Q. bạn seem to have run into the Roddick of 2003. Were bạn expecting that?
You always expect your opponents to play well, especially at this stage of the tournament. And he served great. Served really, really well in the tiebreaks. I think he maybe missed two first serves.
The một giây one wasn't until 6‑4 in the tiebreak. He was serving really well at the start. And I had a few chances, bạn know, in the first tiebreak. I had chances early in the third set. I didn't take them.
Q. How do bạn rate your own performance?
I thought I played well. I mean, bạn know, if bạn look at the stats, I hit thêm winners, less unforced errors, thêm aces. I'm sure the points that we won were very, very similar. It just came down to a few points here hoặc there on his serve.
And he served really, really well. bạn know, very close to the lines. Hitting at that pace, at such a high percentage, I think he was high 70s for a lot of the match. bạn know, sometimes there's not a whole lot bạn can do with that. But definitely didn't play a bad match.
Q. Do bạn think bạn were playing too passive hoặc he was playing too great?
I don't think I played that passive. I think I hit a lot of winners. bạn know, my game style against him is not always to sort of go on the court and try and blast winners, bạn know, all the time. Because he has such a big serve that bạn need to try and, bạn know, get into points and make returns.
I used my slice well. I didn't passes as well as I normally do. But he came up with some good volleys and big serves, and that is what happened. Like I say, it wasn't through being too passive hoặc me playing a poor match.
Q. Were bạn surprised with the sheer quality of his play at the net?
No. I mean, he came up with some good volleys. bạn know, the one when I had the set point in the third set, well, he apologized. He completely miss‑hit the volley. He was trying to hit it to the other side and it dropped very short and I couldn't get it.
I mean, he makes volleys. He doesn't normally miss a lot. bạn just have to make the passes, and I didn't make as many as I needed to. But I wasn't surprised bởi anything that he did. I expected him to play very well.
Q. Did bạn have a knee problem during the match?
No, it had nothing to do with the outcome of the match. I think you're always going to be a little bit stiff and sore when bạn get to the end of these sort of tournaments.
But it wasn't anything that sort of hampered my movement hoặc anything.
Q. Could bạn talk about Andy's return? And secondly give us an assessment about the final. Does he have a good chance against Roger?
Yes.
I mean, I think a lot of people think that necessarily he doesn't return that well. But he has a decent return. It's not the best and it's definitely not the worst. But, bạn know, he makes quite a lot. He doesn't miss that many returns on một giây serves.
Because he serves so well, it makes it even thêm important for bạn to serve well. If bạn don't do that, then he's going to create chances. Because he came to the net a lot today.
I think if he serves like that he's got a chance against anyone, 'cause it comes down to, like I say, a few points in each set. So regardless of whether it's Roger or, bạn know, me hoặc anybody else, if he serves high 70s with the pace he's got on his serve, he's got a good chance.
Q. Despite his record against Roger?
I had a pretty good record against him as well going into today. Like I say, if someone serves 130 miles an giờ consistently throughout the match, and above, bạn know, in the high like 75s to 80%, it's very tough to break them, especially on a court like this that's quick.
Q. Overall, how would bạn assess this tournament?
I think it's been very good. I did better than I ever had before. I had some very good matches. And, bạn know, I thought I played good tennis.
I thought I dealt with everything that was sort of put in front of me well. bạn know, I'll come back tiếp theo năm and try and do better.
But it was a good tournament. Wasn't bad at all.
Q. On that point, bạn went a round further than last year; you're 22 years old. You'll leave here thêm convinced that bạn can win Wimbledon now?
I think I have a chance. And I think the way that I played this year, bạn know, it was very, very close to getting to the final. If I give myself those sort of opportunities and keep playing well, and my consistency in the Grand Slams the last năm hoặc so has been much, much better, bạn know, a final, a semi and a quarter, I'm going to give myself opportunities to do it.
I believe I can win a Grand Slam, whether it's Wimbledon hoặc US Open hoặc Australia hoặc whatever, I'm going to give myself chances.
Q. Did bạn say something to the crowd at the end? What would bạn say to the những người hâm mộ about coming back stronger tiếp theo year?
No, I wasn't saying anything to them. I was just trying to get ‑‑ bạn know, obviously when it gets to the big points, the important sort of moments in the match, it's great to have the support.
