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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS

April 13, 2010

Fernando Verdasco

MONTE CARLO, MONACO

F. VERDASCO/J. Benneteau
6-2, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Fernando.

Q. Julien said he felt like a bull in the bullring on the court today. What is your take on that?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: I don't know why he say that?

Q. He felt like you were playing around with him.
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, I was just try to play my game, try to get used to the clay court as soon as possible, playing deep with spin, like, you know, run and fight, you know, like normally you must play on clay court.
Maybe he was also a little bit tired from yesterday. He have a three-set match yesterday, and it was my first match today. So maybe it was a little bit different about that.
But I play good. I play good. I think I did a good match. I don't know how he felt today. But I was feeling good. You know, I was just trying to play my best here and trying to get the level from last year on clay court.

Q. Did you expect to play so well for the first match this week?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, I didn't make like unbelievable winners, but I played very solid. I didn't make unforced errors. I made some, but not a lot. And I play good, no? I play like with good style on clay. So, you know, that make me happy, no, with my match.
I was practicing like this. So, you know, my expectations was to play like this, to play the same that I was practicing, not to play worse that I was practicing, no?
So what I didn't expect is the result. I didn't expect to win 6-2, 6-1, but I was expecting to play like today.

Q. Do you think that you played Acapulco makes your adaptation faster on clay court or you think it's no connection?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, maybe. I play there three matches. I was practicing clay just two days before the tournament because I got there maybe three days before the tournament. And, you know, it was different.
Now I have - I don't know, today is Tuesday, and I start practicing on clay last Sunday. So more than a week. Is different than Acapulco.
But, you know, I think that like I had more time than in Acapulco, and also maybe that tournament helped me to get the rhythm easier and faster.

Q. When and why have you signed a new endorsement with the racquet with Dunlop?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: I do it in Miami, I think. Yeah, in America.
Why? Because, you know, we were like watching many brands. I tried Yonex. But I was with problems in clay court. So finally we took the decision to don't keep playing with Yonex. And then in the United States, the USA, I tried Dunlop. But still we are trying to get a better racquet, no? So we are working on it.
But I decide to sign with them for four years I think. I don't know, four or five.

Q. Are you comfortable with this one?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Yeah.

Q. Better than the last one?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: You know, I think we are still working together with the racquet. I hope to get like the perfect racquet for Roland Garros. That's the goal.

Q. Can you talk about the French guys, their level since the beginning of the season, and what are their chances on clay?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: The chances on clay from the French players?

Q. Yes.
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Well, I think that they have like many good players. They are in a great level. But, yeah, maybe they are more like hard court players normally than clay court players. At the same time they could play also good on clay. Benneteau did quarterfinals in Roland Garros one year. Tsonga last year. You know, they are like so talent players, almost all the French guys. So I think that they can do it good in all the surface.
But normally they get adapt easier I think for the hard court, no, like Benneteau, Llodra, like Tsonga, Simon, almost all of them.
But I think that they can do also good results on clay.

Q. Talent is one thing, but what do they have to improve the most? Their mental and physical?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: I don't know. I don't know how they are mentally. I don't speak about that with them.

Q. But sometimes if you have to face them...
FERNANDO VERDASCO: You know, I think they have one style of game, and maybe, like I said, they play more flat than you supposed to play on clay court. I don't really know. I also don't like to speak about another players.

Q. Would you say at this moment Monfils has the best chance on clay of the French?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Now he's injured. But if you put all the French players on the best shape, hundred percent, I think he's the one who made better results on clay. He did semifinals in Paris, and last year quarters, no? So I think also his style of game is more for clay. He's so solid on the baseline, he's so fast. Also he play like with more spin than maybe Benneteau, Llodra, Tsonga even. But Tsonga, he has very good serve, very good forehand. With this he can win matches in all surfaces.
But I think Monfils, if I have to say one, I will take Monfils for clay, if I need to take a partner for my team. It's not just like play his tennis, but if I need to do it.

End of FastScripts

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