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ROGERS CUP MEN

August 9, 2010

Peter Polansky

TORONTO, ONTARIO

P. POLANSKY/J. Melzer
7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Opening remarks from Peter, and then we'll open it up for questions.
PETER POLANSKY: Well, I think -- I mean, I played unbelievable. I played my best tennis. The last -- actually, the last few weeks I've been playing really well. It started in Vancouver. I had a tough loss against Dent. I was playing well, but I lost in three sets.
I came here. I had some good practice against top guys. I was playing really well in practice, you know, coming close, beating these guys in practice. So I came out here today really believing I could beat this guy, and that's what I did. I'm just so happy the way I played. I stay focused the whole match. I think that was the most important. When you play a top guy like that, you lose your focus for just a few seconds, few minutes, and he'll break you or he'll go up 40-Love. He can really take advantage of that.
I think -- not that I played really well. I think what I'm most proud of tonight is just how I stayed focused in front of a big crowd and at home. You know, I just played my game throughout the match with not really too many nerves.

Q. You had those seven set points before you closed it out in the first set. Were you starting to sweat it a little bit there? How did you maintain your composure?
PETER POLANSKY: Yeah, those were a little bit tough, I mean, having all those set points. But almost all of them he had a good serve, and I kind of hit a return a little bit late or he played some good points on there, and I think maybe two of them I had a chance where I got the return in and was in the point and kind of played a loose point.
But I knew even if it went to a breaker I was just going to stay with him. Even if I lost that first set, I was going to try not to let it get to me. I don't think it was going to. I knew no matter what, he would have been in for a long match, because I was going to stay right there with him.

Q. Prior to today, what was your biggest upset or biggest match, would you consider?
PETER POLANSKY: My biggest match? Probably last year in Montreal when I played Djokovic and I lost, but my biggest win before this was last year, as well, early in the summer where I beat NicolÃ¡s MassÃº. He was ranked 100, on the nose, at the time. That was my biggest win.

Q. What was your feeling at the end of that match? Like what were your emotions kind of with the crowd behind you and stuff like that?
PETER POLANSKY: Oh, just so much excitement and happiness and joy. You know, he hit some -- Melzer had some good comments for me at the end of the match. He said I played great and I deserved it and it was a great match.
But after, when I kind of sat down in my chair, it was -- it got to me a little bit. I was just really just proud of myself and happy for myself.

Q. What exactly did he say to you afterwards?
PETER POLANSKY: He just said, you know, Great playing, and it was a great, well-deserved win for me against him tonight, and that I fought really hard. It was good to hear that from him.

Q. We saw Melzer get visibly frustrated late in the first set and early in the second set, at one point throwing the racquet up against the back wall. I was curious what was going through your mind. Did it give you confidence seeing that, or did it worry you a little bit, like maybe you thought you awakened the beast possibly?
PETER POLANSKY: No, it didn't worry me too much when he was throwing his racquet. He was throwing his racquet in between points, but he was staying -- he was kind of staying there mentally and, no, he was staying there till the end and fighting.
That last game, luckily he threw in a few mistakes. I don't think he was returning his best. But, I mean, I started to return a bit better at the end, making contact with more returns and returning better. I just -- that was that.

Q. What does it mean to you to be able to beat the 15 in the world?
PETER POLANSKY: Um, I mean, it means a lot, especially for confidence, huge confidence boost. Not only can I beat close with these guys in practice, but, you know, in a match I'm there with them, too. Mentally, I'm right there.
I think two years ago I played GonzÃ¡lez when he was ranked 15 in the world in Davis Cup and I lost in four sets, and that was really a boost, too, but I didn't -- I didn't really progress as much as I'd like after that. But I think this past summer and the past few months, the way they've gone, I'm really happy the way my game is coming along.

Q. How do you prepare for a guy like Hanescu? Do you talk to Milos and try and get a few tips from him maybe?
PETER POLANSKY: I'll text him and get some tips from him. No, Milos and I are friends, so I'll get some tips from him. And the whole Tennis Canada staff, they were watching as well. I'm sure they'll have something to say. I mean, regardless, I'm going to go out there playing my game and doing what I can.

Q. I'm just curious, how many friends and family did you have here tonight?
PETER POLANSKY: For myself -- for my friends I gave about eight tickets and I got a lot -- I need a lot more tickets for their friends because they wanted to bring a lot of people. I gave my sister like 20 tickets, and she had a lot of friends coming, so there were a lot of people behind me tonight.

Q. You practiced with Federer last Friday. Any follow-up from that or any of that help you in any way?
PETER POLANSKY: I think so. I mean, we were playing some points and I was doing well against him in points. I know it was his first day of practice. He wasn't -- I mean, he wasn't giving 110% in practice, but, you know, I was really close with him in practice, and I was beating him in some games. That was a great confidence boost before this tournament.

Q. Who were the other guys you practiced against that gave you confidence?
PETER POLANSKY: I played Robredo. I beat him in a practice set that day. On Thursday I played ClÃ©ment. I split sets with him. Saturday against Lopez I lost 7-6 in a set and had a couple more close sets like that.

Q. You said you were playing well coming into this tournament. What was your goal coming into the Rogers Cup?
PETER POLANSKY: My goal? Well, last year I won a round, so there was a lot of points to defend, but I wasn't trying to focus on that too much. I just tried to stick with the process and just go out there and play my game. I knew it was going to be tough playing at home in front of a crowd.
There's always a little bit of nerves involved there. It's not like playing some Challenger with a few people watching. I just wanted to go out there and play my best. That was really my goal.

Q. You probably don't like this subject, but do you think this finally puts Mexico to bed for good in terms of that story that kind of follows you around?
PETER POLANSKY: Yeah, I mean, I haven't really heard too much about that the last couple of years. It -- not very many people comment on that lately, but, I mean, I don't think about it.

Q. Sorry.
PETER POLANSKY: I don't think about it too often, but I do get, once in a while, a question here or there, but it doesn't bug me at all talking about it.

End of FastScripts

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