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DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN

February 23, 2011

Feliciano Lopez

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

N. DJOKOVIC/F. Lopez
6-3, 2-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you just take us through some of your emotions.
FELICIANO LOPEZ: Well, I think I played a great match overall. I think Novak is in very, very good shape. So if you want to beat Novak now, you have play 100% since first point till the end, which is very difficult.
So what else can I say? I mean, I played great. Good second set; early make in the third. Then I came back, get a break in the 3-2.
But it was difficult to win my serve in the third set. He was very focused. He was returning very good, especially the second serve.
I slowed down my percentage a little bit with the third set with the first serve, so every time with my second serve it was difficult to win the point, no. He was so focused and very aggressive on my second serve.

Q. So definitely positives to take away from the performance, do you feel? You feel positive after your performance?
FELICIANO LOPEZ: I think I played great, no? You always disappointed when you lose, especially when you have the chance to beat one of the best players in the world. But you have to think about the way you played, and I think I played great.

Q. Do you think the key to beating him was to mix it? Because you had some lovely top spins from both flanks, and then you produced the lovely slice on your backhand. You were mixing it up a little.
FELICIANO LOPEZ: Yeah, this is the way I have to play. This is my game; I have to be aggressive. I mean, if I try to beat Novak from the baseline, it would be impossible. I think he's just very solid: backhand; forehand; he's moving so fast; he's probably the fastest now in the world moving from the baseline.
So I have to, you know, mix it up a little bit, go to the net, make him come to the net as well. This is the way I have to play. Of course, I have to risk a lot playing this way, but this is the way I have to play, I think.

Q. You say he's now the fastest in the world. A friend of yours has a stake to that claim as well.
FELICIANO LOPEZ: Probably, yeah. Right now Novak is in better shape than anybody in the world. He just won the Australian Open. And of course Rafa is so fast as well. Andy Murray is very, very fast.
But probably right now, Novak is a little bit ahead.

Q. What else has improved in his game in, say, the last couple months?
FELICIANO LOPEZ: Not much. He's the same player as he was when he won the first Australian Open. He struggled a little bit with his serve for a while, for a couple months.
As soon as he had his serve back, he is winning all the time again. So this is the only thing, I think.

Q. So where now for you? Straight into Davis Cup?
FELICIANO LOPEZ: Yeah, we play against Belgium. We have Rafa, David, Fernando, and me, so hopefully we can go far in Davis Cup this year. Last year we lost in the quarters against France. Hopefully we can get the trophy again.

Q. When do you link up with the team?
FELICIANO LOPEZ: On Sunday. On Sunday probably. Yeah, one week, almost a week before the game.

Q. Do you feel coming back here where you've done so well before is part of the reason you played so well tonight?
FELICIANO LOPEZ: Well, tonight was a match for me to enjoy. This is one of those matches, because you are practicing every day and you been dreaming since you were young to become professional tennis player, no? Playing Novak, tonight here with the full crowd, it's great match for any of us I think.
So overall, I think I played great. I just had to play very, very good to beat Novak. I did for a while, but in the third set he was a better player than I was, I think.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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