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U.S. OPENSeptember 3, 2011Janko TipsarevicNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK J. TIPSAREVIC/T. Berdych THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. When you see that your opponent is injured like that, do you change your plan with that in mind or do you stick with the tactics that you have in the beginning originally? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: You know, I'm happy that I won the first set because I feel that had nothing to do with an injury, but I'm happy that I executed the next five games in the second set. Normally what is happening to some of the players or myself for that matter is I back off a little bit, you know, and start playing more defensive because I think he will start to miss because of his shoulder problems -- at least that was my feeling. I raised the game, I stepped inside the court, I was more aggressive, not allowing him chances, you know, to get back. Because, you know, in a way I wanted to win, but I was thinking, I was knowing, that if I become more and more dominant on the match that he might think of retiring because he can see that he doesn't have a chance to win because of the injury. So I stepped it up and started playing even better when, you know, I saw him struggle. Q. You're top 20; been in the fourth round of majors before. Do you feel like you're ready to really make a bigger push beyond that? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: I think I am. I'm not a fan of giving big statements. You know, I don't like to say, This is my time to shine or whatever, you know. I know it's overrated and it's a cliché to say because you guys heard it so many times before, but I really, really want to focus just on the next match, because I had chances before twice playing fourth round in Wimbledon against really beatable opponents, and I just screwed it up at the end because I was thinking too big, you know, that I have a chance to play semis or something. So I'm really -- you know, I know I'm playing well. I spent I think the least time on court from all the guys that are in the fourth round, or will be in the fourth round, because I had two fast matches and a retirement today, which means that I have a lot of gas in my tank to go, you know, even longer. So I'm really focusing on winning whoever advances in the next round. Q. Then how do you know that you're ready to make that next level? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: Well, first of all, because I'm playing good, you know. Second, because I have confidence from the matches in the past couple of tournaments, you know, in Washington and Montreal I think I played really well. The third part is that, you know, I was in this situation before, you know. This is not something new for me. I just feel that my attitude, which is the main thing, you know, off court and on court is different this year, you know. Apart from this year I was always, you know, playing the sport just to enjoy the time being on tour, you know, winning points, winning money and all that. But, you know, this year I just set up my goal to be top 20 at the end of the year. Things are starting to come around. You know, I was obviously lucky today because Tomas retired, but, you know, even if he didn't, I still feel that I had a chance to win, you know. But, yeah, again, I'm not saying that this is my time. I'm just saying that I'm playing well. I'm fit, I'm healthy, and I'm ready to go all the way. Q. What led you to be more serious, if that's the right word, this year? Was it the Davis Cup? Was it Novak's example? What? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: I think it's a mixture of everything. You know, you see Novak doing so well. You see Viktor being, you know, in the springtime so close to be top 10, you know. I guess I was kind of sick being all the time around 30 or 40, you know. I am not getting any younger. I'm not old but I'm not young. I see guys from my generation like Soderling or Simon, you know, had their, if I can say dreams come true winning tournaments being top 10. I feel that I have the quality. It's just the thing is that my head was not there in the previous years, you know. You know, the goal this year, you know, is to be top 20 and then maybe next year to hopefully attack top 10. Q. You had, I think in Belgrade, the muscle tear, I think, in your thigh? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: I did, yeah. Luckily, I mean, that wasn't a long-time injury. I just skipped two tournaments, two Masters Series, you know, Rome and Madrid. But one of the big things that I have new people in my team which are preventing me from getting injured. You know, obviously that injury and the injury in Eastbourne where I slipped on the court was something that nobody could prevent, you know. But generally I am feeling completely painless. The seasons before it always happened to me that three or four months I'm off the court because I am either not fit enough and then that leads to an injury, which is not the case this year. Q. I think at the time in Belgrade you thought it was a six inch tear. JANKO TIPSAREVIC: Yes. Q. Was it not as bad as that? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: No, it wasn't. I did another one and it showed it was only two. But, you know, I still had to skip. You know, I skipped -- I didn't play the semis against Novak, I skipped Madrid, I skipped Rome, and then I came kind of unprepared to Düsseldorf, the World Team Championship, you know. And then I used that week to recover and prepare for the French Open where I lost third round to Roger who was just too good at that time for me. Q. There is something different about this, though, because this is the first time you've gotten to the second week at the US Open; your results have kept going up here. First and second round, and then your best showing last year with the third round and now the fourth round this year. Is there something about just maybe you're more comfortable with the atmosphere in New York and this tournament? