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AEGON CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 7, 2011

Matthew Ebden

LONDON, ENGLAND

M. EBDEN/S. Devvarman
7-5, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congrats.
MATTHEW EBDEN: Thank you.

Q. You've done really well on grass. Is it your favorite surface?
MATTHEW EBDEN: I guess right now, yeah, it probably is. I probably played more on hard court in my whole life, but, yeah, growing up sort of in Western Australia in Perth we have a lot of grass courts.
I did play a lot of junior tennis on grass, so I do feel, you know, very comfortable on it, and I love playing on it and I love this time of year.
You know, it's only a four- to six-week season, so I try to make the most of it.

Q. Did you learn a lot from playing Somdev at the Commonwealth Games?
MATTHEW EBDEN: Yeah, I think when I played him there it was very different conditions. It was extremely hot, very slow, hard bouncing courts, you know, in front of his home crowd, and, you know, I was very fatigued from -- the day before I think I spent five or six hours on the court in some other matches. He's obviously a great competitor in those sort of conditions.
Probably the grass is not his best surface. But, you know, he might have hurt himself a little bit in the first set, but I felt confident that if I did the right things and played the right way, the surface might benefit me a little bit. You know, I think that's what happened just a little bit.

Q. You're looking forward to Rafa?
MATTHEW EBDEN: Yeah, absolutely. I was thinking there's probably not a better club or a better scenario which I'd like to play him.
And, you know, on grass, I've had at least, you know, a few matches last week and a few this week, as well. I guess this is his first match on grass. It will be a good one to try to get him.

Q. How excited are you? I mean, you are obviously excited. I mean, some people might think, oh, heck, it's Roger or it's Rafa or somebody. You could look at it the other way, like what a great opportunity?
MATTHEW EBDEN: Yeah, that's exactly what it is. It's an opportunity. But at the end of the day it's still, you know, just another match.
You know, you are still just another player, you're still just another guy out there and trying to win matches like everyone else is.
Obviously he's the No. 1 player in the world, great player, great guy. I'll expect the best to be coming at me, and I'll try to play my best, and you know, see what happens.

Q. Have you ever met him before, exchanged any words with him in the locker room?
MATTHEW EBDEN: Yeah, I think I actually warmed him up at the Australian Open. I hit with him for 30, 40 minutes one of the days there. That was about it.
I think maybe once when, you know, we were 13 or 14 years old I seen him when we were tiny in the junior-junior tournament, somewhere back then.
No, I'm not really that familiar with him, but, you know, I think he's done, you know, done great for tennis and he's doing, you know, great for himself, as well. You know, like I said, I will expect the best to be coming at me, and I'll try to put up with it.

Q. How important was it to get through, to come through the qualifying rounds as far as playing today's match against Devvarman?
MATTHEW EBDEN: Well, never easy. I was in the quarterfinals last week and I lost a close match on Friday up in Nottingham and had to come straight here and played two matches on Saturday.
Saturday night I got very sick, so I woke up Sunday sort of throwing up quite a lot and was very sick on Sunday. And with the few rain delays, I was very lucky to get through my match there and had a day to recover, so today I'm feeling a lot better. Yeah, looking to feel even better tomorrow.

Q. Was that just food poisoning?
MATTHEW EBDEN: Yeah, I think it was. I think it was just something I ate, 24-hour bug, because by yesterday and today I feel pretty good.
Just happy to sort of hang in there and get through that one, and, yeah, still be going.

Q. Who are you here with?
MATTHEW EBDEN: My coach is Josh Eagle at the moment. I have a physiotherapist, as well, helping us out.
I got a bit of family here, too. My mother and father actually come over. They like this time of year. It's a good time of year. Yeah, they're over.

Q. When you say you played on grass in Western Australia, did you play a lot at Kings Park?
MATTHEW EBDEN: Yeah, I played at Kings Park, played a few tournaments there, obviously watched a few Davis Cup ties there.
You know, they have an annual grass court tournament there. I think they have a WA Open grass court event there.
Yeah, I've played a lot of tournaments, a lot of junior league and Pennants on the grass there. It's something that's definitely nothing new for me, so I feel very comfortable on this surface.

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