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BARCLAYS ATP WORLD TOUR FINALSNovember 3, 2012Jo-Wilfried TsongaLONDON, ENGLAND THE MODERATOR: Questions. Q. What do you think of the draw, first of all? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: It's a good draw with some good players. I mean, anyway, my group's going to be really difficult. But I'm sure if I was in the other, I will say the same thing, so... I mean, nothing special. We knew before was the eight players, so there is no surprise. Q. I guess you all know each other's games so well because you've all played each other many times. No surprises, as you say. JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, no surprise. I mean, I played them many times. They know maybe my game better than I know their games because they beat me often. But, you know, anyway, it's still sports, and I'm sure I will have some opportunities. Q. You must have really good memories of last year. JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: I would lie to you if I say I don't have good memories because it was desperate for me last year to play a good tournament like this. I mean, for the moment I'm not the best player in the world. I'm not No. 2, No.4, not even No.6. For me, anyway, it's good to be here. Last year it was good to be here, too. I hope I will have some good moment like last year. Q. Can you tell us a little bit about what was your thinking in appointing your new coach. JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Just to improve my game. I mean, last couple of months I improve a lot my game alone. But, you know, I felt like I need something else maybe to beat the top four. So I will try with Roger because I think it's the right person to do that. Q. Did you talk to Gaël about it? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, of course. Of course, Gaël is a good friend, so I ask him even before I spoke to Roger what he was thinking about. Q. What in particular do you think Roger can bring to you? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: I'm sure he will push me a lot, give me the extra motivation, the extra motivation to practice, to practice more harder, yeah. This is what I think. Q. You're the top‑ranked Frenchman, but there are a lot of you. You all play with quite different styles. Do you find you learn quite a lot from one another? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: You know, I think I learn from everybody ‑ not only from these guys who play tennis, but maybe I can learn from you (laughter). You know, I'm learning every day. I hope I will learn until my death. Q. Jo, when you say you're hoping Roger might help you with motivation, that sort of thing, are there some days when you struggle for motivation? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, sometimes when I was alone it was not easy to go to practice every day by yourself. Sometimes you need somebody, you know, to have some support. At the end I was a bit tired to go by myself. I think, like I said, it's something extra for me to have this. So I hope it will help me. But anyway, we'll work on many things. He's going to help me for that, but also technically maybe other things. For the moment, he's just looking at me in competition. We'll see after exactly what we'll do. Q. Did you take note of the way Murray's game and his mind improved when he took somebody like Lendl on? Is that the kind of thing you're looking to go up that couple of levels? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: I mean, when Andy took Ivan it didn't work at the beginning. I think when you take somebody, it's to work on a long period, to improve your game. Andy did it well. They did it well. Yeah, this is what I will try to do also. Q. A lot of players at this time of the year are saying they are tired. This year there hasn't been the week's gap between Bercy and here. Are you feeling tired or are you feeling fresh? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: You know, during the season, I never feel really fresh. I mean, we play a lot, especially these guys who win tournaments. They play a lot. So we feel like it's our job. We try to stay focused on what we have to do, and that's it. Sometimes the worst thing for us is to complain about it. Yeah, we just have to do our job. Q. Jo, are you happier with your level of play since the US Open than before the US Open this year? Are you more satisfied with your level of play since New York or... JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah. I mean, in New York I had some problems. I was not able to play a good tennis anyway. So, you know, I think this year I played a good tennis. I didn't do something huge, but I played consistent. That's why I'm here. I didn't beat top‑10 guys. But anyway, I'm here. I think I did a good year. I hope in the next couple of months I will improve. Q. You're 27. Obviously you're taking a new coach. Does this reflect some worry or concern that you've lost ground with some of the top players in the last couple of years? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Especially because what is tough in tennis, even if you improve your game, yeah, the other improve the game, too. So, you know, it's not like you have to run for a sprint, and you know if you beat the guy 9:50 you're going to be the first one. The tennis improve every day, I think. It's not only about me. It's also about the others. Q. The top guys lost early this past week in Paris. Do you feel there's more pressure on you as a French player, that you have to perform all week in Paris, then come to London? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Anyway, for me, Paris is important. I have to perform there like I have to perform everywhere. You know, these top guys, they win Grand Slam, they win tournaments 1000, and not me. So I have to fight for each point I will take on the tour. Q. When you come from Paris to London, do you get the train? Do you fly? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: Yeah, I took the train. Q. Was that fun? Do you get recognized a lot? JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: I mean, it's a train (smiling). I can come by swim, but I choose the train (laughter). FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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