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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 27, 2010

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

J. TSONGA/N. Djokovic
7-6, 6-7, 1-6, 6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Novak talked about his problems. He had some problems during the match. When did you first notice that he was having problems?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Five years ago. (Smiling.) No, because sometime it happens you have some problems. But I think this is the game. Sometimes you have problem with your forehand; sometimes with your backhand and sometimes with your body. You never know what's happen.
Today he had some problem with his stomach I think at the beginning of the third set, and that's it. It's good for me; bad for him. That's it.

Q. How were you feeling at the end of the third set when you were two sets to one down?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, but I don't really know how it's important and how it affect, you know, he's affect by these things.

Q. I mean were you feeling worried when you were two sets to one down?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, when you were two sets to one down, you just think there is a fourth set. I have to play and I have to give everything. Maybe I can win, because it's not finish. (Smiling.)

Q. What do you have to do to beat Roger? You've beaten him before. Do you take confidence from that?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: What do I have to do? I have to play my best tennis. Roger played unbelievable today again, because Nikolay was in good shape, so it's gonna be tough.
But like today, I will give everything and we will see.

Q. Is it good to know you have beaten him before? Does that give you confidence?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, of course. Of course. I know I can do that, but it was completely different. Now I have to win three sets, and it's gonna be difficult for sure.

Q. Roger said in the press conference before your match against Djokovic that Djokovic had the edge and experience over you and that might help him tonight. How much is that gonna be a factor against Federer? He's got so much experience at this stage of a tournament in five-set matches compared to you.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: You know, it's good to have experience, but for that you have to win, you have to play before, you know. Roger have experience because he won, you know, like 15 or 16 Grand Slam.
But he won the first one, you know, and without experience, so I think at this level you never know what's happen.

Q. So you think yourself that mentally and so on that you'll handle the occasion well?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah. I think, I don't know. I feel good. I won two tough match. My two last match was tough, and I did it.
Why not against Roger?

Q. How do you think you are a different player from 2008 when you reached the final?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Maybe I'm stronger, physically stronger. I think I have more than, you know, one way to play, and this is why I'm better.

Q. Why do you think you've done so well here at this tournament over the past three years compared to other places?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I don't know. Maybe because I have time to prepare more than the other Grand Slam because the season is long and we have to play a lot of tournament, be ready for a lot of tournaments. So sometimes it's tough to be ready for Roland Garros and Wimbledon and also US Open because we have to play, you know, tournament 1000.

Q. The crowd support you have here, you seem to be very popular here. Is that something you can feed on in the next match too, do you think?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I don't know. I think they will cheer for Roger for sure. I don't know for me, but, you know, I will do, you know, everything and maybe after that they will like me. (Smiling.)

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