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: Surprisingly, when I was a kid I really didn't -- I don't know why I didn't like States. I didn't like playing here, you know. But then the older I am, I really enjoying being in United States and playing tournaments. Just, you know, all of my best results in the last two or three years came in United States, you know. I kinda work my schedule around it. Even this year I could have stayed in Europe and played indoor tournaments at the beginning of the year. I chose to go to Memphis and play Delray Beach where I played the finals. And then now I chose to come, you know, not to stay on clay in Europe after Wimbledon but to come to States early to prepare for Washington and play all the tournaments from then. But hard court is definitely my favorite surface. I like this US Open tour. Q. Why didn't you like playing the States? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: I don't know. I didn't perform well. I think when I was a kid I was really connected to stay at home for a long time, you know. I was kind of used to when I go to a tournament in Italy or Spain, I could always take the next flight and go home to my mom and dad. You know, when you're in States you cannot just go and travel and play one event. You should go and play at least two or three or four, and I kinda didn't want to be away from home that long, you know. So that kinda, when you start your trip like that and you have the negative thought in your head all the time, you kinda just want to finish it and go home straightaway. Q. Because you said a few moments ago you never came into a season with the goal of being in the top 20. JANKO TIPSAREVIC: Yeah. Q. I'm thinking was some of it your talent? Were you selling yourself a little bit short? Why did you never have this aspiration? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: I don't know. Maybe because -- I honestly don't know. I know that I can perform well under pressure, you know. It's not that, you know, I am a choker or I lose important matches. Of course, I win and I lose, you know. But I feel a big regret why I didn't set this goal, you know, before. Or maybe just at the time I didn't want to sacrifice, you know, my free time in my life. You know, I'm doing things differently this year. I'm completely dedicated to tennis, which was not the situation, you know, a couple years back. You know, I was choosing to do some other things before going to bed on time or, you know, doing stretching after every practice or hitting the gym, you know, every time that I need to. But this is not the case this year, and I feel so happy that it's paying off immediately, you know. It could have been really easy that it doesn't pay off, you know, immediately, and then, you know, I start losing belief in what am I doing. So I'm really grateful that it's, you know, paying off, you know, the hard work in every decision that I make. Q. I think when I spoke to you earlier you told me the thing about Novak was he was always somebody who would have fun, but when it was time for tennis he worked extremely hard. JANKO TIPSAREVIC: Yes. Q. He always had that priority. He obviously has had this great season. Did you take that example from him? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: Of course. You know, I am extremely -- and I said it before -- I am extremely grateful for having Novak as a part of my life, because I have a chance to look from a front-row seat what the world's best tennis player is doing, and enjoying life. You know, it's not that he's sacrificing his private life and all the fun stuff to do what he's doing and being the best at it, you know. I learned a lot from him. You know, even though he's three years younger than me, I learn a lot how can you also enjoy life, but putting this really, really short road that we have, the tennis career, it's really, really short. You have 10, 12, 13 years at the top and that's it. Putting that thing as the No. 1 priority without having to sacrifice, I mean, anything. Not almost anything. Anything in life, you know. I am really happy that he's a small part of my life, and I feel I learn a lot from him. Q. Ana was saying the other day that like Novak, she's gluten free, so I have to ask... JANKO TIPSAREVIC: I am not. I did my food intolerance test, which I advise everyone on the tour should do, and I took out some, how you say, substances or, you know, some kind of ingredients that I thought were good for me but they're actually not. But I did the test, and, you know, I am gluten tolerant. (Laughter.) I can eat bread. Q. What are the ingredients? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: I had to take out milk and milk products, bread in some form; I'm eating dark bread now, rice. It's kinda strange. Juices. And did I say eggs? And eggs. Q. You have tweeted about transportation woes at the US Open, so playing an early match, how early did you order your car today? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: You know what? At that time I was just frustrated, but it's really not easy. New York is the biggest city from all the four Grand Slams, you know, and I don't want to -- I was frustrated because it was a misunderstanding with the transportation that not only they didn't show up, but they said they would. Then when I called they said they told me they wouldn't. So it was a complete mess, you know. Then I got, you know, frustrated. This morning I think I was in the club before everyone else, you know. The doors were locked, you know. (Laughter.) I came and I started to get ready for practice and my coach came and said, You know you have one-and-a-half hours before we start warming up? I said, Okay. I will sleep for half an hour more, but I was, you know... Normally as the tournament progresses it's easier for them to do everything with the transportation. Q. When were the transport problems? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: The transport this morning was at 7:30. Q. When was the day you were having trouble? JANKO TIPSAREVIC: The day -- I had a day off. I played my first round on Monday, so it was Tuesday. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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