Interviews
Q. How many aces would you deliver if your shoulder was okay?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: I don't know. Maybe less.
Q. Goran, was that your most satisfying win since winning Wimbledon?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yes, it is, especially the way I play. I know I don't have a chance if I stay back and rally the game, so I took every chance I had, just hit a winner or come in or don't give him any rhythm, which I was doing very well first two sets and then again I lost the second set, but was really high level of tennis today.
Q. Did the atmosphere help?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Atmosphere was great. You know, sometimes they start to fight, Brazil and Croatian supporters, but always have great support here in Sydney and I always play well here, so hopefully is going to continue.
Q. We were told you had some problems at the end of the match. What was it?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: My toe started to hurt. I took the shoe off and it was much nicer. I thought I can finish the match without the shoe but I couldn't, but like I say, you know, I
came here to try to play and doesn't matter pain or not, you know. I'm used to playing with the pain, so toe, shoulder whatever, you know, just I was toughing out and playing well, you know, so I just pray that my toe hurting less.
Q.How did you feel at the beginning and middle of the first set when you saved eight or nine break points - I don't remember how many.
GORAN IVANISEVIC: That was the most important - actually, second game of the third set, you know, I went a little down, he just won the second set and he was all over, but then I save a lot of break points especially with aces and some good volleys and then I broke him straight away and I say, "Just concentrate on your serve, you know, you have a chance on his serve", but I was more or less working on
his serve and just concentrating on my serve.
Q. Would you rather play in front of an atmosphere like that or a polite atmosphere like at Wimbledon?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Actually, Wimbledon was the best atmosphere ever I play in my life, you know, that just once in your life you can say that, you know, and it was great. It was on Monday and was just too good, you know, and I was proud that I was a part of that atmosphere.
Q. Did you sometimes have the feeling that it was the Davis Cup tie or soccer match?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Today was pretty funny, but they start, you know, to say couple of bad things, you know. They say that I am faggot and Croatian fans say that he was faggot. But you know, they were fighting between each other, but it was okay, you know, that was fun, you know. You see yesterday was more quiet and first match but then we came on and that was like unbelievable, just didn't know where I was, you know.
Q. Yevgeny said he's had terrible trouble sleeping. I don't think he's going to have trouble sleeping when he plays you in the next match if the atmosphere is the same, and I shouldn't think there will be that many Russians here supporting him.
GORAN IVANISEVIC: I don't think there's going to be any Russians, maybe few, his coach and trainer, but doesn't matter support. He's a great player and, support or not, I have a good record against him, but I have to try to beat him, you know, and it's going to be tough match.
Q. The way you're able to play in a match like this against the number 1 player in the world, does that reflect the increase in your levels of confidence since Wimbledon? Could you have won this match perhaps anywhere else earlier in the year before you won the championship?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: No, because I was not able to produce that kind - that level of tennis for three sets. Maybe one set and then I will go away for a while, for 45 minutes and then try to come back, but when you go away against good guys, you cannot come back because he just blows you off the court. So after Wimbledon my level of tennis is much higher for more sets and my concentration is there, so that's why I'm getting better. Also I won Wimbledon with wild card. I'm here with wild card and, who knows, you know? Maybe is the lucky wild cards again.
Q. We've all seen you a little bit more animated than you are this evening. Is there any reason why you're a little bit subdued tonight?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: What does that mean?
Q. Quieter than normal, reflective.
GORAN IVANISEVIC: I was quiet first two sets and then I got little upset, you know, more nervous, that's all mistakes what I'm doing when I'm too quiet and I get more nervous in the end. I should maybe throw the racket here or there or talk to somebody or scream, you know, just do something, you know, because in the end I gonna - somewhere I gonna lose it.
Right, the disclaimer. The interviews do not belong to me and are not being used for any form of profit on my behalf. Just to feed our craving for Goran.