So, you know, hopefully I could do something like that. I would like to do well here, because last week sucked it up.

Q. Would you rather have had a tougher match to go into a match like Roddick, or would rather have one like tonight?
SAM QUERREY: Every match is tough in a Masters Series. Lu last year at the Olympics beat Murray. So, you know, I thought it was a tough match, but, you know, like I wasn't really threatened. You, you can't really -- I don't care who I'm gonna play.
You know, you go out there and treat everyone the same. Just gonna try to play my game and do that the best I can in preparation for the next match.

Q. You've got a lot of good matches under your belt. What's it gonna take to make a big impact so you feel like you're due for a major run at a big tournament? I don't think you've beaten a top 10 player this year.
SAM QUERREY: I beat Simon at the Dusseldorf tournament. I have to call your bluff.

Q. Was he top 10?
SAM QUERREY: Yes, he was.

Q. Okay, bluff called.
SAM QUERREY: No, I definitely -- I mean, I think I just gotta keep doing what I'm doing: working hard off the court. I'm returning much better I think than I was a year ago. I'm fitter and making better decisions on the court.
I think as long as I just keep playing a lot of matches like I'm playing, that just boosts my confidence more and more and gives me the belief that I can beat those top guys.

Q. The other Americans, you're 1 and 9 against Andy, Mardy, and James, the three guys ahead of you. You want to call my bluff on that?
SAM QUERREY: No, you're right. I mean, part of it, you know, it's tough to go out there a little bit -- or it used to be. You know, those are the three guys that kind of when I was 17, 18 they would invite me to their house and practice.
When you first jump on tour, if you play them -- I mean, you don't feel bad if you beat them. You want to beat them. But at the same time, you're showing them a lot of respect out there because they've kind of showed you the way and they've been role models. They've given know me so much advice out there. You almost feel bad beating them.
That was a while ago. Now that I've been out here for three, four years, obviously I've earned a little respect as well. It's just tough playing them. They're your friends, guys you watched growing up. You got to get over this little hump.

Q. Have you been able to put some of that aside when you step on the court?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, it's getting better and better. At the same time, all three are tough players. It's getting better.

Q. Were you pleased with all aspects of your game tonight: serve, footwork, movement?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah.

Q. Anything that you really want to focus on to improve in your next match?
SAM QUERREY: Not really. I mean, I remember last time I played him in the tiebreaker I missed three forehands, like relatively easy forehands, which, you know, it's a little uncharacteristic of me.
So when it gets close and tight like that, I got to be a little sharper and a little more disciplined out there.

Q. But you really feel like it's your return game that's helped you?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, my return feels great. I've worked on it a lot. I'm being more aggressive than I used to be.

Q. On second serves or all the time?
SAM QUERREY: On both. I mean, first serves, you just kind of gotta to do what you got to do to get it in, especially with Andy. But, yeah, definitely second serves.
When I'm holding easily most of the time, 85% of the time or whatever it is, I can afford to take some risks on my return games. I'm learning that this year.

Q. Looking ahead to New York, you had an decent run there last year to the round of 16. This year you're gonna go in there with a lot more matches under your belt and probably more confidence. What are your thoughts going into New York?
SAM QUERREY: I'm excited. I'm playing well right now. A lot of the matches, like you said. I'll be seeded this year most likely. I think it'll be tough for me to drop -- I'm 26 right now. If I lose Wednesday and lose first round in New Haven, I think I'll still be seeded.
So that's kind of nice knowing that you can't draw a top 32 guy first round. You know, everyone is good there. You've got Safin floating around; you've got Hewitt; you've Ginepri, Isner, guys you don't really want to play.
I'm confident, and hopefully I can put a run together like did I last year.

Q. Will it be your first seed at a major?
SAM QUERREY: Yes.

Q. Crowd will probably be more for Andy. Does that bother you?
SAM QUERREY: No, I've played him, this will be my fourth time. They're always for him. What can you expect?

Q. So you just block it out?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, he's earned it. He's won a Grand Slam and finaled at Wimbledon, he's won this tournament before. You know, he's won Davis Cup for our country. You know, the crowd is gonna like him a little more than me.

Q. What are your goals for this week, for the Open, the rest of the year? Do you have a year-end target ranking?
SAM QUERREY: Not really. I've kind of played right now 54 matches. Love to get in 75, 80 matches by the end of the year. If I could finish top 20, that would be great. I want to make a little run at this Masters Series or the two following the Open, because I've gone out pretty early in the Masters Series and slams this year.
So I want to start doing a little better in the bigger events. That's how you're gonna get your ranking up. That's it.

Q. You're pretty close to James and Mardy in terms of the ranking right now. Are you ready to make that psychological leap to be the No. 2 American?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, I want to keep improving on my ranking, but I also want them to keep going up, too. You know, I want Andy, James, Mardy, myself, Robby Ginepri, John Isner, and hopefully all of us can be in the top 20.
I want to do the best I can, but I don't want them to drop. I want all of us to keep going up. At the same, I want to be the highest, too.

End of FastScripts

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