They were excellent the whole tournament with me. bạn know, hopefully I'll have the same support again tiếp theo year.
Q. Will bạn be able to di chuyển on from this, hoặc do bạn think, bạn know, I Mất tích to a better guy on the day?
No, I'll di chuyển on very, very quickly and go and work on my game and improve and come back stronger. That's a pathetic attitude to have, if bạn lose one match and bạn go away and, bạn know, let it ruin your year.
I've had a very good năm so far. I'm very close to, bạn know, the hàng đầu, đầu trang of the game. The US Open I've always đã đưa ý kiến is my best surface, my best chance to win a slam, and I'll give it my best shot there.
Q. Will bạn have a break before bạn go back to the court?
I've got five weeks before the tiếp theo tournament. I'm not a hundred percent sure what I'll do next. But, yeah, I'll take a little bit of time off and then go over to train in America before the stretch over there.
Q. Are bạn aware of the level of support you've had back in Scotland? How much do bạn appreciate that?
I don't get a chance to go back there as much as I would like. But, bạn know, my Những người bạn and my family tell me the support's been great. So, bạn know, that's awesome.
Regardless of who's supporting you, it's always nice when you've got people behind you. I'm sure Scotland were rooting for me.
Q. You've talked for years about your feeling for the US Open. Has to be thêm than just the surface. What do bạn like about that tournament?
I've liked it ever since I went there as a junior. I played there the first time I think when I was 15 hoặc 16. I tình yêu New York. It's one of my yêu thích cities to go to. The atmosphere on the courts is great. I tình yêu the center court there. bạn know, it's pretty incredible to play there when the crowd's full.
That's it. I really, really like the atmosphere there.
Q. I'm sure you'd like to clear up the code violation warning.
I mean, that stuff just annoys me when you're totally rushed into it. bạn know, bạn can ask ‑‑ the amount of times that bạn get được trao a code violation when the line judge goes up to the umpire if bạn đã đưa ý kiến something at the back of the court quietly, and the line judge goes up to the umpire and tells him, in a situation like that, if he gives me a code violation and I argue it, he could also just ask one of the line judges what I said.
And, bạn know, when bạn say like, Hit the pass, and bạn get a code violation for that, it's a bit disappointing. So I hope I get an apology.
Q. What is the overriding memory hoặc lesson that bạn take from this slam to put into future matches?
I'm not sure. I mean, I need a bit thêm time to think about that. But, like I said, it's been a very good, productive tournament for me. I think, like I said, I played well. bạn know, unfortunately the last few slams that I've Mất tích I've come up against some guys that have played great, great tennis.
bạn know, mentally for me, I've got much better at it, understanding that guys can do that against you. That's happened to me a few times now in slams. I need to keep making sure I bring my best game to the court in every match.
Q. Roddick đã đưa ý kiến because all the pressure was on bạn he could lung lay, swing thêm freely than you. Do bạn agree?
I put obviously pressure on myself to play well. I don't think there was any sort of moments where I felt too tight to sort of go for shots.
I maybe made a couple of mistakes that I shouldn't have in the first tiebreak. But if bạn look at the amount of winners I hit compared to him, I don't think that I could say I wasn't swinging freely. I think I hit twice the number of winners as him.
Q. Which part of your game do bạn want to improve the most?
Maybe coming to the net is something that, bạn know, I have worked on a lot, but I haven't used it that much in the matches. The thing that is quite tough now, because of the way the rankings and stuff work, all of the tournaments become very, very important.
So it's tough to sort of go on the court and just work on things in matches. But that's something that I practice a lot and I'll try and get better at.
Q. Talk about the matchup and shots between Andy's serve and Federer's incredible return of serve. How do bạn think that might work out?
I think Federer has a good return. I don't think that it's incredible. He doesn't break serve as much as a lot of the guys. But he'll make Andy play. And Andy gives him enough chances, Roger's gonna take them. That's the one thing he needs to serve very well, especially at the start of all of the games to try and get ahead, not give Roger that chance to sort of lung lay, swing freely at balls. If he can always sort of stay 15‑up, 15‑Love, 30‑Love up in games, it's gonna be tough.
But obviously Roger is the favorite. If he plays his best and passes well, then there's no reason why he can't win.
