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MEDIBANK INTERNATIONAL

January 13, 2010

Peter Luczak

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

P. LUCZAK/T. Berdych
1-6, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously a slow start there, 6-1.
PETER LUCZAK: Yeah. It wasn't a good start. I started off slow. Conditions were a bit tricky. It was pretty windy out there, and he played a great first set.
I knew I just wanted to hang in there. Didn't know if I i could win the match, but I said, At least give this guy a run for his money. I played a few longer points and didn't give him as many cheap ones and served a little better, and, yeah, the matched turned around.

Q. How does this rank as sort of your victories?
PETER LUCZAK: I really respect Tomas as a tennis player, so it's definitely up there. I played him twice before and he beat me both times, so, yeah, it's definitely up there as my top five or top ten wins in my career.

Q. That eighth game I this in the second set, that was probably a big turning point.
PETER LUCZAK: Yeah. I think I was -- yeah, that's right, I was up 4-3, serving, but I was into the wind. There was sort of one end which felt a lot harder to win your service game from the other. I was down 15-40 and then probably another three, four breakpoints after that, and then we had a couple long points after that and then had a couple dropshots and got away with that game. That was probably the momentum swinger.
At 5-4 I was down at the good end and had new balls, so end up holding at Love and, yeah, it worked out well.

Q. I suppose it was a big change from center court out to court six today.
PETER LUCZAK: Yeah, I liked it out there actually. It was a little bit breezy. You know, in Australia we -- a lot of times we get wind, so I'm using to practicing and playing in the wind. He's probably coming from the indoor season in Europe, so I knew going out there it was probably a bit of an advantage for me.
It was a bit of a raucous crowd. There was a few locals there getting pretty rowdy. Probably put him off a little bit as well.

Q. How much of a part do you think that did play?
PETER LUCZAK: It's huge. You know, there was only maybe ten or twelve of them that were really loud. After every point I won they were they were cheering and chanting.
I saw Tomas look over a few times, and I knew he wasn't too happy with 'em. But we get the same when we play overseas, so it's good to get the support when we're here.

Q. I suppose the first game of the second set, that would have given you a fair bit of confidence.
PETER LUCZAK: Yeah, I said, Okay, just try to break him. Keep this momentum and roll going, and we had a long game. The last point we had a really long point, and I ended up winning it with a backhand volley. I saw him take a few big, deep breaths after that and I knew he was hurting a little bit, so I wanted to just keep him moving out there.
I started to sort of play my best tennis towards the end there in the third set.

Q. The dropshot was the key weapon. Is that you studied and thought about from watching him play?
PETER LUCZAK: Not really. I just made a few dropshots early on and it seemed to be working, but I didn't think about doing it before I went out there. It just happened.
I know John Fitzgerald gives me a hard time. He cringes every time I hit a dropshot because it normally doesn't work. But today though I was doing well and I might have hit 13 or 14. I think I might have only lost one point on the dropshot, so I think that was definitely -- if you're listening Fitzy, I'm gonna stick with the dropshot.

Q. Last year seemed to work quite well for you. Is that the similar plan, traveling to the higher end tournaments this year and traveling with the family?
PETER LUCZAK: Yeah, I'm in a pretty good position right now. I can get into a fair few tour events in a row. Straight after the Aussie Open I'm gonna go to South America to play a four tour events there.
It's nice to be in the bigger tournaments. Last year my ranking was a bit down and I played Challengers pretty much all year, maybe played four or five tour events for the whole year.
It's nice to get this start playing Brizzy, Sydney, Aussie, then four South American tour events. And it's a good position to be in.

Q. You've got a nice situation for yourself and Lleyton, quarterfinals of the same event.
PETER LUCZAK: Yeah, it was great. First thing I asked when I got walked off was, Did Lleyton win? When someone said he won 6-0, 6-2, I was pretty wrapped. I'm sure he was the same for me.
Soon as he heard where I was after I won, he came into the gym I was bike riding and he gave me a big high five. He was pretty stoked that I got that win.
It's nice. Were' always pretty good mates. It's nice to have that camaraderieship between the Aussies.

Q. How much of a boost has it been with Lleyton and his support being on board as far the Davis Cup is concerned?
PETER LUCZAK: It's really nice. He's one of best Davis Cup players we've ever had in Australia, if not the best. So hopefully I can be by his side when we play the next few ties.
It's nice to have that support. He's always been great to me, always asked me to come up to Sydney and asked me to practice for a couple weeks at a time. He's always calling me and giving me advice about different opponents. He played Berdych a few times and he is played Jose Acasuso last night, so I always ask him for a few tips and see what can help out.

Q. Mardy Fish. Much experience with him?
PETER LUCZAK: Um, played him a few times before. Most recent would have been two years ago now at Hopman Cup. I think he got me 7-6, 7-6. Never beaten Mardy that I can remember anyway, and I think I would if I had, so I don't think I have.
He's a great player. He's got obviously a really big serve, good returns. He looks a lot fitter than he has in previous years. I know he's coming back from a bit of a knee injury, but looks like he's playing and hitting the ball well.
I'm good mates with Carten Ball as well, so play I'll ask him for a bit of advice. He had to play him in the first round. Hopefully I can get a few tips from him.

Q. Playing someone like Roddick and another big sever like Berdych, does that give you more confidence against someone like Fish?
PETER LUCZAK: Yeah, it was a bit tricky today because it was such tough, windy conditions. Berdych has got a fairly high ball toss. I think Mardy's is a bit lower. I just saw the schedule. We're on center court. I don't think it's quite as swirly on the center court as the outside courts.
Fish is probably gonna have a bit easier time serving. I would say -- no disrespect to Tomas -- but I would say Mardy's serve is probably a bit better than Tomas'.
But obviously, yeah, you know Roddick has probably got the best serve in the game. Hopefully it's not as big as his was last week.

Q. Have you a allowed yourself to look ahead at the possible matchup with Lleyton?
PETER LUCZAK: No, I actually didn't know who I was playing in the quarters until someone told me. Is it Lleyton in the semis if I win? Okay, that'll be nice. Hopefully I can play a good match tomorrow.

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