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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 26, 2011

Alexandr Dolgopolov

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

A. MURRAY/A. Dolgopolov
7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What was the experience like out there in a quarterfinal of a Grand Slam tournament?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: It was a really good match, you know. Andy played really well. I was trying to keep up. I think I was showing a pretty good match. I mean, he was just more solid for me today. He played better.

Q. You play very flamboyant and entertaining tennis, which is terrific. Is consistency something you have to work on?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: Yeah, for sure. I mean, you always want to get more consistent.
But, you know, today, I mean, just hitting with him on the baseline was just suicidal to lose three easy sets. I had to go for the balls and I think I was playing the right tactic.
When I get better in the physics and I play better, I'll get more of those balls and maybe there will be a tighter match.

Q. Did it give you a feeling of how much you have to make up on the top players?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: Yeah, for sure. I think I'm playing better tactically in the important moments. But I still need to practice and get better to beat these kind of players more.

Q. You played Rafa a few months ago. How would you see Andy's chances against him?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: I don't know. It will be a tough match. They're both really good. They like to play on the baseline. So it's always fun to watch their matches.

Q. Who would you pick?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: I don't know actually. It's too tough. I didn't really see Rafa now play much. But they're both good. I think if they play, it will be an interesting match.

Q. What was the difference between beating Soderling and losing to Andy? What did you find more difficult about playing Murray?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: For sure, he's more solid at this day, and he didn't give me much of easy points. You know, I had to take it away myself.
And with Robin, I mean, he made some errors, and I really needed to just stay in the point to win it. It's a bit different game. It was tougher today for me.

Q. Are you amazed at what you've done?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: Yeah, for sure, I'm really happy that the year started this way. Really happy that I am playing this way. I'm really looking forwards towards the next tournaments. I'm confident now and I think I can do good.

Q. Have you heard from a lot of people like your parents?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: Yeah, my parents are watching all the time, cheering for me. They're really happy. A lot of my friends as well. So it's really nice.

Q. I think your name used to be Dolgopolov, Jr.
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: That's because my father played tennis and he had the same name. I just took it away because I think it's too long to pronounce (smiling).

Q. When did you get rid of that part?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: I think it was somewhere in the summer.

Q. Last summer?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: Yeah.

Q. What do you expect about the next tournament in Buenos Aires, especially with another surface?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: Well, first I would be really happy to get there because I need to make three visas for every country for one week, so that's pretty tough. Maybe I'll have to miss the first one in Brazil and go Buenos Aires, then Acapulco if I make it.
I'm happy to get on clay court and continue the year.

Q. It would be your first visit to Buenos Aires?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: Yes, to Buenos Aires it will be the first time.

Q. What part of your game do you think you've improved on during this tournament?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: For sure I'm more consistent, you know. I've changed my tactics to last year. I'm feeling more fit and better physically.
Towards the tournament, I got more confident. You know, changing the things in the first matches that were maybe not going well. Played really well, I think.

Q. At one stage during the match you looked up to the coach's box, and your coach wasn't there.
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: Yeah, he went to the toilet, he told me. They were giving him a hard time getting back because they were saying, You don't have a box pass. He's like, Look, it's coach Dolgopolov. Yeah, he wasn't there for a few games.

Q. Is that disconcerting when you look up for a bit of inspiration from a coach and he's not there?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: Not really. You just look up to see someone like cheer for you, and it makes you feel better. But if he's not there, he went somewhere for his business. I mean, it's not like a tragedy or anything.

Q. You showed a lot of good sportsmanship when you were beaten by great shots. Is that how you always respond, in that way?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: He overplayed me a lot of times, my good shots. So what can you do?

Q. There was one shot, an overhead, and Murray played it down the line. Maybe one of the shots of the tournament.
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: Yeah, he just went for it because, I mean, my overhead was disgusting actually. You know, it was pretty tough. I missed a lot of today easy balls next to the net because I was trying to hit them without a bounce, the overheads. The ball was coming out from the roof to the right side. I missed a few. He missed one overhead as well. He did a lot of good shots.

Q. Is he smart as a tennis player?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: Yeah, for sure, he's one of the smartest players. He tries to break your game. He plays really smart tactically. He doesn't give away a lot. You need to make him do the mistakes.

Q. You told us before the match that you like to drive, that you drive a Subaru. With your winnings, does this mean a new car?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: No, I'm still with the Subaru. I like it. I enjoy it.

Q. A few players have said the courts have been slower in the last two days because it's been colder. Did you find it that way?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: I don't know if it's from the cold. I felt it really with Robin, playing on center court, that it's much slower. I don't know if that's the weather or the arena also.
But it was slower on the arena for me, tougher to make winners.

Q. The third set you played some amazing tennis, then Andy got a jump on you in the fourth set. Did it take you by surprise or were you a bit let down after the third set?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: I think maybe I lost a bit of concentration because he was making me move a lot more than my other opponents. I was covering too much court today. That makes you lose sometimes like a few games, you just lose concentration. He played really well, made a few winners. He made the ball like really deep.
I just went back, tried to come back, but it was like two breaks. Too tough.

Q. What do you take away from this tournament?
ALEXANDR DOLGOPOLOV: First of all confidence, that I can play with these players. I'm really happy that, you know, I got some goals together. I had a goal to do the second week. I'm happy I could do it, even though it was with pretty strong guys.
Yeah, mostly that and a lot of game experience.

End of FastScripts

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