You always expect your opponents to play well, especially at this stage of the tournament. And he served great. Served really, really well in the tiebreaks. I think he maybe missed two first serves.
The một giây one wasn't until 6‑4 in the tiebreak. He was serving really well at the start. And I had a few chances, bạn know, in the first tiebreak. I had chances early in the third set. I didn't take them.
Q. How do bạn rate your own performance?
I thought I played well. I mean, bạn know, if bạn look at the stats, I hit thêm winners, less unforced errors, thêm aces. I'm sure the points that we won were very, very similar. It just came down to a few points here hoặc there on his serve.
And he served really, really well. bạn know, very close to the lines. Hitting at that pace, at such a high percentage, I think he was high 70s for a lot of the match. bạn know, sometimes there's not a whole lot bạn can do with that. But definitely didn't play a bad match.
Q. Do bạn think bạn were playing too passive hoặc he was playing too great?
I don't think I played that passive. I think I hit a lot of winners. bạn know, my game style against him is not always to sort of go on the court and try and blast winners, bạn know, all the time. Because he has such a big serve that bạn need to try and, bạn know, get into points and make returns.
I used my slice well. I didn't passes as well as I normally do. But he came up with some good volleys and big serves, and that is what happened. Like I say, it wasn't through being too passive hoặc me playing a poor match.
Q. Were bạn surprised with the sheer quality of his play at the net?
No. I mean, he came up with some good volleys. bạn know, the one when I had the set point in the third set, well, he apologized. He completely miss‑hit the volley. He was trying to hit it to the other side and it dropped very short and I couldn't get it.
I mean, he makes volleys. He doesn't normally miss a lot. bạn just have to make the passes, and I didn't make as many as I needed to. But I wasn't surprised bởi anything that he did. I expected him to play very well.
Q. Did bạn have a knee problem during the match?
No, it had nothing to do with the outcome of the match. I think you're always going to be a little bit stiff and sore when bạn get to the end of these sort of tournaments.
But it wasn't anything that sort of hampered my movement hoặc anything.
Q. Could bạn talk about Andy's return? And secondly give us an assessment about the final. Does he have a good chance against Roger?
Yes.
I mean, I think a lot of people think that necessarily he doesn't return that well. But he has a decent return. It's not the best and it's definitely not the worst. But, bạn know, he makes quite a lot. He doesn't miss that many returns on một giây serves.
Because he serves so well, it makes it even thêm important for bạn to serve well. If bạn don't do that, then he's going to create chances. Because he came to the net a lot today.
I think if he serves like that he's got a chance against anyone, 'cause it comes down to, like I say, a few points in each set. So regardless of whether it's Roger or, bạn know, me hoặc anybody else, if he serves high 70s with the pace he's got on his serve, he's got a good chance.
Q. Despite his record against Roger?
I had a pretty good record against him as well going into today. Like I say, if someone serves 130 miles an giờ consistently throughout the match, and above, bạn know, in the high like 75s to 80%, it's very tough to break them, especially on a court like this that's quick.
Q. Overall, how would bạn assess this tournament?
I think it's been very good. I did better than I ever had before. I had some very good matches. And, bạn know, I thought I played good tennis.
I thought I dealt with everything that was sort of put in front of me well. bạn know, I'll come back tiếp theo năm and try and do better.
But it was a good tournament. Wasn't bad at all.
Q. On that point, bạn went a round further than last year; you're 22 years old. You'll leave here thêm convinced that bạn can win Wimbledon now?
I think I have a chance. And I think the way that I played this year, bạn know, it was very, very close to getting to the final. If I give myself those sort of opportunities and keep playing well, and my consistency in the Grand Slams the last năm hoặc so has been much, much better, bạn know, a final, a semi and a quarter, I'm going to give myself opportunities to do it.
I believe I can win a Grand Slam, whether it's Wimbledon hoặc US Open hoặc Australia hoặc whatever, I'm going to give myself chances.
Q. Did bạn say something to the crowd at the end? What would bạn say to the những người hâm mộ about coming back stronger tiếp theo year?
No, I wasn't saying anything to them. I was just trying to get ‑‑ bạn know, obviously when it gets to the big points, the important sort of moments in the match, it's great to have the support.
