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U.S. OPEN

September 9, 2010

Mikhail Youzhny

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

M. YOUZHNY/S. Wawrinka
3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. So you lost the first set, and then you both held serve, 6-All in the second. Can you tell me what happened in that tiebreaker? What did you figure out? How did it help you later in the match?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah, second set was really important, because 2-0, 1-All by sets is big difference. Tiebreaker I think we both play good. Stan is serve well and I also serve well.
At 6-4 I have two set points. I think one set point he play well on his serve and I miss backhand I think on 6-5. But after I play really well in my next point, a bit aggressive, and win good point, I think.
But, you know, after 1-All in sets it was like another match, and both players can win.

Q. How did you figure out how to beat him? Was there a moment? Was there a moment that occurred that you can point to where you said, I think I know how to take him out?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: It was tough condition, and of course you understand you can beat him; you also understand he can beat you, because it's close match. I just try to play every point. I try to don't think about you can do it or that come on or something.
Yeah, I miss some looks like easy balls, but it was tough condition. That's why I bring this ball out.
So just to try to play every point.

Q. Can you talk about just your overall impression of the match. It was a long, hard battle out there. Momentum was shifting back and forth. It could have gone any which way, and yet you prevailed under very difficult conditions.
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah, difficult conditions, but for both. You know, it's not only for me. I think for him, as well, the same.
Problem was when it was just windy, it's okay. You already know how it was going. But sometimes it just was faster or slowly or right/left. It could be middle of the point. He just start to, you know -- really fast wind started, like I lost my game in 2-1 fifth set.
So I cannot say do something wrong, but it's like last ball, the last point, the ball almost stopped behind the net. So I just touch, and he's going to really far away out.

Q. After a tough match like that, how do you feel? Does anything hurt or are you okay?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: I start to feel tomorrow, I think. (Laughter.)
But anyway you have one day off, I think is okay.

Q. What is it like to reach that stage of the tournament?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah, of course. You know, right now I'm happy because I just finished the match and I win this match.
So good result, but already you are in semifinal and you still play. Of course you want more.
Anyway, I don't think now is good result, so I want more.

Q. You've been on the semifinals stage before here once. It was four years ago.
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yes.

Q. Talk about whether or not you can draw upon that experience to perhaps help you in what's likely to be a very, very difficult match in the next round.
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah, but today also was not easy match. Against Isner was also tough match. In Grand Slam, every match it's tough. Of course, against Rafa or Verdasco it's will be tough match, but I hope not only for me to be tough match. I hope for these guys also the tough match.
So we will see what happens.

Q. But to have been here on that stage before, yes, it was four years ago, but you have been here before.
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yes, I lost to Roger. It was also close, tough match. I won first set; I easily lost second. It was tiebreak in third set. Nobody know what happens if I won this tiebreak.
But, you know, it was four years ago. Now I think it's another time, and I'm like another player. I cannot say I am better player now, but it's another time and other opponent, so everything can happen.

Q. That leads to what I was trying to get at. He had a bandage on his left knee out there, and he had mentioned that he had suffered some trouble in his match against Murray and he didn't know how it would be. When you were out there and it was a tough contest, were you just running as fast as you could and hitting every shot to stay in the match, or were you really trying to attack a part of his game specifically? Is that something you can draw on in your next match?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: You know, I thought maybe he has a little bit injury. But, you know, he made a bandage, and after, when he's moving so well, my opinion, no, I didn't -- I didn't see he start to moving slowly.
So that's why I think, yeah, maybe he has a little bit injury. But if he continue to play, if he's still moving, he could win. He can continue to play his best tennis.
So I just try to think how I have to play, just to maybe -- you know, if you start to thinking about get injury, now it's time to win or he give you some present, it's usually you going to lose because you start to waiting. I doesn't want to wait. I try to win every point by myself.

Q. Is there a special reason that you haven't been able to play on a consistent level during your career or during the past years? There are always lots of ups and downs.
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah, no, this year I change a little bit my calendar. I just to -- I just try like this one maybe it's helped me, maybe not, but I'm not already like 18, 20 years old.
Actually, maybe it's was tough to play consistent maybe because I am going older, and that's why I'm going to play consistent.

Q. You know that most people, most tennis fans, will want to see Federer and Nadal in the final. Are you going to be a bad person and try and ruin that?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah, I'm ready to be bad person. I love to be bad person in this case. (Laughter.)

Q. You can possibly face Nadal. What do you expect of this matchup?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: First of all, for me, it's not so really well if I talk to play now against Nadal and he lost today and I will play against Verdasco.

Q. Let's imagine.
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: He's No. 1; he won two Grand Slams; he play really, really well; it will be very tough for me.

Q. Is it better for you to play him here on a fast surface?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Of course it's better to play here or on clay. (Laughter.)

Q. You struggled on hard courts in a couple events leading up to the US Open, and I'm wondering what is it that you have found coming into this tournament, you know, since the US Open Series events that has propelled you to a semifinal?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: I start to play US Open Series only in Toronto. I play only Toronto, Cincinnati; I lost second round Toronto, first round Cincinnati.
But there's always time when you just came to USA from Europe. It's tough to start to play really well immediately, so you need time to acclimatization, to -- you know, I come after clay, so I think for all players you need time to change the surface, change the time. For somebody, just need two, three days; for somebody, a little bit longer.
I can't say I play bad in Cincinnati or something, but it was enough to beat Gasquet in first round.

Q. What are your main weapons to win the next matchup? How would you describe yourself as a player for people who really don't know you?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: To win next match, actually doesn't like to dream, so just not thinking about right now what I need to.
But anyway, I need to play 100% what I can play.

Q. What are your weakness on the court?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: What do you mean?

Q. What are your better shots? How would you describe your game?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No easy now say I have to serve like Isner or play forehand like Federer, something. I play like Youzhny. (Laughter.)
But, you know, actually I have to be enjoying court, first of all. And after, it will be possible.

End of FastScripts

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