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CHINA OPEN

October 9, 2011

Tomas Berdych

BEIJING, CHINA

T. BERDYCH/M. Cilic
3-6, 6-4, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congratulations. I think this is the first title for you in almost two and a half years, especially after not-so-good season compared to last. What does it mean to you, the championship?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, yeah, I mean, first of all, I wouldn't say that my season is not that good. I would say that it was really -- I would say really good one because there was a lot of high, good-quality results until I start the year.
So compared to the last year of course there was the final of Wimbledon, but there was a lot of first-round exits in the tournaments. So this year that's completely different.
Yeah, I mean, to bring this title, that means really a lot to me, because it's after, as you mentioned, 29 month. It was quite a long time, so I'm happy that I could broke this up.
You know, I think I couldn't have a better place to win a title than here in Beijing.

Q. Can you just give is an insight into how you turned the game around. You were one set down and then it was really quite tight in the second tight. What was it? What was the trigger moment that you thought, Yes, I could possibly win this?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, well, first of all, I just need to say that Marin starts really well - I would almost say extremely well. He started with pretty much no mistakes, playing so fast from the baseline, great serving, great returning.
I mean, I was just really hanging there. It was really just want to stay and win at least couple of my games of my serve, and then was waiting for some chance.
When I lost the first set, I was just, All right, so now I need to start to play at least a little bit aggressive or something to change. I had a pretty good start for the second set. I made the break, and then in that moment I started to feel, yeah, that's the chance. You know, I can do it well.
And even I lost my serve and I was two breaks down, I was still positive that could be the good moment to take it for my side. I think the best or like the key moment was a break when it was 5-4; Marin was serving; I made a set point and just win the second set.
That moment I started to really feel great, get some more energy for the third set, and then it was just my turn in the third set.

Q. What does this mean to you going into the rest of the year, particularly in the run-up to London?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, it means a lot. On the other way, it means that there are still few tournaments left in the season which are going to be really important as well: next week in Shanghai, and then definitely in Paris. There is two big weeks coming up where is really a lot of points to be split between the players.
Yeah, I did a great move to have a good chance to qualify for London. Still, as I mentioned, these two weeks, you know, I still really need to do well. I want to do well. It just gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season and for the rest of the tournaments.
So I'm really looking forward to that. I hope I can keep my level of game what I did and hopefully to win even more matches.

Q. How will you get that big cup back home?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, that's a good one. (Smiling.) As I see all the winners here, then it looks like this one is not going to be the one who's going to travel with me home. So I don't know what's going to be the trophy or the size of the trophy which I'm going to be able to take home with me.
So, no, I mean, I hope that, you know, all those things like with the shipping stuff is working - especially here - so I think that's going to be this option. (Smiling.)

Q. It is reported that Nadal and Murray are going to call for a players' council next week in Shanghai to talk about the schedule to the ATP. Are you going to join them? Can you confirm this?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, I just didn't get the question. Something about some council is going to be happening in Shanghai next week or something like that, right?

Q. Players' council talking about the ATP schedule.
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, actually this is the first time that you just mention it to me that something is going to happen in Shanghai. I mean, I didn't know about it.
No, I mean, if somebody come to me and ask me if I want to join them or just to listen what's could be new things or what's going to be going on there or what's the reason of it - and I'm going to have a time not to be busy with my matches schedule - okay, I can join the players.
Yeah, that's the only thing I can say about it.

Q. Are you happy with the schedule? Because they said that it's too much for the players. Especially next year there is going to be Olympics so the schedule could be really tight.
TOMAS BERDYCH: The Olympics are once in four years. If somebody wants to be complaining about that, well, I don't see it as a good option. That's the tournament which we have only once in four years, so I think, yeah, you can make your schedule work even for that.
Yeah, I mean, I don't see any other reasons why to be complaining about to have the Olympics or not. So if you don't want to play the Olympics, don't play the Olympics. That's the option of all of us, and that's how it is. You can still have a possibility to choose the tournaments you want to play.
Yeah, also, I mean, the other way is also talking about the schedule. But, I mean, we were complaining about that, that the season is long. The next year even with the Olympics is going to be two weeks shorter. So, yeah, something happens and something was changed.
I mean, it's really tough to really find it always perfect way. You know, you still needs to look at it and try to find some compromise between us and the ATP.
So, yeah, I think something change, which is good. We see how it's going to be for the next years. )

Q. Can you talk about your expectation in Shanghai? Back-to-back title?
TOMAS BERDYCH: (Smiling.) Well, yeah, that's a nice idea to have, but there is another opponent waiting for me in the first round. He's going to be really hungry to beat me as a champion from Beijing. So that's the first one who I'm really looking forward to.
And when I saw the draw, it possibly could be my teammate from the Davis Cup, Radek Stepanek, so it could be really interesting match for the first round.
That's it. You know, I mean, I'm not really thinking about anything more in there. I just want to go step by step, same as I did it here. Yeah, that's how I just want to take it.

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