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U.S. OPEN


August 30, 2013


Tomas Berdych


NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

T. BERDYCH/D. Kudla
7‑6, 7‑6, 6‑3


THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  A lot of work out there today.  Talk about the match.
TOMAS BERDYCH:  Oh, yeah, it was not easy at all.  He make me work pretty hard today.  I mean, the conditions was tough, as well:  quite warm, humid.
Especially, you know, his game is quite well‑suited for the hard court.  You know, he plays a lot of flat balls.  I prefer a bit, you know, when the ball jumps higher.  Then I can use my weapons in my game a little bit more.
But that's how it is.  Never played him before, so that's also not easy.  I mean, yeah, I start pretty well.  You know, maybe it was too quick.  Then when I was 5‑1 again up, I was like a bit surprised that it goes that easy.  Then I just turn around and I need to fight for a long, long first set.
But in the end I made it, which is good, and we don't have to be longer on court.

Q.  The tiebreakers in the first two sets, what is it that makes a difference?
TOMAS BERDYCH:  Difference between the first and second?

Q.  Between winning and losing.
TOMAS BERDYCH:  Oh, a lot.  Of course a lot.  I mean, the match could be really, really long.  Actually we start, it was like 5‑1 in 20 minutes.  The sets been over after 1 hour and 10.  It's been quite long.
It's a really big difference if after such a long time you are the one who has once a lead or not.  And then, you know, if you are the one that you have the set, then I think we play another one‑hour set, the second one.
I made both of them.  After two hours, the game could be split and we could still be there for many more hours.  For me it was very important that I made both of the sets, tight in the tiebreak.
Then, you know, I was able to step up and I was more fresh than him and just took the third set.

Q.  Do you feel like you were more confident in the tiebreakers than he was?  Did you see any weakness?
TOMAS BERDYCH:  Well, I mean, is hard to say the weakness.  But through both sets, I mean, I was the one who had more chances on his serve.  And, you know, even the games were long, then I was still having chances and pushing him little more than he does.
So, you know, that was kind of a good thing and good chance for the tiebreak, because there it's really about few points.  If you make those small mini breaks then it's much easier.
Then probably I would say also the experience was a big difference there.

Q.  You played in this tournament now 11 years in a row.  Last year you had a breakthrough when you beat Roger.  Do you feel more confident this year based on the fact you were able to have a breakthrough last year?
TOMAS BERDYCH:  Yeah, I think so far my career goes like just up and I'm climbing higher and higher, which is good.  So it means, you know, every experience I went through, I'm able to manage it for the future.  So that's what I did so far from last year.
But, yeah, I mean, it's matter of I would say patient about the whole experience that I went through.  Yeah, I feel good.  I feel good on the court.  I have a good rhythm, hitting ball clearly.  That's what I need for my game.

Q.  How important is experience when you're playing in a pressured environment for a two‑week period?
TOMAS BERDYCH:  Well, I think after a few times, maybe five, six times‑‑ it's really hard to say.  Probably not.  Probably if you have more and more years, then you have more and more experience.  That's how it is, normally how it works.
But, you know, I think it's just good to have those experience, but I don't think that the experience can save you from, you know, winning the matches or even the tough situations.  Because, you know, if you don't have a good feeling on the court and hitting the ball clear, even you can have as much as you want of experience and it's not going to work.
So in tennis, you know, all the things needs to click together.  It's experience, everything together, then could be a good result.

Q.  Are things clicking for you right now?
TOMAS BERDYCH:  I'm trying to do so.  I mean, of course, every time that the tournament starts you have to kind of build it up and it needs to start.
So far it start quite well.  All the aspects that I need are coming together.
So, yeah, hopefully it's going to be a good Open.

Q.  What do you know about your next opponent, Benneteau?
TOMAS BERDYCH:  I know quite well.  I played couple matches against him.  It's not an easy opponent at all because he's playing real well.  Yeah, he can play very aggressive, you know, coming to the net quite a lot, which is not that common these days.
But, yeah, I mean, I think last time we played quite crazy match which was really like up and down and we were breaking each other a lot.
Every match is different.  But, yeah, I mean, it's a slam, so you need to play best‑of‑five sets.  It's going to be a good game.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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