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AUSTRALIAN OPENJanuary 18, 2014Stephane RobertMELBOURNE, VICTORIA S. ROBERT/M. Klizan THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You lost in qualifying; now in the fourth round. How do you feel about this big change of luck, if you can put it that way? STEPHANE ROBERT: Yeah, I'm very happy. You know, it's not a dream because I lost in the quallies, but now after I got this opportunity, now, you know, I'm really in the tournament. Except the first match, you know, I was a bit in trouble before the match because I didn't know that I was supposed to play. Then the second round and third round I could prepare very well, and I was very solid these two matches. So I'm very happy with this kind of performance. Q. How long before your first match did you learn that you were in the tournament? STEPHANE ROBERT: Yeah, they told me like 10 minutes before. Q. What were you doing? STEPHANE ROBERT: You know, I open a bank account in U.S. dollars and I was filling a paper for the ATP. So when they call me, it's not I put this in the rubbish, but, you know, I put this straight in my bag and then I went to see the referee. He told me, Okay, you're ready to play? Court 7. Go. I see, I see my opponent, say, Okay, see you on court. And we went and played (Laughter.) Q. Had you given up hope of getting in? Were you still hoping you would get in? Did you think it was unlikely? STEPHANE ROBERT: No, no, no, the thing is Gilles Simon was a bit in trouble, you know, his so I knew already. I was in the restaurant, I saw him, and he was with a crutch. But at that moment I didn't know what was my position in the lucky loser draw. So I didn't know that actually I was the No. 1 to get in after Martin Klizan got in. So I didn't know, and then the day after I realized, yeah. But I spoke a little bit with him on Monday. He told me he was getting better. So this time I knew he was going to be difficult because, yeah, he's kind of, you know‑‑ he knows what's going on with his body. Yeah, I was sure he's gonna play. Right after Philip Kohlschreiber, you know, I was not in the locker room to check, Hey, guys, how do you feel? (Laughter.) So I didn't know anything. So that was a really surprise for me. I didn't know that Philip was in trouble with his thigh, so it was good surprise. Q. Had you spoken to Philip since then? Do you plan on getting him something to thank him? STEPHANE ROBERT: No, no, not yet. I don't know him personally, so maybe next tournament when I see him I'm going to tell him, like, Thank you. It happened to me like four years ago I got in last minute in the main draw with David Nalbandian. He pull out. I remember this day I was taking shower with him ‑‑ or I think I told him like later. I think I told him in Monte‑Carlo. Like few months after I say him, I say, Thank you for the spot (Laughter.) Q. Back in the top 100, what does that mean to you? STEPHANE ROBERT: Yeah, actually I don't check so much the ranking. I'm not checking the prize money. I'm not checking the rankings or points, because when I do this, then I'm losing. So I wait, and I don't know what's going to be my ranking. It's better, because I'm here to play, to play my best and to win the match. So it's working, and I'm going to do till the end. After, you know, it's going to be more complicated for the next one, because then I know the prize money for round of 16. Then when you know sometimes it's more difficult. So please, no question about prize money (Laughter.) Q. You were supposed to play a challenger this week? STEPHANE ROBERT: No, but I receive a message from the ATP that I was not allowed to play the challenger this week because I was playing in Sydney quallies, and I was wondering why because I didn't enter and there is no challenger. Next week, but not this week. Anyways, it's okay. Q. So what do you think is the reason for your great form? STEPHANE ROBERT: I start to feel good actually in the last round of quallies. I play a really good match against Michael Berrer. Not a great match, but I had a really good start. I was playing really good, serving, returning fine, and no problem with my body. So I was happy with that, but then I start to be in trouble a bit mentally, psychologically. I was not serving that well good. He start to play really well, and then I was completely lost on court. I was okay with my performance. My tennis was good. My body is okay. So then, yeah, I was already happy with this. After, you know, it's complicated. You lose, so you have no pressure after. Q. And you might play Andy Murray in the next round. How would you feel about that? STEPHANE ROBERT: Yes, I don't know. He's still playing now. He's playing against Lopez. We'll see, eh? Hopefully I prefer against Andy Murray, because Feliciano Lopez, I don't like so much his game (Laughter.) Yeah, maybe Andy is better, but is tough to play against Lopez. I play him one time in final in Johannesburg, and is difficult to play against this guy. He has tough game for me. Q. So you prefer to play Andy Murray? STEPHANE ROBERT: Yeah. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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