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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERSApril 17, 2014Jo-Wilfried TsongaMONTE CARLO, MONACO J. TSONGA/F. Fognini THE MODERATOR: Questions in French, please. Q. Could you explain to us what happened on the point which seemed to be a decisive point.  It was a breakpoint for you. You were 30‑40, 4‑3. He served. The ball was called out, but it was good. He was so angry he wanted to change the linesman. You broke him. JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: This is part of the game. I returned that serve, and it was not easy to play my return. But, of course, he heard the call. But the point had to be played anyway. We like Fabio when he gives you the match like this (smiling). Q. Obviously you are pleased with this victory. But what happened in the first set? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: He was playing very well. I was not very good with my serve. The percentage of first serves was not high enough. He was playing well, coming into the net, being aggressive. But little by little the match became more even. In the middle of the second set, I started serving better. At the end I was able to dominate physically, and it was more difficult for him to win the long rallies that he was winning more easily in the first set. For me how you feel physically and mentally is very closely linked. If you go on the court knowing you are not going to suffer physically, it makes a difference. Today I felt a lot better than the first day, where my legs felt very heavy. Today I knew I could stay on the court for a long time. In the beginning he was better than I was physically, but I made him play each point and I made no unforced errors. This was useful because at a certain stage then I was above him. At the end, of course, he was complaining about his thigh, but he always has something. Sometimes it's the umpire, sometimes it's the thigh, sometimes it's the wind (smiling). Q. Is that easy to manage? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: No, it's not easy to manage, but I have a very precise directive before I step onto the court.  I knew it could turn around at any time. My task was to make it as difficult for him as possible. Q. In the fifth game you saved two breakpoints. In the seventh game you saved four. At that stage were you afraid you could lose the match? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: I knew I could lose it. Sometimes tennis is a matter of a few points. But also you know that as long as you're not shaking the hand of your opponent everything is possible and you have to hang in there. Q. At first you didn't make many aces. In the fifth and seventh game you started making many aces. Is it because you can only be focused on important points? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: I don't know. It's just that when you play on clay, you have a sort of system you're playing with. You know, even if your opponent knows where you're going to put the ball, if you do it well, you know he's not going to be able to return. But on those breakpoints, I do change the spots where I serve. Q. Happy birthday. JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Thank you. Q. You say very often that time goes by so quickly. JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: I don't say that anymore (laughter). I believe a good part of my career is behind me and I still have a piece of my career left ahead of me. I have more maturity and I hope I can use it to my advantage. Q. You seemed to be bothered by the sun. You put your cap on in the second set. Also your shoes seemed to bother you. JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Well, yes, I had a little problem with my shoes. As for the sun, when it comes into my eyes, I can see stars. I lost a few points because of that. But there's nothing I can do about it. Q. Fabio was talking to his father a lot. Were you listening to what they were saying? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: No. But in the end they were talking so loud I couldn't help hearing. I think they were saying in Italian, It's your fault, it's your fault. But Fabio is always like this. This is why we love him. He's a friend. But also I know that, if you let him, he's going to take 10 minutes before he plays the next point. I can't let him do that. Q. Is it the first time that your opponent started complaining with the first point of the whole match? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Well, yes. Q. If you were to play Federer, what are your thoughts? It would be a good opportunity of repeating the match of last year. JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: It would be great. It will help me maybe go a step further. Like L'Équipe said, I'm not going to fight on the court if it is not to win in the end. Q. You said you were feeling stronger physically. Your win against Fognini, is it a signal you're sending to the other players? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: No. This is not enough. I want to win more matches. I want to do better than before. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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