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MEDIBANK INTERNATIONAL

January 10, 2011

Juan Martin Del Potro

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

J. DEL POTRO/F. Lopez
6-7, 7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You wanted three or four hours of match play at this tournament. I don't imagine you would imagine you would get all of them in the first match.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I don't expect this kind of match for the start, but we play a beautiful match, very close. Feliciano is a fantastic player in this kind of surfaces, and I play a good tennis again. I feel good all on my match, and finally I won a match since one year.

Q. Is it more of a physical test?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No, it was a good tennis before the Australian Open or before Grand Slam. But I'm still thinking in this tournament; I want to still win here.
Of course I'm ready for fight again.

Q. Are you surprised by the you were physically as well?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No, because I work very hard for two months in Argentina. My coaches trust in my conditions and I trust in myself, so I'm ready again for to play long matches.

Q. What does it mean to you to finally get that win after nearly a year?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: It's a good sensation. I feel happy for my victory, for everything. You know, the fans looks enjoying the match, and they support me a lot.
I really like this life, you know. If you can play without pains, it's much better.

Q. You don't feel any pains in your wrist?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No, I'm just feeling tired because it was very hot and it was a long match. But it's normal.

Q. How do you rate your level compared to the one when you won in New York?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I am still lower with my level, you know. It's difficult to make a test in my first match.
But I need time. I need work to keep going in this road. You know, it's a long road to be in the top 10 again, but I'm ready to try.

Q. Did you expect such level? Because some of the forehands were already very...
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yeah, sometimes going in; sometimes going very far. (Smiling.) But I need matches and matches, practice, and work. Maybe four, six months I'm ready for to play again a good tennis.

Q. What has the win done for your confidence?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I think after this match I take more confidence of course for my next match. I play against Mayer, I think. I play here last year and in Melbourne with him. It was a long match.
But I don't know how he's playing now. I just know my conditions. I will try to play similar like today.

Q. Having not played a match like this for a year, how much do you think it will take out of you for the next match?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I don't know. I will see after tomorrow. But I have my physical trainer here and my coach. They know how can I be better for my next match.

Q. How far away do you think you were from your best out there today?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I don't know, but I'm still feeling a long road to play better. You know, today I beat one top 30 player. If I can play with them, maybe in the future I can play like two years ago with the top 10 players.

Q. But it must be a great relief to actually feel progress, you have to a result that shows you're making progress after a year.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yes, yes, yes. I know I'm very calm, because it's a long road, a long way to play a good tennis again or to feel good again on the court.
Maybe I play one good point, and after, three points, three points are bad. But it's normal because I was out of competition. That's what we working for next couple of months.

End of FastScripts

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