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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS

April 15, 2011

Jurgen Melzer

MONTE CARLO, MONACO

J. MELZER/R. Federer
6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Was it the perfect match today for you?
JURGEN MELZER: Well, it was a very good match of me. I mean, it started to turn out to be tough conditions in the end because the wind really picked up. But I think I played a really good match without any mistakes. I tried to put the ball in the court and whenever I had a chance also be aggressive.
Especially on breakpoints down, I think I played well, having the ball in the racquet and putting a lot of pressure when I actually had the chance. That was the key I think to success today.

Q. Does it have a special meaning for you to beat Federer for the first time?
JURGEN MELZER: It does. I mean, I have beaten Rafa last year. I have beaten Nole. So this was the one missing. I'm very happy I actually did it today.

Q. What did you learn? You lost three times to him last year. What was different about today's match?
JURGEN MELZER: Well, I felt like, without sounding cocky, especially when we played at the US Open, the luck was not on my side. There were a lot of key points where I felt I was unlucky. I thought, Okay, luck is going to turn. It did today. I had a few shots on the line, a few bad bounces that were going my way. You need that to beat Roger. He is such a great tennis player, you also need to have the luck on your side, and I did today.

Q. Do you think also the clay is a reason for you?
JURGEN MELZER: Of course. I mean, this also suits me. I have played a really good clay court season last year. Especially beating Almagro yesterday gave me a lot of confidence. I'm kind of climbing to the top of my game on clay. It's not Roger's most favorite surface, so this helped for sure.

Q. Is it yours?
JURGEN MELZER: It's a tough question. At the moment I would say yes (smiling).

Q. What happened with your back in the beginning?
JURGEN MELZER: Well, I played a backhand. I kind of blocked my spine. But the physio, Graham, he did a great job unblocking it. I was a little worried. But then the pain like go'd away quickly, it didn't bother me at all.

Q. How high?
JURGEN MELZER: It was up there between the shoulders.

Q. Roger missed seven breakpoint chances. He will say some of that was bad luck. Do you think some of that was your aggressive approach?
JURGEN MELZER: I think it's both ways. I mean, of course you always need some luck. Breakpoints, you take a little bit of your chance. I went for I think two forehand winners down the line. I made both of them.
But that's tennis. You have to take your chances and you have to be aggressive, especially on big occasions. I did today. I executed well.

Q. You stayed focused through all the match. Is it the difference between this match and maybe the past few weeks?
JURGEN MELZER: Well, especially after Davis Cup I kind of felt like being a little bit in a slump, not playing well, having difficulties to find the focus and the motivation. It's always nice, you know, you kind of take a cut going on clay. It's different to movement, everything. You have to really be there to rally, to actually just fight your way through a match, being ready to be there for three hours.
That's what I am at the moment. After the first match here, it was a tough one, I didn't play well. But then after that, like, playing well against Almagro, and today I was very satisfied with my game.

Q. You have a clay court specialist coming up next. What do you think of the match coming up?
JURGEN MELZER: It's going to be a tough match. He's a very good clay court player. I won the last two matches against him. So I'm going in very confident, especially the one at Roland Garros last year helps a little bit. Basically I killed him in three. This helps the confidence going into such a match. I mean, obviously I can lose tomorrow. No doubt, he's an unbelievable clay court player.
It's always nice to have won the last encounter you played. Going into tomorrow, I'm confident. I'm trying my best. We see what's going to happen.

Q. You've been asked many times about Muster, who was so successful here. Now you're in his tracks. What do you feel about it?
JURGEN MELZER: Well, this comparison has been taken place a lot of times. To be honest, we are two different persons. Of course, we're both Austrian, we're both left-handed, but that's it.
I would love to have his success here, no doubt about that. He was a great clay court player. It's tough to be compared to him because I think he won 43 tournaments on clay. I won 1. That's a little difference.
I'm trying my best to actually get ready to step into his footsteps.

Q. Are the players are losing a little bit of the respect against Federer?
JURGEN MELZER: I think you always have to respect Roger. This would be lack of respect from the players if you don't respect Roger. He's a great tennis player, what he has achieved in the past... He has played tennis on such a high level that for him being 3 in the world is a downgrade, which if you think about it, it's kind of stupid.
For me, he's the greatest player that has ever played that game. As I said, for him to lose matches, it's every time a tragic. There is a lot of players out there that would love to be in his shirt going out of that locker room and being on the court.

Q. A lot of people think Nadal is unbeatable here and on clay in general. If you beat Ferrer, chances are you'll meet him in the final. What is your mental approach to that kind of game?
JURGEN MELZER: It would be great if you ask me that question tomorrow and I'm sitting here having won the semis (smiling). It's kind of tough to go one step ahead and play mentally a match against Nadal if I haven't beaten Ferrer yet.
Rafa hasn't lost a match on clay last year, I believe so, so he's the one to beat. Unfortunately, I'm not in the finals yet.

Q. You're not at the end of your career yet either. If one day you will meet your son, you will tell him first, I beat Nadal once, or you will say, I beat Federer once?
JURGEN MELZER: I cannot choose both? I'll tell him I beat Federer.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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