TENNIS MASTERS CUP


November 11, 2008


Juan Martin Del Potro

SHANGHAI, CHINA

J. DEL POTRO/J. Tsonga
7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Rafael Nadal has announced he will drop out of the Davis Cup. Will you have more chance to win? You and David will likely play the singles. Who will be the double players? Calleri or Cañas or someone else?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: The team is Nalbandian, Acasuso, Calleri, and me.

Q. You've won your first match at a Masters Cup. Can you describe what it felt like out there. When you won the match, how special was it?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, I'm very happy. I beat the winner of Paris. He's with a lot of confidence, like me. I did a great match. I played very good the important points in the second set, and that was the key to beat him.

Q. Obviously you're still alive in the race to the semifinals if you win against Nikolay. Just your thoughts on that? You've still got a chance of making the semis.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yeah, is good for me. I play many times against him. I know his game. I have chance to be in the semifinals if I beat him, but will be tough.
All matches are tough here. It depends of my body, of my physic. I will see on Thursday what can I do to beat him.

Q. Before today's match, everybody thought maybe you had an injury, maybe you were tired, so people would pick Tsonga to be the favorite to win this match. How did you manage yourself on the court to win? And your comments on Nadal's dropout of the Davis Cup final? How did you motivate yourself?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Here is the Masters Cup. In the Masters Cup, I want to be alive until the finals, if I can.
I play once against Tsonga the last year and I beat him. I know his game. I know with my chance, what can I do against this player, and that's what I did today. I play very good, and that's it.
For Davis Cup, we don't know yet. I am here and I'm thinking in this tournament. They are in Argentina practicing to be set for next week. We will see on 21st of November.

Q. You were very tired. You said it when you were in Basel. You played Paris. You qualified. How did you recover to be back in shape here?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I didn't never recover. I didn't have time (laughter).
But I'm playing here because it's a Masters, only eight players. For all tennis players, it's like a dream be here, and I have the chance to play, so I get it.
But also next week it will be another dream. We never played the finals in Argentina. All the Argentina people wants to win the Davis Cup, so will be great for me also.

Q. And then after that, when the Davis Cup is over, you should start the preparation for the new season.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I need two years to recover (laughter).

Q. What will you do for holidays?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I will have time. I need to take care of my toes. I need like 20 days to be good for preparation the next season.

Q. Today is the singles day in China. I want to know if you are still fit for this festival, because it is said that you were dating with Caroline Wozniacki. Is that true?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I wish (laughter). I'm single, too.

Q. I read an article before that you were saying like 10 of 11 young players won four titles in the season and they get the chance to become world No. 1 at the end. You won four titles this season. How far are you going to be from the No. 1?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, maybe when Rafa and Roger retires I could be (smiling).
I don't know. I just want to make my game, my hundred percent every time. If I could be No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, would be good for me also.

Q. You played two matches here. What's the difference between the first and second match, except the results?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Well, the first I was a little nervous. I play against No. 3 of the world. Is difficult to play against Novak. He's a very good player. He's very fast. He didn't miss any balls.
Against Tsonga it's completely different. He serve much better, but he's not too consistent. He made more errors. Sometime is good for me.

Q. The first time in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam in US Open. First time in the Masters Cup. First time with a win in the Masters Cup. What is your goal for next season? Semis of Grand Slams or to win a Grand Slam?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: I don't know. I want to win a Grand Slam maybe next year or in three or two years. I work for that, but I never know. You never know. Anybody knows. If you know, tell me.

End of FastScripts