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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS

April 13, 2010

Michael Llorda

MONTE CARLO, MONACO

M. LLODRA/F. Fognini
6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Michael Llodra in French.

Q. You must be very pleased with yourself.
MICHAEL LLODRA: Very. We can't minimize this type of victory. I just started playing again on Wednesday. I didn't expect to play my first match on clay before Rome in more than two weeks' time.
Yeah, when we received the news that I could play here, we thought, Oh, the setting is beautiful, I'm going to get a suntan. When we arrived here, the weather was awful here and beautiful in Paris.
But seriously, it was very good for me to be able to play a couple of matches here. It's going to be two, indeed, since I won this one.

Q. So it was a good match today?
MICHAEL LLODRA: He played well here last year so I knew I should rush him and attack him a lot. These kind of tactics worked well today.

Q. It is good to be warned at the last minute you were going to play because you didn't have time to get stressed.
MICHAEL LLODRA: Yes, and the conditions here were good. The balls were very heavy but lively, which I like very much. I just played a very simple game, like serve and volley or return and volley. I'm very happy to play this tournament. I'm very lucky I can play this tournament.

Q. Maybe people think playing on clay is very complicated. Isn't it good to come back to the basics and play a natural game?
MICHAEL LLODRA: Yes. With Remy we decided I should not focus on my mistakes, but rather see things from the bright side. I know playing on clay will improve my game from the baseline, and this will be useful for playing on grass.
It's been a while now I've been able to play several good matches in a row. We can even say Remy doesn't know what 'defeat' means. I had six wins in Marseille, one in Miami, one today. But I promised him I would lose one day soon (smiling).

Q. Don't you believe that type of aggressive game is more disturbing on clay than the usual baseline game?
MICHAEL LLODRA: Yes. In Indian Wells the courts are slower than those clay courts. The balls bounce high and it's very difficult to get free points on the serve. Many outdoor courts are slower than clay, especially with those Head balls, which are too heavy, and with those slow surfaces.
Here if the weather is warm, the conditions can be good. Of course, if you play the Nadals and Verdascos, clay-courters, it's more difficult. But a player like Henman, for example, was able to beat the best players on clay, and Rafter, too. I hope I will be able to do like them.
It's true that my attacking game is quite rare on that surface.

Q. And the other players are not used to it.
MICHAEL LLODRA: Yes. My opponent today was panicking. Same like against Berdych in the French Open. They get stressed and they don't know what to do. So this is what I have to do: I have to get them frustrated before I get frustrated myself.

Q. Next match will be different. Your opponent will give you different types of problems:
MICHAEL LLODRA: I lost against him in the final in Lyon. He then won his first Masters Series. He has a good serve. He never misses on his backhand. He has good chips. He makes almost no errors. He really impressed me in Indian Wells.
It will be here his first match on clay, so I will try to move him around a lot. I want to get ready for the French Open, so it's very good for me to get many wins under my belt before then.

Q. Physically, how are you?
MICHAEL LLODRA: I have no injuries. I have some pains due to the fact that I'm starting to play again, but everything is okay.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. I think the last match you won on clay was against Bolelli in Roland Garros.
MICHAEL LLODRA: No.

Q. ATP level.
MICHAEL LLODRA: Oh, ATP, yes.

Q. Is correct?
MICHAEL LLODRA: Yes.

Q. Do you have something against the Italians?
MICHAEL LLODRA: I don't know. Not too many Italians on the tour. Bolelli, that match on the tour I won. I don't know if it's something special against Italians.

Q. Do you have any relationship with them off the court?
MICHAEL LLODRA: Yes, Simone Bolelli and Seppi. But, you know, on the court you have to play your tennis. Doesn't matter if it's your friend or not, you know, you have to win.

Q. Last year you played just one match on clay.
MICHAEL LLODRA: But I was injured.

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