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COUPE ROGERSAugust 9, 2013Vasek PospisilMONTREAL, QUEBEC V. POSPISIL/N. Davydenko THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Any inkling at all something like this was going to happen, from the warmup or body language? VASEK POSPISIL: No, not at all. I didn't notice anything. Even when we were playing the points, I didn't notice any issue. Obviously disappointing for him and it's bad luck for him. It's not the way you want to win. Q. It's got to be good for you. VASEK POSPISIL: Yeah, it's good for me. Q. You were talking about the fatigue, difficult schedule. VASEK POSPISIL: It came at a perfect time to have a bit of a rest. Even those three games, I was really trying to catch my breath. Felt like I had a bit of sore legs, making me a little bit tired. So it came at a great time. But, yeah, I was hitting the ball well. I'll try to rest up for tomorrow. Q. It's such a big payday. We think about athletes. Everyone thinks they're rich and wealthy; they can do whatever they want. Maybe it's too soon to start thinking about it, but it's a lot of money. Certainly it's got to help fund your career for the next year. Is that fair to say? VASEK POSPISIL: Yeah, I had no idea how much I made until somebody told me in the TV booth. I was like, Oh, really? Wow! The money's nice, but it's not about that. I set goals for myself. I'm thinking bigger picture. So, yeah, it's obviously a very nice thing (smiling). Q. The other bonus is the points that go with it. All of a sudden top 50, possibility of even going higher. VASEK POSPISIL: Of course, yeah, that's the main thing for sure. This is a huge week for me points‑wise. Going to make a really big jump regardless of how the match goes tomorrow. Just excited and use the confidence I have and keep playing well. Q. You'll probably get into Cincinnati, as well. VASEK POSPISIL: Yes. Q. Is that in your plans now? VASEK POSPISIL: Yes. At the moment it is, for sure. I accepted the special exempt. I'll be going to Cincinnati unless something dramatic happens this weekend and I would have to pull out or something. Q. You did get the special exempt? VASEK POSPISIL: I believe so. Yes, I did. My agent is nodding, meaning yes (smiling). I wasn't sure. Q. There's a lot of people that don't understand how the ATP points system works. My understanding is that if you're in the top 45 or 50, that changes everything, automatically into the Masters events. For laymen that don't understand what the difference is between being in the top 50 and the rest of the world, can you elaborate? VASEK POSPISIL: I guess it means something different to everybody. To other players it can mean being in the top 100 or not. Obviously, for me, top 50 was a lifelong goal of mine and dream. It was the goal that I set at the beginning of this year, my perfect scenario if I ended the year top 50. Here I am there already. So my goals are already changing. Every night I go to bed, I'm thinking, I want to do better and better. For sure, yeah, it's great. You know, it's great. I'll try to reset my goals a little bit and try to keep moving up. Q. If you have to play Milos tomorrow, what will that do for you tennis‑wise and emotional‑wise? VASEK POSPISIL: Exciting match. Two Canadians in the semifinal, one guaranteed to be in the final. Historic moment for tennis in Canada. It would be great for me. I'm just excited to be in the semis right now. I don't really have a preference on who I play. I think it would be more special if it was Milos for the crowd, the tournament and everybody. Just looking forward to it. Q. How much have you been on the court against each other? Have you ever played a match against him? VASEK POSPISIL: Yeah. I mean, we obviously know each other very well. I think we've played maybe four or five matches over the course of our careers, even since we were little kids. So we know each other well. Q. Who has the edge? VASEK POSPISIL: Well, you got to give the edge to Milos, for sure. I mean, I have the edge in terms of head‑to‑head. But things have changed in the last two years. He's improved a lot. So he would obviously be the favorite, no doubt about that. My run here doesn't change anything here in terms of that. Yeah, I mean, we'll see how it goes. Q. Have you thought far enough ahead, if you reach the finals, about possibly winning the tournament? VASEK POSPISIL: Haven't thought that far ahead, no. I'm just going one match at a time. Coming into the tournament, it would be great to win my first round. Then basically the same thing every time. I don't get satisfied. Obviously my goal was coming in, it would be nice to win first round. I won the first round. Then I want to win this one. Every match has been like that. Right now I'm looking at tomorrow. I really want to win that