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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS

April 13, 2010

Florent Serra

MONTE CARLO, MONACO

F. SERRA/S. Robert
7-6, 3-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French for Florent Serra.

Q. This is a classic, Serra-Robert.
FLORENT SERRA: Yes, at least since last week (smiling). We played twice in two weeks. Sometimes there are cycles like this.
It was tough.

Q. It was tougher than last time?
FLORENT SERRA: Yes. He played well. He speeds up the shots and he doesn't give much time for you to play. But I really had to stay positive. Since I was physically fit, I was using that to put pressure on him.
But it was very tight today.

Q. He has a very special game, doesn't he?
FLORENT SERRA: Yes. His shots do not bounce high. He plays very fast. So even if I was playing fast, he was hitting back even faster. His backhand is very difficult to read, especially when he's returning.
He is a very fast player - a lot faster than many other players on clay. I believe I managed quite well today.

Q. How did you come to Casablanca?
FLORENT SERRA: I was disappointed that I didn't reach the final there. I really wanted to do at least like last year or even better. But I lost to Hanescu.
Now for this tournament here, I was not supposed to come here because I was number 10 on the list. Now here it feels great. Although I had to play six weeks in a row, I'm pretty tired, but I'll postpone all the treatments until after this, then I'll take some time for rest.
Here I want to enjoy it as much as I can. I have no pressure. I have a beautiful match to play tomorrow.

Q. Your weakness is you often put too much pressure on yourself?
FLORENT SERRA: Well, this is getting better. Since the beginning of the year, I was able to almost beat top players like Soderling, Davydenko, even Federer. I didn't do bad against him. So I am able now not to think about the final result, but just focus on my game and on making points.
My game is in place. The only thing I have to do is have fun, and it works. I have good weapons to play good matches, and maybe to win even tomorrow.

Q. How did you manage to be more relaxed?
FLORENT SERRA: Well, maybe because I'm older, 29 years old, and also because I realize that my best results were achieved when I was playing more relaxed. I worked a lot, and my game is settled, and I'm more confident now.
Also, I saw I was able to have very tight matches against the top players since the beginning of the year, and I'm aware that I'm more efficient if I'm more relaxed.

Q. This is easy to say but not as easy to do.
FLORENT SERRA: Yes. But since I'm able now to make it difficult for top players every week, I know that sometime my chance will come. Also I'm able to be more relaxed.
My ranking is okay. I had my best beginning of the season since 2006. So I feel fine. I will start going into all those details at the end of the year only, but not before.

Q. What is your head-to-head against Novak?
FLORENT SERRA: I think I lost to him in Rotterdam. Last year I had a match point against him. And I did beat him in Cincinnati.

Q. Apparently his game suits you?
FLORENT SERRA: Yes. We always have very tight matches together. Last year on grass I almost was able to beat him. After beating me, he went to the final.
I know tomorrow I need to be very aggressive and control the rallies. I'll try to be very aggressive, to make him move far behind the baseline.

Q. Do you believe he's going to make many double-faults?
FLORENT SERRA: Well, now he's not working with Todd Martin anymore, so he might give me a few, but not so many.

End of FastScripts

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