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WIMBLEDON

July 6, 2007

Richard Gasquet

LONDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Richard.

Q. What do you put your transformation down to in the third set?
RICHARD GASQUET: After losing two sets, I decide to play more aggressive, to play with my backhand, to go to the net, to serve better, and to fight a lot.
Yeah, I have nothing to lose after these two sets, so I wanted no pressure. I played with no pressure, a great backhand, and I served better. So it was incredible for me to play like that and to win this match. It's incredible.

Q. Were you aware of how Marion was doing against Justine Henin?
RICHARD GASQUET: No, no. I couldn't. I just see she won.

Q. It's a good day for France.
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, of course. She won Justine Henin. I won Roddick. That's incredible for French tennis. Yeah, I am really happy for her and for me to be in the semifinal after that. To win three sets, two tiebreaks.

Q. Quite a turn from playing him in the first round to the semifinals.
RICHARD GASQUET: I prefer to play him in the semifinals for sure than in the first round last year because I was disappointed with my draw. Tomorrow for sure he's the favorite.
I have to rest a little bit, to think about this match of tomorrow. It will be hard for me because I won, so I'm really happy, but I have another match tomorrow. Maybe I will be a little bit tired. I have to play against Roger Federer. That's hard. But I have for sure nothing to lose so I will try to play with no pressure.

Q. You said you were disappointed last year.
RICHARD GASQUET: Because I could win a lot of matches in the tournament. When you play Roger Federer in the first round, you are really disappointed. Every player is disappointed in the draw because you can go far.
You know if you play Roger first round Centre Court... I wasn't lucky.

Q. What was on your mind when you finished the match?
RICHARD GASQUET: I don't know, because when I was losing two sets and a break, I say to me, I couldn't lose against him. He served too well. I couldn't do anything.
But after I try to fight, to play every point. Yeah, when I won the third, everything was possible after that. But it's a great comeback because it was really difficult when I was losing.

Q. What was your key to winning the third set?
RICHARD GASQUET: I knew he had a little bit pressure because he lost his serve at 4-3. He lost a lot of shots. After I knew I could go to the tiebreak. After in the tiebreak everything is possible.
Yeah, I had a lot of motivation for the fourth. I was fit. I felt better and better during the match. I played an incredible fourth and fifth sets.

Q. Can you beat Roddick and Federer back to back?
RICHARD GASQUET: I don't know. That's hard. I am really happy to win this match, but I don't think about tomorrow now. It's early. I have no pressure.
If I win the first set tomorrow, everything can happen. But I have to play against Roger on the Centre Court in Wimbledon. He won a lot of time. But for sure I have to enjoy this match. That's incredible for me.

Q. Can you tell us how tired you feel now?
RICHARD GASQUET: I am tired. Of course, I played a lot of time with a lot of pressure. In the fifth set, for a semifinal, he served well. I had a lot of tension.
No, tomorrow I will play with no pressure. I will try to play with my backhand, to go to the net. We will see. Of course, Roger is the favorite.

Q. Was it a draining, tiring day because you had to wait while there was a five-hour match before you?
RICHARD GASQUET: In my head I played maybe 10 times against Roddick because I was waiting two days in the locker room. The match between Djokovic and Baghdatis so long. It was hard to wait.
Maybe my first set, it was bad because I wait too much. But now win this match after my comeback, I can't believe it now.

Q. You play 12:00 tomorrow.
RICHARD GASQUET: I play afternoon?

Q. Can you tell us about the pressure you've gone through from being a child prodigy to getting into the semifinals of a Grand Slam now?
RICHARD GASQUET: I think it's a great day for me, but I hope that's the beginning of my career. Of course, it was really hard for me with the pressure in France because I played maybe too good too early.
At 16 years old I wasn't ready to support this pressure, all the journalists, all the crowd, all the people. After it was really hard for me.
But, yeah, of course I am really, really happy to be here in semifinals.

Q. Do you know Marion?
RICHARD GASQUET: Not very well. I know her. She's a nice person, nice girl. So, yeah, I am of course really happy for her. For us that's incredible.

Q. If it's true that you're starting tomorrow at midday, do you...
RICHARD GASQUET: Yeah, I believe to maybe play at 3 or 4. At noon (smiling)?

Q. Do you think that's a bit unfair?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yes. Yeah, with the rain and everything. But, yeah, at noon, that's hard. I didn't know at what time I had to play tomorrow, but you say me at 12. That's not good news.

Q. Do you think people will start calling you a star rather than a prodigy now?
RICHARD GASQUET: No, no, no, no. I don't know. I don't know. I'm little bit famous, but for sure I'm not a star. I'm not a rock star or everything.
But, yeah, I like the support of people. That's really nice. In France, everybody is waiting I play good. Now maybe I have a lot of texts on my phone. Everybody is crazy with me. Yeah, I like that a lot.

Q. What's the key thing that makes your backhand so incredible?
RICHARD GASQUET: Because it's my best stroke for sure. I don't know why. I played when I was six or seven years old with my backhand. Yeah, it was difficult for me because every people say he has an incredible, incredible backhand. Yeah, now I can say I have a good backhand, yes, for sure.

End of FastScripts

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