one, as well. Obviously, if I were to be in the final, I would hope to win the tournament. But still a long way from that. Q. Last week or even a couple weeks ago, had someone told you you're going to win in Vancouver, then make your first semifinal in a Masters 1000, enter the top 50, what would you have said? VASEK POSPISIL: That they're probably crazy, to make the semifinals here (laughter). Winning in Vancouver was something I wanted to do. I knew I had a realistic shot of doing that in front of my friends and family. This is a little bit of a different situation, coming in as a wild card, playing against guys that I don't get to play with too often. Yeah, definitely would think they lost their minds a little. Q. What has changed in your game the last couple weeks, or has anything changed for your game? VASEK POSPISIL: Not in the last three weeks, other than the confidence. Over the last year my game has changed for sure. I've been working really hard and improving on the practice court for sure. I've had glimpses of good moments in matches against top players that I could have closed out and didn't. So I knew my game was there. The last three weeks, just the confidence level. You win a couple matches and, yeah, things start to click. That's the only difference in the last three weeks compared to the few months before that. Q. Do you remember the last time a Canadian won this tournament? VASEK POSPISIL: No. Has a Canadian ever won? Q. 33 years before you were born. VASEK POSPISIL: Oh (laughter). Q. If you play Milos tomorrow, who do you think the crowd is going to cheer for? VASEK POSPISIL: I'm pretty sure it's going to be pretty fair. I mean, it's going to be pretty even. I'm sure they'll be cheering for both of us. Everyone will be cheering our winners and whatnot. It's really going to be a victory for everybody in the crowd if we play each other. They'll have a Canadian in the final. It would be a fun match to play and a good atmosphere, for sure. Maybe somebody will have more of the support. I hope it would be me if that was the case, but we'll see (smiling). THE MODERATOR: Questions in French. Q. Is it tough for you to realize what is happening to you? VASEK POSPISIL: Yes, it's difficult. I'm not sleeping much these days. If anyone had told me I would be in the semifinals in this tournament, I wouldn't have known what to say. It's a dream week for me, but I hope tomorrow I will be able to play well, too. Q. What will be your schedule today? VASEK POSPISIL: After this I will eat a little, I will have a massage, I will sleep a lot. Maybe a Jacuzzi, I don't know. But I won't do much. Just stay in my room and with my family. Q. You might be playing Raonic next round. VASEK POSPISIL: This will be very special for everyone in tennis in Canada. That would mean that one or the other would be in the final. This would be incredible. Q. You were talking about your goal of being top 50. It might even be top 40 now. Have you realized this or is it all happening too fast? VASEK POSPISIL: It's too fast. I'm not realizing it right now. Yesterday I had a lot of emotions. I believe what is happening is extremely important. But I am mentally tired. I don't know exactly what is happening. But after the tournament, I'll sit down on a chair and think about it. Q. In English you were talking about the money you will receive. Apparently it's a lot. Can you tell us how much? VASEK POSPISIL: Someone told me in the TV booth how much it was going to be, and I was surprised. Something like $135,000, before taxes. It's a lot for one single week. Of course, it will change things for me. It's going to motivate me, it's going to help me. But I really had a lot of help from the Federation up until now, and this is very valuable for me. Now things are going to change. We'll be able to eat good food, as much as I want. Q. There's a lot of talk about you playing Milos. If it was Gulbis, do you know him? VASEK POSPISIL: Yes, I know his game a little bit. He's a dangerous player. He serves well. He has a good backhand. I know his game, but I would prefer to play against Milos. Anyway, either match is going to be difficult. Q. Was there a rivalry always between you and Milos? VASEK POSPISIL: Well, we are the same age. We've been playing since we were young in Canada. The rivalry started there. But we are good friends. We are together on the Davis Cup team. We have a lot of respect for each other. This is important. Q. Did you see the Cincinnati draw? Do you know whether you will be in the main draw or whether you have to play the quallies? VASEK POSPISIL: I'm a special exempt, therefore I'm in the main draw. I will see tonight who I'm going to play. My plan is to go and play there. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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