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SONY ERICSSON OPEN

March 27, 2011

Juan Martin Del Potro

MIAMI, FLORIDA

J. DEL POTRO/R. Soderling
6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did it feel to beat a top-10 player today?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: It feel good. I play a really good match. Basically my serve, I serve much better than Kohlschreiber match, and that's what I need if I want beat top 10 players.

Q. You told us in Delray that that's what you needed to do to really feel confident again, to beat a top-10 player. Does this give you that confidence?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yes, a little bit. When you play against these kind of players usually play 10 points during all the match, and today my serve works incredible, my forehand works, my backhand, everything.
And the results, is what maybe show another difference between me and him, because he's a really good player. He has chance, too, but I take my opportunities. I broke his serve many times, and that was very important for my confidence.

Q. How did that last running forehand feel at the end of the first set? You seemed very happy.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yeah, it was a nice shot. I'm really enjoying when I make good forehands, so it's was nice.

Q. After the first match, how do you feel about the physical condition? How's the body?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I feel tired, but it's normal. I was playing many, many matches and I am still working on my body. I need time to play maybe for two or three weeks in a row and don't feel any pains.
But I'm working on that. I go through. In this tournament I'm still alive. I have a very tough match on Tuesday, and I'm going to recovery for that.

Q. Mardy Fish, you played him in Delray. I don't think he had a really good night that night, but you certainly played well.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yeah.

Q. Talk about playing Mardy again.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yeah, well, he's a great player. I'm very friend of him. He's a nice person, too. It will be a special match because I know him. He knows my game. We play many times against each other.
And here in fourth round, every player is coming playing really well. So will be a nice match for both.

Q. A lot of people thought you might not be ready to win a Slam again until maybe the US Open because of how serious the injury was. Can you compete for the title at Wimbledon in your mind the way things are going?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: No, I'm not thinking about that. I'm just doing my road. It's a long road to come back on being in the top again. But I'm trying to be calm. Basically when the people say you should be in the top very soon or something like this, but it's a long road.
I'm working every day. I'm improving very, very slowly, and that's important. I'm getting better. Maybe for the second part of the year, I will be ready for fight against the top 10 players.

Q. So you won't be convinced that you could be at the top again until you win what? This tournament? A Slam?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I don't think on that. I'm going match by match, and I will see if I am ready to beat Mardy Fish in next match and I will be in quarterfinals again.
So even if I lose, I'm doing my shots, I'm doing my road, and I'm very positive. I'm very confidence. At this moment I want to be ready for the second part of the year.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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