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AEGON CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 11, 2011

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

LONDON, ENGLAND

J. TSONGA/J. Ward
6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How would you rate your own performance out there this afternoon?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: What I can say? Just, I won. I won. It was not the best match I did, but anyway, it was semifinal and you have to win this match, you know.
I don't care about my level today, because the most important was to win. I did it. I'm in the final. That's it.
Tomorrow I will play, you know, really relaxed, because I will play against Andy Murray. For the moment he's better than me, so I have nothing to lose.
He's a fantastic player on grass court, so I will see tomorrow, but tomorrow I think I will play better, anyway.

Q. How threatened did you feel towards the end of that second set? Was there any point where you thought that you might lose it?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Not lose it, because -- anyway, I was confident. But of course, you know, sometimes you play and the ball don't go where you want, and the player in front of you play well, take his chance, and today he did it.
I think he was a bit tired, so today was just good to win.

Q. How do you rate James Ward? Do you think he put in a good performance?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, today he didn't play his best tennis, of course. But the crowd was behind him, and he did everything to win. But I think he can play -- he can play better.

Q. Obviously you had the crowd against you today. You will probably have the crowd against you again tomorrow because you'll be facing another British player. How do you feel about that?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: You know, I feel good because I know they like me. They like my game.
So, you know, this is sports. Sometimes you play in a country, and you play against the countryman and the crowd is behind the other player. This is sports. I accept that.
Of course I will play my best tennis. I will try to play my best tennis to win tomorrow, anyway.

Q. How excited are you to be in the final here kind of ahead of Wimbledon?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Really excited, because it's the second final for me this year. I didn't play really well these last months, and I'm waiting for a title. So I will try tomorrow to get this one.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your preparations for Wimbledon? After tomorrow, how will you go about preparing?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: About what?

Q. For your training for Wimbledon. Will you stay in London?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, I will go to Eastbourne. I need to play. Last year I didn't play enough, and I need to play to improve my game and to feel confident, win some matches. Yeah.

Q. We know that through your career you have had a lot of problems with injuries. How are you at the moment? Are you fully fit? Have you any problems?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, today I'm fit. I'm fit. I don't have any problems. I think this is the difference between me one year ago and me now.
I feel I have no problem. I can jump on the court, I run, slide, can do everything. So I'm ready to play tennis.

Q. Can you explain the importance of Wimbledon for a French player who comes over straight after the French Open? What does it mean to you?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: What it mean for me?
First a Grand Slam, one of the majors, it's one of my favorite tournaments. The atmosphere in Wimbledon is just incredible, and I like this tournament. I like this surface. I like people here. I like the town. I like everything. Yeah.

Q. If a French player was to break through and win Wimbledon, who would it be?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I hope me. (Smiling.)
But I hope it will happen in the future, anyway, even if it's not me.

Q. Are you still without a coach?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I'm still without a coach.

Q. How is that working out for you?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Not really good. (Laughter.)

Q. Are you trying to find a coach then?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Not for the moment. For the moment I'm waiting. You know, I feel good like this. I improve my game. I have no reason to change.
But anyway, when I will feel the -- how you say, necessary? The need. When I feel the need, I will try to find somebody, of course.

Q. Andy works with the adidas coaching staff.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, I work with them a bit. But it's not something -- how you say that? They just give me some advice for the moment. But, yeah, for the moment that's it. Maybe after it will be more. I don't know.

Q. Have you worked with Darren Cahill yet? Andy has benefited a lot.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Not for the moment. I tell you I just -- they just give me some advice for the moment. We try to find a way to work a bit together maybe, but for the moment there is nothing sure, you know. But anyway, they are good coach. Yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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