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AUSTRALIAN OPEN


January 20, 2018


Alexander Zverev


Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

H. CHUNG/A. Zverev

5-7, 7-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What occurred in that match after you were up two sets to one?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I think we both played very good for four sets. I think the match was very high level. I don't think it was bad at all. Even in the fourth set, you know, after I lost my serve, I think I still played well. I still had chances to break him back.

Then in the fifth set, I mean, went so fast that I didn't really have time to realize what was happening.

Q. Can you explain what you were discussing with the umpire about not seeing well enough.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I told him for about six games to turn the lights on because it was cloudy, it was dark. And after about five games, they still didn't turn the lights on. I was asking, Can you please turn the lights on, because it's not that difficult?

After a while, they did. That's it.

Q. Game-wise where do you feel you were today, compared to what you were expecting?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Good. I think game-wise my level was good. I think I should have won in four sets.

But I think for four sets, as I said, the match was very, very high level and very intense.

Q. The fifth set is more physical or a mental problem, you think?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Definitely not physical, so... I have some figuring out to do, what happens to me in deciding moments in Grand Slam.

It happened at Wimbledon. It happened in New York. It happened here.

I'm still young, so I got time (smiling). I definitely have some figuring out to do for myself.

Q. Do you think it's something that has something to do with the slams?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yes, because at the other tournaments my three-set record is pretty decent over the last few years.

Q. When you compare the losses you got through the slams, was the feeling exactly the same at those moments?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: No, I had worse. As I said, I think the New York one was worse 'cause I feel like I played bad the whole match. Here I don't think I played bad. I think I played really bad the fifth set, but apart from that, you know, in the first four sets, I think this was the best he can play. If he backs this up, then we'll see how far he can go.

Q. You just said it happens in the slams. Do you think maybe you put too much pressure on yourself because you really care and want to do well, so it's more difficult for you?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, yes.

Q. A year ago on this Saturday you had the five-setter with Nadal. Do you want to compare and contrast, how you feel emotionally this one compared to that one?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Similar. You know, obviously in this one I was the favorite. In the one with Nadal, I wasn't.

But, you know, game-wise this was not a bad match. He's 50-whatever in the world. But this was a top-10 level match from the start till the end of the fourth set, and for him until the end.

You know, rankings sometimes lie. The way he was playing, it was definitely not whatever he is ranked.

Q. Is he one of the toughest guys mentally that you've played against? Doesn't give much away, does he?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: He's one of the toughest guys, full stop. I think when he plays well, he's really good. I mean, I don't want to put a number where he can be. But when he plays like that, there is very, very few people who will beat him.

Q. You played against him last year in Barcelona, on a clay court, kind of different. Did you go into this match with another preparation?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: In Barcelona I was playing bad. I played bad the whole tournament there, so...

Here, I felt like I was playing good. I still felt in the match that we were playing good. I mean, if you look at the stats, I think we were -- or me, I was plus-15, plus-20 on winner/unforced error ratio, which is good. I still served 22 aces over four sets. That's not bad.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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