Q. You said a couple of days ago that you've never felt better coming into a January. You must feel an awful lot better now.
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Yes, for sure. It was, like I said, I think the second day, for me it was one of the biggest goals for be in quarterfinals for first time in Grand Slam. And I was feeling with big confidence and pretty fit. So I was with confidence to be in quarterfinals for first time.
And for sure right now I am so happy, no, to make this goal possible.

Q. What about the match today tactically? Did you have a particular plan in mind against him?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: No, no, no. I was trying just to do my game. You know, like I said all the other days, just try to get the rhythm of the point with my forehand, just try to move him all the time.
He's tough because, you know, he play really good. He was serving in the breakpoints always good serves. It was pretty tough, no? But I had a very good day. It was a long match. I was feeling really good physically and mentally. So I'm so happy.


Q. Was the difference between the two of you just a physical one, that you were fitter?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: I don't know, you know. I think that he was really fit also. But, I don't know, I think I just have better day than him today.

Q. You said in Brisbane the Davis Cup changed you and made you believe more in yourself and your ability to win those long games. Do you think that helped today?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Yes, for sure. I was really thinking, when I lost the third set, in that match, in the final, that I was the same: two sets to one down. I was thinking that I can do it again. I just need to try my best.
In the third set, the beginning of the third set, is the moment of the match that I think I play worst. I was playing softer, and didn't take the rhythm of the point with my forehand.
In the beginning of the fourth, I start again to hit much, much stronger with the forehand. I was feeling much better.

Q. Have you ever served better? He said you served unbelievable.
FERNANDO VERDASCO: You know, I just saw in the match that I should hit more the first serve and try to get more free points with my serve. You know, with the second serve, it was tough because he get into the court so much. If you don't make really good second serve, he take always, you know, the initiative in the point.
But, you know, I think that I had really, really good serve. That's help me so much for win a lot of points free.

Q. Looking at the statistics, there is a big difference in the average of the second serve. You hit all the time around 155, while he's 125. That can be a huge difference in the end?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: You know, I was watching him in the second serve, really inside the court all the time, in the baseline, or a little bit forward. I was trying just to put a deep second serve with spin. Just try to make him difficult, no, the return.
I didn't look about the speed. I was just trying to put a good serve, just to go after, take the forehand as soon as possible to try to move him and try to get the rhythm of the point like I want.

Q. Did you speak with Rafa about tactics?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: No, no, no. I didn't spoke with Rafa about anything about the match of today. I just saw something that he said, I think yesterday or two days ago in the press conference, they ask him about my match, and he said I should take the forehand and try to move him and try to take the rhythm of the match. I saw that. I didn't need to speak with him. It was okay, I was looking (laughter).

Q. When you played in Paris in November, you got quite frustrated on court. Today you didn't get frustrated at all. You kept a very even temper throughout the match. Do you think that was important?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: I think a little bit. If I am honest, I was ‑‑ in Paris Bercy I was coming from St. Petersburg, losing against him in semifinals, love and 3. I decided I supposed to take a little bit more of risk, go to the net, like play much more aggressive and see if in this way maybe I have more chances to win.
The first set I was really close. You know, also the second set. But it was faster court in St. Petersburg also. I was trying to go to the net as soon as possible. But also I was feeling different than today, you know. The confidence for me right now is much bigger than in Paris Bercy. Physically and mentally also much stronger.
I think that that Davis Cup final made me much stronger mentally. And this pre‑season, I was working really hard. So today, I was really believing in myself that I can win the match anyway, that I'm going to five sets.
That's so important, no, believe in yourself. I think today I was believing in myself much more than in Paris Bercy last year.

Q. Can you explain why you are playing so well and why Ana Ivanovic seems to have so many problems?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: Good question. You know, I don't know. I think you should ask Ana more than me about this.
I don't think that is my fault. This is what I think, you know. If you want to know something more, I think you should ask her, no? I don't like to speak about other persons.