They were excellent the whole tournament with me. bạn know, hopefully I'll have the same support again tiếp theo year.
Q. Will bạn be able to di chuyển on from this, hoặc do bạn think, bạn know, I Mất tích to a better guy on the day?
No, I'll di chuyển on very, very quickly and go and work on my game and improve and come back stronger. That's a pathetic attitude to have, if bạn lose one match and bạn go away and, bạn know, let it ruin your year.
I've had a very good năm so far. I'm very close to, bạn know, the hàng đầu, đầu trang of the game. The US Open I've always đã đưa ý kiến is my best surface, my best chance to win a slam, and I'll give it my best shot there.
Q. Will bạn have a break before bạn go back to the court?
I've got five weeks before the tiếp theo tournament. I'm not a hundred percent sure what I'll do next. But, yeah, I'll take a little bit of time off and then go over to train in America before the stretch over there.
Q. Are bạn aware of the level of support you've had back in Scotland? How much do bạn appreciate that?
I don't get a chance to go back there as much as I would like. But, bạn know, my Những người bạn and my family tell me the support's been great. So, bạn know, that's awesome.
Regardless of who's supporting you, it's always nice when you've got people behind you. I'm sure Scotland were rooting for me.
Q. You've talked for years about your feeling for the US Open. Has to be thêm than just the surface. What do bạn like about that tournament?
I've liked it ever since I went there as a junior. I played there the first time I think when I was 15 hoặc 16. I tình yêu New York. It's one of my yêu thích cities to go to. The atmosphere on the courts is great. I tình yêu the center court there. bạn know, it's pretty incredible to play there when the crowd's full.
That's it. I really, really like the atmosphere there.
Q. I'm sure you'd like to clear up the code violation warning.
I mean, that stuff just annoys me when you're totally rushed into it. bạn know, bạn can ask ‑‑ the amount of times that bạn get được trao a code violation when the line judge goes up to the umpire if bạn đã đưa ý kiến something at the back of the court quietly, and the line judge goes up to the umpire and tells him, in a situation like that, if he gives me a code violation and I argue it, he could also just ask one of the line judges what I said.
And, bạn know, when bạn say like, Hit the pass, and bạn get a code violation for that, it's a bit disappointing. So I hope I get an apology.
Q. What is the overriding memory hoặc lesson that bạn take from this slam to put into future matches?
I'm not sure. I mean, I need a bit thêm time to think about that. But, like I said, it's been a very good, productive tournament for me. I think, like I said, I played well. bạn know, unfortunately the last few slams that I've Mất tích I've come up against some guys that have played great, great tennis.
bạn know, mentally for me, I've got much better at it, understanding that guys can do that against you. That's happened to me a few times now in slams. I need to keep making sure I bring my best game to the court in every match.
Q. Roddick đã đưa ý kiến because all the pressure was on bạn he could lung lay, swing thêm freely than you. Do bạn agree?
I put obviously pressure on myself to play well. I don't think there was any sort of moments where I felt too tight to sort of go for shots.
I maybe made a couple of mistakes that I shouldn't have in the first tiebreak. But if bạn look at the amount of winners I hit compared to him, I don't think that I could say I wasn't swinging freely. I think I hit twice the number of winners as him.
Q. Which part of your game do bạn want to improve the most?
Maybe coming to the net is something that, bạn know, I have worked on a lot, but I haven't used it that much in the matches. The thing that is quite tough now, because of the way the rankings and stuff work, all of the tournaments become very, very important.
So it's tough to sort of go on the court and just work on things in matches. But that's something that I practice a lot and I'll try and get better at.
Q. Talk about the matchup and shots between Andy's serve and Federer's incredible return of serve. How do bạn think that might work out?
I think Federer has a good return. I don't think that it's incredible. He doesn't break serve as much as a lot of the guys. But he'll make Andy play. And Andy gives him enough chances, Roger's gonna take them. That's the one thing he needs to serve very well, especially at the start of all of the games to try and get ahead, not give Roger that chance to sort of lung lay, swing freely at balls. If he can always sort of stay 15‑up, 15‑Love, 30‑Love up in games, it's gonna be tough.
But obviously Roger is the favorite. If he plays his best and passes well, then there's no reason why he can't win.
