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SHANGHAI ROLEX MASTERS

October 14, 2010

Jurgen Melzer

SHANGHAI, CHINA

J. MELZER/R. Nadal
6-1, 3-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Do you have some comment on this match? What is the key to your success?
JURGEN MELZER: I think the key was to put a lot of pressure on him. You cannot let him play his game. You always be second. That play with his forehand, he's just too good.
So I tried to take the ball early. I was serving really well, especially on big moments. I executed my game plan, which was putting a lot of pressure, especially on his forehand. I did well.

Q. You have played him three times and never got a set. What was different this time?
JURGEN MELZER: To be honest, I learned from the last matches. The first one at the Olympics was a blowout. Then I think I played a very good match at the French Open against him. Although I lost in three sets, I was very close in winning one. Clay is his best surface.
I knew I kind of had a game plan coming into that match. That I played like this and executed like this, it's not an everyday job. But today I did and I'm very happy.

Q. The first set was 6-1. Did you think it would be that easy against him? Did you sense he was vulnerable in any way in the first set?
JURGEN MELZER: I felt he was uncomfortable after a few games. Also when the ball was in play, he sometimes missed, and his backhand was sometimes just dying in the net.
I felt like if I keep playing like that and don't give him too much rhythm, I have my chance. It was very important to get the second break. I had 4-1, 15-40. He had his game chances.
But at the end I think I deserved to win the first set really 6-1 because I played really good tennis. And then in the second, it was one point here and there. I had breakpoint early. I didn't convert. Then I had a few 30-All's that I didn't make. And he converted his only break ball, break chance. All of a sudden we're in a third set.
But still I feel like I'm in the match. I'm not outplayed. I'm the one dominating the points. That's what was the key today.

Q. Now the way to the semifinals seems open. You play Monaco. It was unexpected to play such a ranked player.
JURGEN MELZER: Well, what's expected today? He is a great player. He has been a former top 15 player. We just played last week in Tokyo on a much faster surface and I won 6-1 in the third set. This was actually the first time I beat him. He must have played good winning 6-Love, 6-2, against a left-hander.
After a win like that today, to come out tomorrow, you have to have the right expectations coming into that match. But hopefully I will.

Q. How does this win make you more confident you can qualify for London in the singles? If you qualify in both singles and doubles, have you imagined how busy you would have to be in London?
JURGEN MELZER: To be honest, I could live with that, having busy days in London. But it's a long way there. I'm in the quarterfinals. I have a good chance to reach the semis. I'm almost 900 points off the eighth player. This is a very long way.
If it somehow happens, I'll be there, I'll be happy, and I'll be hopefully performing well.

Q. Was it the French Open this year that you met Nadal in the semis?
JURGEN MELZER: Yes.

Q. With this win today, does that give you a little redemption for that loss in Paris?
JURGEN MELZER: Well, to be honest, I would have rather won at the French Open, I mean, of course, having the chance to reach a Grand Slam final. But still beating the world No. 1, I haven't done that before. It's a great day in my tennis career and I will always look back to it.

Q. Could you tell us your feelings at that moment when you realized you defeated the world No. 1?
JURGEN MELZER: Well, a lot of joy and a lot of happiness. I mean, it's such a pressure coming off.
But to be honest, I had that feeling already let's say maybe five minutes earlier because I thought I won the match at 5-2. So it was very tough to regroup after that one. I mean, closing the match out like I did, I was very happy.
It's just a great relief going through your body, all those emotions. But it's tough to explain. I mean, I don't know if a player has ever found the right words what goes through him when he has a victory like that.

Q. Your first round you beat the Taipei player. What do you think of his performance? And what's the meaning of your ring?
JURGEN MELZER: To answer your first question, he's a great player. He's a junior. He's obviously still young and needs a lot of work. He has a great coach. I think that's very important in the early ages.
It's just a question of how well he can -- what Larry tells him, how he can make that into his game. I think he has a great backhand. He needs to work on his forehand.
As I said, I mean, it's always tough. I was in the same situation when I was young. I won Wimbledon juniors, was a top junior. But then it's a long way and it's a hard way to get up there, because all of a sudden you're not playing on the big courts anymore, and you have to go through challengers.
As soon as he makes that step into the ATP, into the real tour, breaks the top hundred, then I think he can become a really good player.
The meaning of my ring, it's a ring with my girlfriend.

Q. Your opponent played three tournaments in a row. Do you feel maybe he's a little physically tired or not as quick?
JURGEN MELZER: Well, I played three tournaments in a row, and I was there. No, I think that's not an excuse, to be honest. He must be fit enough to play three tournaments in a row.

End of FastScripts

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