Q. When you lost the first set, with your record against him, did you think, Here we go?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: You know, for sure it was tough for me this. But also I was thinking Stepanek the round before. I was 3‑Love down against him, and I beat him, you know, like quite nice score. I was just thinking like, Why not I can beat Murray today and make one point for me about matches?
I was believing in myself because I feel so good. That's help me so much to go to the court and try to really win the match, no, because sometimes you go to the court when you don't have this big confidence like you are playing with Andy Murray or one of these players.
Andy Murray right now was coming winning in Doha and Abu Dhabi exhibition. He was playing great. But I was just thinking about me, to my game, try to beat him, and don't think if I was 5‑0 in average of matches or anything else, you know, just about do my game.

Q. What now? This tournament has always been dark horses going to the final. Everything is open for you now?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: I hope. I just want now to enjoy my victory of today. Is like ATP victory the biggest one in my career for me because be in quarterfinal of Grand Slam for first time and also beating one player like Andy Murray. He's, you know, so big. And that's help me even more for my confidence, to see that I am playing really good and I can be there, no? I can be in the top.
I'm also ‑ I hope ‑ also closer to top 10. This is also one of my biggest goals for this year.
About my next match, I will think about it tomorrow, yeah, tomorrow night, even though it's going to be so late. But, yeah, I just want to enjoy right now that I am in quarters, and I will think about this, you know, tomorrow.
But for sure I think that I have chances to win against Blake or against Tsonga, no? They are pretty good players, but I believe in myself.

Q. It's going to be hot the next few days. Does that worry you?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: If you tell me now, I will go to the fridge. I will put myself in for few days (laughter).
But, when you come to Australia, you know can be so hot. Also I been in Australia since the 31 of December. The first days in Brisbane, it was so, so hot also, 40 or 40 something. I was practicing really hard. You know, I think that it's not going to be a problem.
But anyway, I need to be ready for sure, just do all the things right to don't have any problem with all these conditions.

Q. You worked with Gil Reyes during the off‑season. Can you tell us more about that?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: What can I say? I am so happy to be working with him. Like I said, for me it was, you know, one of my big experience. I learned so much from him.
And also, you know, the 24th of December, everybody was leaving Las Vegas because it was Christmastime. And Agassi came to say hi to me, and I was speaking with him. I don't want to say what he told me, because that's secret (smiling). But really helped me so much. I was speaking with him two hours before he left for the mountains. He was leaving with Steffi to enjoy Christmas.
You know, he was going to ski. I love ski. I was there in the gym working hard, so I was a little bit jealous. But I was just thinking to be ready for the season and start good the year. You know, right now I'm so happy that I took that decision to go to Las Vegas and practice with Gil.
I will go again now. I will go back to Spain to see my family, and then I will go to Vegas for another two weeks to keep working hard there with him ‑ maybe Agassi also. Keep learning, keep improving for Dubai, Davis Cup and Indian Wells and Miami, to be ready.

Q. Do you hope maybe in the papers tomorrow the Verdasco headlines might be slightly bigger than the Nadal headlines? Would that be nice?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: For me that's not important. For me important is to win the matches and to feel good with myself. I don't care about if my letters are bigger than him.
He is No. 1 in the world. I always said, like, all the things he have is because he deserve it. So I just think about me, about what I'm feeling, that I'm so happy, and I don't care about this.

Q. A lot of people made Andy Murray before the tournament the favorite. Do you think he deserved to be the favorite?
FERNANDO VERDASCO: This question I think I answered the other day. Maybe they were speaking about he's the favorite because he was playing really good in the beginning of the year and he won the two tournaments he played.
But, like I said the other day, you know, for me Rafa in five‑set matches is the toughest player, and also Federer is the guy like with more Grand Slams in the moment play, no, on the tour.
So for me say, like, Murray is favorite against Nadal or Federer is pretty tough, no? But, you know, they are also good players. I think a Grand Slam, everything can happen. Right now I'm happy that I won my match and that's it, no?


(via AO Tennis Championship, photo/Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)

Fernando Verdasco - Australian Open 26. January Interview