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WIMBLEDON

June 29, 2011

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

LONDON, ENGLAND

J. TSONGA/R. Federer
3-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Did you have a sudden flash of inspiration out there?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: A lot. A lot. I felt so good on the court. I was quick. I was just perfect today. I don't know. Every time I was feeling like a dream, you know.

Q. Even at two sets down?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Even at two sets down, you know, because I was in quarterfinals again Roger Federer. The stadium was full. It was 6-3, 7-6. I was not ridiculous. I was in my match.
Yeah, I was feeling good all the match.

Q. Before today Federer had never lost from two sets up in a Grand Slam. What gave you the belief that you could be the one to end that record?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: You know, at the moment you don't think about it. You know, you just think about you have to stay consistent and keep your serve, and that's it.
Then it comes true. When you are at two sets to one, you say, Okay, I can win another one and then it's the fifth set.

Q. Your serve was almost unplayable. You never gave him a breakpoint.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, I served just unbelievable. But like the match before, uhm, I feel really confident on this shot. I hope it will continue.

Q. You were very tough closing out the match, which is not an easy thing to do against Roger Federer at Wimbledon. Was it difficult not to become nervous?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: You know, I think I improve a lot mentally. I'm stronger because I change lot of things, you know, in my tennis, and now I try to stay focused all the time and just breathe and stay quiet. I did it today and it worked, so...
I feel good with this. I think I'm the kind of player who likes, you know, these big moments. So I hope I will have some more (smiling).

Q. Were you surprised how Roger didn't come back at you when you started to win? A player like yourself or Murray or Djokovic have a lot of aggression and show it on court, while Federer is super cool. It's almost because he was so super cool, that's why he didn't react and ended up losing.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: You know, is difficult to play against him because you don't know exactly what he's thinking, what's happen in his head. He has all the time the same comportment, and it's difficult because he plays so fast. You don't know if he's scared or not, and it's really difficult.
So I think the way he plays, the way he plays is the best and is difficult. But, anyway, I didn't look at him. I was just focused on me, on my serve, and that's it.

Q. You're known for your creativity, your spontaneity, yet you just now said you need to stay quiet. Talk about the mix between the creativity, the spontaneity, and being quiet.
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, I mean, I just need to be quiet between the points. But during the points, I can do everything, you know. I have to be aggressive. I have to be spontaneous. I have to do what I feel, and that's it.
But between points I just try to stay focused and breathe and stay quiet, and this is the way I play well.

Q. That prime feeling you felt today, what was the feeling you had inside today?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: The feeling was I was feeling really strong because I never - how you say that - panic. I was all the time, you know, really focused. Today I was not scared, you know, on big points. Just I have to hit the ball, I hit the ball, and that's it.

Q. You've had great moments in your career. Is this one more special than any one?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, for me it's more special because I beat Roger Federer, you know, in quarterfinal here on this big court. I like the atmosphere here. For me it's just amazing. The feeling is like maybe beat Nadal in Roland Garros, so it's just amazing.
And for me it will be, for sure, one of the best memories in my career anyway.

Q. You were talking about being scared. Do you think you scared Roger Federer when you started to come back at him, and the way you did?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, because Roger is the best. He saw a lot of things. I don't think he's scared of me.

Q. Federer used to be unbeatable on grass. Have you finished the legend of 'Federer the invincible'?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I don't know. Only the future will tell us.

Q. Can you describe what the matchup is like for you against Djokovic and what your different styles of play are?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Uhm, I think he's more consistent than me on his baseline, but he hit maybe the ball slower than me. But he take the ball really early, so this is maybe the difference. Maybe also my serve, because I served really well, you know, at this time.
I don't know. Anyway, we are different: different character, different personality. We will see.

Q. How different are your personalities? In what ways?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, we are just different because we are not from the same country, not from maybe the same family, the same education. So it's completely different, and that's it. We are different.
This is what is nice in tennis, you know. You will have two opponent completely different play against each other, and this is nice.

Q. Did you feel you had this match coming in you? Was there anything about this week where you were thinking this is your time or you have a chance? What were the major reasons? You spoke about mentally changing some things in your game. What did you change?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: You know, uhm, I change lot of thing in my game. Not really in my game, but in my mind and in my staff. I think, you know, I played three years not far from the top 10, or in the top 10, and now I want more. I want more. That's why I decide, you know, to change some things and try to be a better players.

Q. Did you work with a psychologist or anything, sports psychologist?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, no, no.

Q. Was there any point during the match today that you thought, I'm going home tonight, I'm going to lose?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, because I haven't got, you know, breakpoints on my serve. So I was feeling like, you know, I'm confident because I don't have to save, you know, breakpoints. So, no, not really.

Q. Can you win Wimbledon from here now?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Uhm, why not?

Q. How will you come back after this incredible victory and have your focus and determination against Novak?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: You know, I played against him many times. He beat me all the time in the big moments, and I want change it. That's it.

Q. Will you tell us about the people around you. I think I saw your brother in the box. How much has it meant to you to have those people around?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: It's nice to have a part of family in the box and some friends and people who I work with. That's it. Nothing more to say.

Q. Enzo, what is he like as a spectator?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: He like good points, nice points, and he like also of course when I win. But he like tennis, I think, and that's it.

Q. Where did that inspiration come from?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: My inspiration?

Q. Where did it come from today?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: From France, from Congo, from my family, from my house, from everywhere. From here. That's it.

Q. Have you ever met Mohammed Ali? If not, would you like to do that?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, I never met him for the moment. But, of course, if I have the possibility to.

Q. What would that mean?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: What does it mean? Just a nice moment, you know, because in life you have to live of course some good moment. That's it.
And meet him, it make part of good moment.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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