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MUTUA MADRID OPEN


May 11, 2017


Alexander Zverev


Madrid, Spain

A. ZVEREV/T. Berdych

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you describe how it went out there for you today.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, obviously it was great. Coming from Munich where I had a very tough week, winning a title, which is a positive week, but very tough maybe physically. Didn't have a lot of time to prepare for here. Only had one day before my match.

You know, obviously today was a great match. But also the days before I played very well, against Marin yesterday and against Fernando in the first round.

I'm happy to be in the quarterfinals here.

Q. What are you learning about yourself and that process because you're being put in new situations? You were playing late last night, coming from a title, must have been tough. You pulled through it well.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, I mean, I didn't have a lot of time to recover. I went to bed at about 3 a.m. because the match was done after midnight. Until I get all my stuff done, all the things are ready for today, it was already 3 in the morning.

That was a difficult thing, but I'm happy the way I performed, I'm happy the way I played today because it was a great match. Apart from maybe two games at 4-1 when I was up in the second set, everything else was very positive.

Q. Are you planning on playing mixed doubles at the French Open?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: No. Sorry (smiling).

Q. Coric is also in the quarterfinals like you. Do you think this tournament is the confirmation of the next generation of top tennis players, if Kyrgios beats Nadal?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, that's a tough match for Nick, I think, especially on a clay court. It's never easy against Rafa.

But, I mean, yeah, I think a lot of young guys are coming through quite well now. I think we're improving. Borna lost in the quallies here and is now in the quarterfinals. Well done to him for that. He just beat Andy, who is world No. 1. He's playing great tennis, as well.

But, yeah, I think a lot of young guys are coming through, and a lot of young guys are starting to play great tennis.

Q. You left Russia and went to live in Germany.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I didn't leave Russia.

Q. You were born in Germany?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yes.

Q. The training you had was on clay? We still remember the match against Rafa on hard court in Melbourne. Your game suits everything, even grass?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yes.

Q. Why?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Why? It's just pure talent (smiling).

I don't know what to answer to that.

Q. With Andy gone, it kind of opens the section up for yourself and some other players to potentially make the final. Does that play on your mind at all?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, look, there's a reason why other guys are beating the top players: because other guys are playing great tennis.

That shows maybe we don't have the big names, that many of the big names left in our half of the draw, but there's a reason for that. It's because other guys are playing great tennis.

Borna played great today. Stan lost yesterday to Benoit, who is playing great. So, you know, the matches are not going to get easier. Obviously I feel quite well on court, as well. I won last week. This week I had a few very big matches. I feel quite comfortable on court.

Q. Obviously the kudos comes with beating the top-ranked players and big names. Is there a certain rivalry developing between the group of you that are between 10 and 20 in the rankings, the young players who are rising?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, top 20 there's only me, Nick and Dominic at the moment. But, yeah, we've played quite a lot of times in the past I would say 18 months.

Maybe starting to become a rivalry. But we haven't played enough yet for it to be a rivalry. Maybe we'll have a different conversation in a few years' time. That's still in the future.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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