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WIMBLEDON

June 26, 2010

Robin Soderling

LONDON, ENGLAND

R. SODERLING/T. Bellucci
6-4, 6-2, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Three rounds and you've not dropped a set yet. You must be feeling very confident about your game.
ROBIN SODERLING: Sure, I think I played against three really good players, and, as you said, I didn't drop a set yet, even though maybe I was a little bit lucky to win the third set today.
But, you know, I'm serving well; I'm hitting the ball well. So far I'm feeling really good.

Q. You're one of two players to have beaten both Roger and Rafa at Grand Slams, and obviously you've done that at Paris. Can you do it again here?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah. Well, did I did once, so I'm pretty confident that I can do it more times. Of course it's not easy. They're the two best players in the world. You know, you have to play really well and you have to have a really good day.
But I think if I have that, I think I have a good chance.

Q. Have you done anything different in your preparation between Paris and coming here this year?
ROBIN SODERLING: Compared to last year? No, no, the same.

Q. Is this the best you've ever played on grass?
ROBIN SODERLING: It's tough to say. Maybe I played better matches before. I think what I'm really happy with is that I played really well for three matches, nine straight sets now, without really dropping my level too much.
That's really good. I think that's what you need to do in Grand Slams where they spend over two weeks.

Q. Does the dry weather and the higher bounce help?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah. I think it suits me well. To me, doesn't really matter. I think I can do well in any conditions and on any surface.

Q. Is your confidence at an all-time high now given how you've been playing?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, of course I feel really good and my confidence is good because I think I've been playing really well for a year or almost a year and a half now, beating a lot of good players in big matches and in big tournaments.
So confidence is good. I think that's a really big thing in this sport.

Q. Can you explain what that feels like? If you sort of put the yourself to where you were a couple years ago, can you explain how different it feels when you step on court when you are so much more confident.
ROBIN SODERLING: When I step on court and before the match doesn't feel too much different.
It's just when you come to close moments in the match and when it gets tight, you know, I think I believe more in myself. I normally play better when it really matters.

Q. So does it make you more calm?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, and feel more calm and I believe in myself. I feel that I can go for my shots more and be aggressive. Most of the time it helps to be aggressive in big moments.

Q. You broke Rafa's Roland Garros streak and Roger Federer's semifinals streak. Which achievement are you more proud of?
ROBIN SODERLING: I don't know. They're both really good memories for me and great victories. You know, beating Rafa in Paris, he never lost before that match.
And then always beating Roger -- they were both No. 1s at the time, so it's tough to say. But they're definitely my two biggest wins in my career.

Q. Roger you beat on the 13th try, I think, and he has lost more than usual. Is he more vulnerable right now? Why? What's the main reason?
ROBIN SODERLING: Well, I think it's really tough up in the top. You know, there are so many good players out there. There are so many players who can really play well and really compete for the bigger tournaments, like the Grand Slams. You know, Roger is No. 2 now, but of course he's one of the best players in the world. Maybe the best player of all-time.
But you cannot win every match and you cannot win forever. You have to lose sometime. Even Roger has to do that.

Q. With Roger and Rafa having both been taken to five sets this year, is there a feeling that there's more of an opportunity for a group of players just behind them, such as yourself?
ROBIN SODERLING: No, not really just because of that. They both got through their matches. I know that anything can happen. You can play really bad one day, and then you wake up the next day playing really good.
They're both favorites. Roger is maybe the No. 1 favorite; Rafa is No. 2. A lot players can actually beat them.

Q. Can you talk a little bit how you have to adjust to play a left-handed player? What is the main difference?
ROBIN SODERLING: Main difference is the returns, I think. The serve is coming from a different angle. It took a while today also to get used to it.
But I think even though he served well, I think I returned pretty well. There were a lot of games where I actually, you know, came pretty close with a lot 30-Alls, 15-30s. So I think I returned well today against left-hander.

Q. Bjorn Borg sees you as a future No. 1. Do you see yourself that way?
ROBIN SODERLING: I haven't thought about it that much. But, of course, if you are No. 6 in the world I think you have a chance to become No. 1.
I know it's not easy. It's terribly difficult. And of course when you have players like Rafa and Roger, it makes it even more difficult.
I think if I can continue to play the way I do now and keep up my level for a long period, I think I have the chance. But, again, there are a lot of players that have the chance to become No. 1.

Q. Having beaten both of them and with their streaks, is it possible for you to put into words how much that's fueling the fire to break through against one of them in a situation like a Grand Slam?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, I think, you know, the first win against any player is really good. It gives you a lot confidence. To win against, you know, the world No. 1 gives you even more confidence. It will for sure make it easier to play them next time.

Q. What does an endorsement from someone like Borg mean to you?
ROBIN SODERLING: Um, of course it's nice to hear. He's a legend in tennis. You know, I think everybody knows what -- that he knows what he's talking about. He's been at the top of this game for so long. But I still have to do it. It won't happen because he says that. I still have to work hard.
But as I said, I think I have a chance if I stay healthy, if I work hard, and if I play like this.

Q. How has your life changed off court through this success?
ROBIN SODERLING: Well, I do more media stuff, but that's about it. I still feel the same. I do the same things, so it hasn't changed too much.

Q. You can still walk around unworried in Sweden, or do people approach you all the time?
ROBIN SODERLING: I haven't actually spent so much time in Sweden. But I don't think Swedes are like that. They're pointing and looking more than approach you.
Unfortunately, tennis is not so big in Sweden as it used to be. Hopefully it will become bigger now when I'm doing well. Hopefully I can inspire kids to start playing tennis again.

End of FastScripts

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