R. NADAL/R. Soderling
6‑4, 6‑1, 7‑6
ROBIN SODERLING
Q. Today it was windy out there. Was it a key factor? You couldn't serve so well as you expected or Nadal moved, or a little...
ROBIN SODERLING: Um, yeah, of course it's always difficult to play when it's windy, but it's the same for both players.
As you said, you know, it was ‑‑ in the beginning it was tough to serve really well. I think first two sets was pretty windy, and then it got a little bit easier, a little bit calmer in the third set.
But overall, it was a little bit difficult today.
Q. Did you feel a big difference in your game in the third set? Did you feel you could come back in the third?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, well, at least I tried, you know. I'm really happy the way I finished the match. Of course, you know, I had a few break points at 5‑All. Maybe I could have won the third set.
But it's best of five. It's still a long way to go. At least that's a start. Then he played a really good tiebreak.
Q. In the past days, Nadal was saying that he was not playing too well. How did you find him today? Do you think he was playing at his best, more or less, or did you expect him worse or not?
ROBIN SODERLING: I think to play against the world No. 1 you never expect anyone to play bad. I mean, it would be pretty stupid. I think, you know, about his game, I think it's better you ask him, because it's tough for me to say.
To me he played a good match, you know. As usual, he didn't miss much, and I think he served pretty well also during the conditions, which were not easy.
So I think ‑‑ I think he should be pretty happy with his match.
Q. When we think about the match where you beat Nadal here two years ago and then the two other matches you lost, the final and today, like when you look back at them, what was the difference in the first one that made you win? Or was it that he was not waiting, this kind of fast groundstroke game from you? What made the difference that made that you lost the last two and won the first one? How do you analyze it?
ROBIN SODERLING: Well, every match is always a new one. It's always different.
But of course the match here in 2009 where I won I played really well. As you said, I served well.
I just had a little bit of a better day than today, of course. You know, I took my chances. I really did in that match, which I didn't do today, especially ‑‑ well, I only had some chances in the third set.
But, you know, to win a match like this you have to take your chances.
Q. You mentioned Rafa's serve. How surprised were you to see him going for the wide serve on those break points you had at 5‑All, and then once in the tiebreaker when he was going to your backhand all the time?
ROBIN SODERLING: Well, I think this is the serve he goes to all the time when he's under pressure.
So I was not very surprised. But he did it well. It was not easy to serve today. But I think he served well. He had a high first percentage, so he made it difficult for me.
Q. You mentioned that you had problems with your serve, especially because of the wind in the beginning of the match. But did you feel you also had a problem with backhand or forehand? Was the serve the main problem?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, to win a match like this I need to serve better than I did today. Of course. And obviously play better, as well.
But I think, you know, I'm feeling pretty good. This wasn't a great match, but it's still not bad, you know. I said before I'm really happy with the way I played in the third set. I came back.
You know, I lost the first two, and the second one was not good at all. And then, you know, I come back, I really gave it a fight, and I was even close to winning the third set.
Q. I don't even know if you know this, but two days ago Rafa said he didn't feel confident that he could win the tournament; he didn't feel good about his level. First of all, were you aware of those comments going into this match, or no?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, you guys told me.
Q. So my question is: When you hear that, do you think, Oh, he's vulnerable, or do you think he's even more dangerous and I'm not going to listen to this at all?
ROBIN SODERLING: No, I don't care at all. Nothing.
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