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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 8, 2017

Tomas Berdych

Wimbledon, London, England

T. BERDYCH/D. Ferrer

6-3, 6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. On the court speed issue, a couple of players earlier in the week said that this plays slower than Roland Garros. Some other players said, no, that's not true. On that comparison, surely grass at any state would be faster than clay, would it not?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, yeah. Definitely it's faster because the bounce is lower. I don't want to say that uneven, because sometimes really the clay courts can be really bad. So it could be also bouncing bad because the court is just using or it reacts on the ball rotation differently. On the clay, pretty much every time the ball goes up.

Here, if you spin the ball, yes, it's going to bounce higher, but if you're going to hit flat it's going to stay flat. Especially now how the weather is very dry and the spots, when they get dry on the court, it's much faster there.

So I don't really see that the courts would be like super slow. I mean, yes, it's kind of some trend that in last couple years the courts are getting slower that it used to be in the past, I would say 10 years ago, 13 years ago when I started. Then, yes, it was slightly different courts. But I think for now the courts are fine.

Q. You're now into another middle Monday, that day that's unique to Wimbledon when the men and the women who have survived to that point all play. What do you think that day must be like for fans?
TOMAS BERDYCH: I'm saying it's the best day of tennis, actually, that you can see. I think if anybody ask me, like, for a day that they want to go for the tennis, I'm saying it's the second Monday of the Wimbledon, because exactly, you see men's, women's, you see last 16.

So you see a lot of matches so you can also go, like, ground courts and you're still going to see a great matchup. I think it's the best day in tennis.

Q. What's it like for the players?
TOMAS BERDYCH: It's great. I mean, it's the second week of the slam. So it's good. I'm really happy to be part of that. Just looking forward to it.

Q. You have experienced that walk to Centre Court. You have been in the hallway. You have looked ahead, seen the doors and the light and everything. When you're in the hallway, what exactly do you see in front of you? And then what are your thoughts as you walk out?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, yeah, luckily it was not only for one match and I did couple. I mean, yeah, that's also very special moment. I mean, when you passing through that members area and then you're walking down the steps, just, you see the trophies, and then before you just get to the court, I mean, it's -- well, in that point it's nothing really special because you just see the green wall because it's the back of the court. It's same on Court 1 when you're walking on, in that sense, right before the court. But like once you go around it, I mean, yes, it's very nice. It's very special to play on Centre Court here.

Q. There is another door that you've been trying to get through, and that's to win at Wimbledon and win at the other majors. Those four guys have always been in the way. How do you break down that door?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, so far I didn't find the way how to get through those doors, but, you know, I'm still in the process of trying and finding the way, and that's what I'm going to keep doing until one day I'm going to say that's it, it's over, and I'm going to look or try to do something else.

So just, you know, just keep doing that, keep believing myself. And I think that's the strongest thing that can get me through.

Q. It seems like, and I don't have any numbers to back me up on this so I may well be wrong, but it seems like at Wimbledon you don't seem to run around necessarily your backhand to hit forehands much. You go ahead and hit your backhands just as well, too, whereas in other majors perhaps you might be tempted to move around and hit a big forehand. Is that a conscious decision on your part, or do you decide that on the point when it's happening?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, mostly you decide it on the point, but I think this goes really well with your question before, because if the court will be really such a slow one, then you're gonna have more time to run around the backhand. So exactly you just answered your question.

Q. You spoke a moment ago about continuing and working so hard. For anybody in any profession -- artist, doctor, lawyer -- they work to get better and refine their skills. What motivates you most to work on your craft, the craftsmanship at tennis?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, I mean, there are many steps in the career. You know, like when you break in, then you are the new one to face all the new guys. Nobody knows you, so you're doing your first steps. So it's a slightly different situation.

Then when you get through it and you get really some high position in the ranking, all of a sudden all the guys chasing you. Then again you are in a different position, different stage. Right now, I think I'm in the stage where there is a quite a lot of new young guys coming up, and I think they are quite a good motivation to me, because, yeah, it's not easy to cope with them.

I mean, these guys are 20, 22, and then, you know, when you are 10 years older, then, you know, body reacts differently. So it's a nice kind of a challenge to still be able to hold with them, beat them, you know, challenge them. So that's one of the key things that keeps me always motivated right now that I still want to show them that it's, you know, it's not going to be easy with me.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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