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CHINA OPEN

October 4, 2011

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

BEIJING, CHINA

J. TSONGA/G. Dimitrov
7-6, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That was a great match. Congratulations on your success. I believe this is your first time playing in this new stadium, the Diamond. How did you like it?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I think it's just unbelievable for a tournament like this. It's really big. There is many big courts. The facilities are perfect.
So, no, it's a good tournament. I didn't know before, but this year I'm here, and I think it's a really good tournament.

Q. Things seemed to go pretty smoothly for you out there. Do you have any particular thoughts about today's match and what sort of a start this is for the tournament for you?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: For me it was difficult to play Grigor because he's a really good player. For the first round, was not easy.
You know, today for me I didn't move really well, I didn't hit the ball really good, but I was on the court with my head and I did it. So I'm really happy to go through this one, because this was a tough first round, like I said before.

Q. Just moving away from here, are you a rugby fan, and will you be watching the match on Saturday? Are you concerned that it might clash with your schedule?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: No, I'm not especially a rugby fan, but I like the sport. I like the sport because of the spirit, you know. So sometimes I watch rugby, but not often. But I like the spirit of this game.

Q. I still remember first time you came to China Open, and you came here as qualifier. Now you're a top seed. What does this kind of story mean to you? You have anything to say?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: The story of my life. (Smiling.) The story of my life, you know, because I think it was one of my first tournament on the tour when I came here. I qualify, and I beat Carlos Moya the first round.
I remember because I was supposed to be canceled for this match against Moya. I was in my room, and my coach called me and told me, You have to come. You are not canceled. You're playing in 35 minutes.
I was at the hotel, and the hotel, by car it's 30 minutes, 35 minutes.
I took the car, and during the drive the road was full of traffic. I arrived on the site you know, like one hour after. I saw my coach and he told me -- and I ask him, you know, My match is dead? I'm walkover?
And he said, No, no, it rained a bit, so they delayed the match for 45 more minutes. So you're playing in 30 seconds. (Smiling.)
I went on the court and I won 6-3, 6-2, and one hour after I was on the way back against Moya. It was a really good story for me. So now I'm here after I think seven years, and a lot of things happen during these years.
Yeah, so this is the story of my life. So, yeah, China Open is the story of my life. (Smiling.)

Q. It is ATP 500 tournament, but we see a lot of top seeds pulling out of the tournament, such as Novak Djokovic and Robin Soderling. So far you're the top seed. Do you think you have a chance to win this tournament here in Beijing?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: I really don't know. (Smiling.) I think of course I have chance, but it's tough for me to say how much.
Anyway, I played since couple of weeks, you know, and the schedule is not easy. We play every week. So since I start my career I'm not really consistent, so sometimes I play really well and sometimes I play bad. So I never know.
So anyway, I will do my best, and I hope I will go far in this tournament, and, yeah, just enjoy and play my best tennis. Then I will see how much chance I have to win this tournament.

Q. You said you have a problem of consistency, but this year you defeated Roger Federer two times. Did you find the key to defeat him because you upgrade your level or because he's a little bit old?
JO-WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, like I said, I'm not consistent so I lost two or three times against him and I won two times. I don't know.
Anyway, when I play well, I'm able to beat a lot of players. So I think it's not a shame or because you are too old you lost against me. I mean, so I think it's he's not too old. (Smiling.) That's it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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