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WIMBLEDON

June 23, 2011

Robin Soderling

LONDON, ENGLAND

R. SODERLING/L. Hewitt
6-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How were you feeling at two sets to love down, knowing you had to go into completely new territory if you're going to win the match?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, I felt great. I knew I was going to win (laughter).
No, no. Well, of course it's tough. I never came back from two sets to love down before in my career. I think I was a little bit unlucky to not win the first set. I had some chances. And then he played really well in the second.
But, you know, you just have to start over, like trying to take one point at a time and see it as a new match, you know, there's still a chance to win.
I didn't want to go off the court feeling that I didn't give a hundred percent, you know. Win or lose, doesn't matter.

Q. How worried were you in the third set?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, well, of course, you know, two sets to love down, it's normal to be a little bit worried. But again, you know, I try not to think about the scoreline. Instead, I try to keep looking forward.
I know I was playing pretty well. I served well. And if I could just, you know, start to move a little bit better, start to return a little bit better than the first two sets, I knew I had a good chance.

Q. Did he surprise you how well he played?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah. Well, I think so. We played a few times. We played two times in the last one or two years. And this is I think the best he played against me before. And then if he's satisfied or not today, you have to ask him.
From times to time, you know, I think it was some pretty good tennis.

Q. When he's in that kind of form, can he still do damage at the majors?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, I think so. If he's healthy, he have good chance to beat anyone, especially on this surface. This is the first time I played him on grass, and it was different. I think his game really suits this kind of courts.

Q. How important was it to serve first on the last three sets?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, well, I always like to serve first. If I can, I always choose serve. You know, I was able to break him at the last game of every set. So it's always nicer to serve first, I think.

Q. People talk about the top four in the men's game. Do you feel with how good you have played and can play that they should maybe consider a top five as the dominant gang?
ROBIN SODERLING: Well, I'm No. 5 in the rankings. I like to think that the ranking never lie. It shows what you did in a year.
And, of course, they all played better than me. But every match is different. When I play the top guys, I always try to be positive, and I really try to believe that I have a chance to win. And I have beaten them all before. So there's always a chance in any match for everyone.

Q. Obviously your ambition is to break into that four, three, two, as high as you can go?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, this is mostly why I play tennis. I want to improve. I want to become better. I think when you don't want that anymore, then you lose a big thing on this game.

Q. It's tough, isn't it?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, it's very tough. But I got to a position where I'm No. 5 in the world. It should be tough.

Q. How did you find it playing under the roof?
ROBIN SODERLING: It was nice, I think. And when they put the roof on, it's not as slippery as without. From what I heard, there was a little rain, so I'm happy we played with the roof on today.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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