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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERSApril 19, 2013Jo-Wilfried TsongaMONTE CARLO, MONACO J. TSONGA/S. Wawrinka THE MODERATOR: Questions in French. Q. What did you think after the first set? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: That the match is going on, that it continues. Q. Did you change anything? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: I thought I played well in the first set, that I couldn't blame myself. The beginning of the match was tough because he started off very well and he gave me a lot of trouble with his backhand. I looked at my watch after the set. I saw we played already 46 minutes. Maybe I could settle into my game if I had more time. Q. You managed the tough moments quite well, staying focused in spite of the tension. JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: I don't know if you can say it's good management. But in the third set both of us were a it bit tired. It was the final sprint, and I was more solid than he was in the end. I was able to dominate him. Q. The turning point maybe was on Stan's serve when he made a double‑fault and then missed a shot, hitting the frame? At that particular moment, he seemed to go out of the match. JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: The match was in his favor, but it still was extremely tight. The final results depended on a little difference. For those two points, he was kind of absent, and that gave me a break. Q. What is the state of mind of a player who is going to play Nadal on clay? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: It's an incredible challenge. He won eight times here. Anything I might achieve will be just a bonus for me. I have no longer any pain in my legs because I know I'm going to play a player that's a lot better than I am on clay. But I do have some weapons. I have everything to win and nothing to lose. Q. It's your first semifinal in a Masters 1000 on clay. Does that inspire you? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: I was waiting for that semifinal for a long time. That means I'm now part of the players that play well on clay. Q. Can we bet some money on you? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: If it's a huge amount, then you have to bet on me (smiling). Q. Last time he won easily against you on clay. Is this going to stick in your mind? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yes, but now I know how he plays on clay and I know what to expect. Having played him already on clay is positive. I will try to play my own game. I will follow my line of conduct. Q. What surprised you in Cordoba? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: What surprised me is he flew in and two days later he was good as usual. Q. In the game, in tennis, what is for you the most difficult challenge ever: playing Nadal on clay, playing someone else on grass? What would be the most difficult thing to achieve? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Well, having seen the latest results, I believe Rafa on clay is a real challenge. He is really dominating that surface. Q. You said you had weapons. Aren't you going to overdo it maybe? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Certainly not. I'm not going to overplay. I'll just try to be aggressive. I will think about my tactics this afternoon and try to stick to them. Q. In the beginning of this tournament you said you had doubts about your preparation. Did you doubt yourself or is it right for you to be in the semis? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Well, I had been on a long tour before, and I had gone home without doing anything during that time, no tennis, no running, nothing. So am I surprised? Yes and no. For the first match, I was not feeling confident. I always have trouble for the first rounds. Then round after round I started playing better. Winning against Melzer yesterday showed me I was playing well. And I took some confidence, too, from my two matches in Argentina. When I see how Juan Monaco played here, I can tell I'm playing well. Q. How will you deal with the match tomorrow? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Well, my goal will be to try to play my game and then I'll see if I can prevent him from playing his. Q. And what do you think of this match today between Fognini and Gasquet? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: I will certainly watch the match. It will be like watching a movie. Q. Who is the best actor? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Fabio is the best, of course. But Gasquet is quite good, too. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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