Q. That looked very easy. Was it as easy as it looked?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: I think that the beginning of the match was really tough. If you saw with 4‑3 in the first set, it was 49 minutes. And then I look again with 6‑4, 6‑Love, 5‑Love, and it was 1 hour, 49.
I think one of the key of the match was that I was there all the time at the beginning, like the first game with his serve was 30 minutes, and the second, I think, was like almost 10.
So it was a pretty hard beginning. But I think that when I break him back with 4‑3 and new balls, I start to play better with no mistakes. He start to make much more mistakes. The second set he didn't do as much serves and volley than in the beginning of the match also. And I start to feel much better.
I think it was two matches, no? One till 4‑3 in the first set, and then another one after.

Q. Do you feel that you are gathering momentum, that you're getting better with every match?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: I don't feel better today than the first day or the second. I think I was feeling the same in the three matches. I'm feeling good. I'm feeling the ball and feeling my legs good also. You know, I pretty feel good in all the matches, in the three matches the same, more or less.


Q. You might have Andy Murray in the next round. Is that a match you look forward to? He's been in good form, as well.
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Yes, for sure is a big goal for me to play against him. I always lost against him. I will try my best in the next match. If he wins today against Melzer, I will try to play my best tennis to try to be the hardest I can for him, no? I will do the best, for sure, to try to win this match.

Q. What makes Andy Murray so difficult to play against?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: No, you know, he's a very good player. So complete in all the aspects in the game. He serve good. He have unbelievable backhand. I think physically he's one of the best right now also. He has so good hand also for slice, to defend. So he's pretty complete in all the aspects of the game.
But, you know, I think I need to do my game anyway and try to beat him like this. Don't change my game because he's one player, you know, one kind of player of another one.

Q. What do you think of what Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have said? They say they are surprised that people think Andy Murray is the favorite to win here. Do you think he deserves to be the favorite?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: You know, the thing is like now in the beginning of the year, he won the exhibition in Abu Dhabi and he won the tournament in Doha where he was playing Nadal, he was playing Federer, Roddick. The only one that was not playing is Djokovic.
I think, you know, maybe is because of that, that the people say he's the favorite. I think in one Grand Slam, also is five sets. Players like Nadal or Federer, for example, are pretty tough in matches at five set, no? Nadal, I think he is the strongest one in five sets, and Federer, because right now playing, he's the one who won more Grand Slams.
I think that Murray is not the favorite over Nadal or Federer, but, of course, he's one of them.

Q. You're the hottest guy in the place. You've lost no sets and only 12 games in three matches. Do you suppose this momentum you've built up will serve you against Andy Murray?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: You know, I think that every match is different. You know, I was feeling pretty good in all the three matches I played already, and I didn't lose too many games, no?
But like I just said, every match is different. For sure with Murray or Melzer ‑ but if it's Murray, that is the favorite of these two players, is going to be like really, really tough match.
But, you know, I will try to keep making my game, you know, try to play every point hundred percent, and that's it. This is what I was making the three last matches here, and this is what I will try to do also in the next match.

Q. Can you remember when you ever had a streak like the one you're on at the moment? Can you ever remember playing as well as you are at the moment?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: You know, this question Feliciano López was asking me at the doubles. Can you remember playing like you are playing right now? And, you know, I think is different every moment. Last year in Wimbledon I was feeling pretty good also when I won third round against Tomas Berdych 4‑4‑0, and also with Ancic, the two first sets I was playing unbelievable.
But, yeah, I think that maybe that moment was the only one that maybe is similar, that I'm feeling right now, that I'm playing right now. But it's also different, no? Right now I think I'm feeling physically and mentally stronger than last year in Wimbledon. This pre‑season for me, it was a really, really big change. I think I was improving a lot in these two weeks I was with Gil Reyes in Las Vegas. I think after these two weeks I realize much more how I can play and how I can be harder player for the other players. This is what I'm trying to do, no? I'm feeling pretty good.


(via AO Tennis Championship, photo/AFP/Getty Images)

Fernando Verdasco - Australian Open 24. January Interview