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ROGERS CUP MEN

August 10, 2011

Ivan Dodig

MONTREAL, QUEBEC

I. DODIG/R. Nadal
1-6, 7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Ivan.

Q. In the match before yours, similar situation, a player came out against a former world No. 1 and at the end remembered who he was playing and came apart. How did you not let the rÃ©sumÃ© of your opponent affect you tonight?
IVAN DODIG: Yeah, I mean, the beginning was very good from his side. I started little bit let's say with some respect. Of course, I was playing with Nadal.
But I keep fighting. I keep fighting second set even when I was down 3-1. I think I relaxed more and my serve start to work. Especially after I broke him first time, I was getting more points with my serve. I was getting also like more relaxed during the rallies. I was going more for the shots.
Was working quite good today, especially in the important points. I was going for the shots. I would say I was also little bit more lucky today.
I don't know what to say. Very happy. The biggest win in my life.

Q. Can you believe you've pulled this off?
IVAN DODIG: I cannot (smiling).
Like I said, I was fighting and I didn't think about the score. I was really enjoying. The stadium was full and the crowd was great, supporting both players. I was really like on the court thinking to play point by point.
In the end I won. Yeah, I was so happy. Didn't know what to say. But it's nice impression in front of the full stadium to beat such a good player.

Q. Your ranking has been climbing this year. Did you actually believe when you stepped on the court tonight you could beat him?
IVAN DODIG: I mean, I think all players playing against like Djokovic, Nadal, Federer, of course they are the three biggest player for me by far, and I cannot say that I enter on the court to say, Okay, I will beat Nadal. But I enter and I say, I gonna play every point, I will fight, try my best. Today I was more happy. I was more lucky. In the end, the fight, all those stuff helped me to win.
Maybe I think for sure he didn't play his best tennis. But I use maybe his bad day, and for me it's fine (smiling).

Q. Toward the very end of the match, can you tell us about the conversation that was in your head? What was in your head the last 10 minutes of the match?
IVAN DODIG: Yeah, like I said, this year I was start to playing very good tennis. I was working a lot with my coach, especially on the mental part. I was losing a lot of matches probably thinking a lot.
Today we said, for example, if I get some chance, some small chance, I have to be aggressive, I have to try to make point myself, otherwise I cannot beat a guy like Rafa waiting to him to make mistake.
On match point, I think I did it. I make like a winner. I think that was the key of this match. I know it's very tough when you play these guys to be aggressive. Sometimes they doesn't allow you. But today I had some chances and I think I use it. I finish match by myself. I didn't wait for his mistakes.

Q. Do you think you can take out Djokovic or Federer now?
IVAN DODIG: I don't know. I was also happy in Australia that I was only one who wins Djokovic a set. Everybody was clapping me, Oh, good, good. Not bad, you're the only one who win a set.
I'm fine. I'm enjoying. I'm trying to play my best tennis and looking forwards for some other matches maybe with big guys.

Q. What do you think was the turning point of the match?
IVAN DODIG: I think second set he was 3-1 up, actually 3-2 when I broke him back I think I start to play better. Actually I start to also serve much better. I get more loose and I hit some good shots which help me to relax. I think that was the most important part of the game to come back in the match and get some chance to stay in the match.
Yeah, the rest was everything tight till the end of the match.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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