TENNIS MASTERS CUP
November 14, 2008
Gilles Simon
SHANGHAI, CHINA
G. SIMON/R. Stepanek
6-1, 6-4
Q. The obvious question - can you answer it two
ways - first of all, if make the semifinals, how
will you feel?
GILLES SIMON: Well, it's not easy to say right
now, because I was watching the match. So it's
really not easy to see someone playing and
cheering for him.
But I hope I have the chance to play the
semifinal, because I won two match. That will be
bad luck if I'm not reaching semifinal and
winning two match in the round robin.
But, like I said yesterday, if I had win against
Murray, I didn't have to wait tonight. So I won
two match. Maybe it's going to be not enough,
but we'll see the result after.
Q. So just if you do play the semifinal, I think
you would play Djokovic. If you have to play
Djokovic, just talk about how you match up
against him.
GILLES SIMON: Well, he was playing very good. I
saw the three match he played, and it won't be
easy. When you play someone who's No. 3 in the
world, it's never easy. So I expect a tough
match if I have the chance to play.
Like I say, it's difficult for me to think about
the match because maybe I'm going to be in the
plane.
Q. Last press conference you just say it's
pretty hard to play Stepanek because you lose to
him last time in French Open. How come you
manage so well today to win?
GILLES SIMON: Well, I just remember first that
the last time it was very hard, so I expected
from the beginning a very tough match. I was
prepared to play a difficult match. I was a
little bit -- I was more focused than the last
time. I think I did a great job. At the
beginning of the match, I broke him in the first
game. This time I was not one set down, break
down. I was just leading in every set. It was
much more easier for me.
Q. So this is the first experience in Shanghai
and in the Masters Cup. What are you going to
say about this trip?
GILLES SIMON: Yeah, whatever happen now, it was
a very good experience for me, because after
this tournament my best ranking. At least I will
be No. 7. So it's amazing because I didn't think
that I would be at this ranking at the end of
the year.
I won two match for my first Masters Cup, and I
think it's good for me because I felt the
pressure when I came here. It was not easy. I
was No. 9. I just played because Nadal pulled
out before the tournament. So I really wanted to
show that I could win some matches. I was here
to win, to reach semifinal, not just to play
some matches. I think I did a great job.
Q. After the conference, will you go and watch
the game between Roger and Andy or just go back
to the hotel?
GILLES SIMON: No, I go back to the hotel. I was
waiting in my locker room, and it was really
difficult (smiling). To see the match won't
change anything anyway. So it start to be late
now, and I think I just have to come back to the
hotel to rest in case of Murray is going to win.
Q. I would like to ask you, other than the games
and here, did you enjoy any other, for example,
things like eating and going and doing shopping
or anything other than the competitions in
Shanghai?
GILLES SIMON: Well, no, just the organization
was perfect. It was the first time I had so many
thing just for me. So, yes, it was pretty nice
for us.
End of FastScripts
