R. SODERLING/F. González
6‑3, 7‑5, 5‑7, 4‑6, 6‑4


Q. What do you think about your game today?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: Well, I think I was playing against ‑‑ I never feel comfortable on the court because of him. He was playing at a really high level, and I feel that the ball was moving a lot and I couldn't hit clearly the ball.
So it was really tough,but I keep trying. I find my way, and he start to miss, like miss a couple of shots and took it, and then I had bigger chances in the final set.

Q. It was a great match and a great comeback. You have kind of broken his rhythm and forced him to many errors in third and fourth sets. You served much better, and everything seemed under your control at 4‑1in the fifth. What happened at that point, you think? Was it more tiredness,or was it more a psychological problem? What happened at 4‑1 in the fifth?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: I think nothing really happens. I mean, I remember it was 4‑1, 15‑30 on his serve, and I did a really good slice on his foot and he hits like a magic shot after that.
I think the big mistake was from the 4‑2 on my serve. Even if he did like three good returns, I have a little bit doubts with my serve. I try to go ‑‑ try to play with the first serve and instead to win some free points that I was doing in the past sets, you know.
But I feel the match on my hand, that's why I didn't want to play with my second serve. That's the only mistake that I did. It's a mistake because I lost the match. If I win, maybe it can be a good decision.

Q. You obviously had a problem with the linesman. Can you tell us what your feeling was about the call, and do you think it affected you in the end in a negative way?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: I mean, one point doesn't affect five‑set match. I mean, that's for sure. I was really pissed off. I don't know if it's the right word.


Q. No, that's the right word.
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: I don't know any other in English, so...

Q. It's perfect.
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: But I think you can realize if you see it on TV. I mean, I'm human. I didn't know really what to do, because I show the mark. The umpire came down, and he show nothing. That's why I get out of myself. I mean, he show me nothing.
And then, I don't know,I just ‑‑ did something for fun, because there is no way out after that.

Q. What is your preview now for Soderling in the final against whomever?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: Well, depends. I mean, if Soderling wants to win the tournament, I think it would be better opponent Del Potro, because he play like one rhythm.
Today I tried to change the dimensions, the speed with Soderling, and I think Federer is ‑‑ well,he's really good in that. He can serve and volley, he can play high, low, fast. He can do many things.
But depends on the opponent, I think. I mean, if he plays like all the week serving like 200 kilometers on the lines, it's going to be tough for anyone.

Q. If it's Federer, do you think Soderling has a chance against Federer the way he's playing this tournament? He's had incredible results.
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: The way he's playing, he have good chances with everyone. Today I feel ‑‑ I mean, I couldn't play the first two sets. I mean, I find my way in the third one, but he's playing ‑‑ I mean,he's really long. He catch every ball. I couldn't take him out of position.
I feel the opposite way against me. Every time he can take me out of position. I'm not used to playing that way. I mean, I did a good job, I think, coming back, but Soderling is playing really, really high level.

Q. You already explained that in English, but could you do that in Spanish,as well, for the radio? What happened in the fifth set at 4‑1? We thought you were about to win the match. What happened?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: Well, I thought exactly the same, but this is why tennis is so interesting. You think you're going to win, and nothing is done till the last ball. At 15‑30 I really thought I was going to win,but I also feared that what happened would happen when a player starts relaxing and playing his best tennis and goes for his shots.
I had doubts with regard to my serve, so I wasn't as strong on my first serve. He returned ‑‑ he had two extraordinary returns, and then it turned out wrong, because I lost.
But maybe if I had continued to play like this and I had won, it would have been a good decision.

Q. At4‑1, all of a sudden he has this backhand along the line. Do you think he was feeling that the game was back in his hands?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: Well, with the majority of players, when you have a break or when you feel you're going to win, you have to put more pressure, and this is where your opponent gets very dangerous.
That's probably what happened. I probably wasn't playing my best level when I was leading, but I didn't send any balls outside the court.
But he returned in a wonderful way at least three times at 4‑1, 4‑2. The match was still on my side.

Q. You are calm so far, and you reached the semifinals. It was an incredible match. You were so close to making it to the final. But you're still very calm, very cool. What did you feel when you walked out of the court and you walked in the locker room and you realized you were close to the final?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: Close or far from the final, doesn't make any difference. I didn't make it. That's the reality.
But, yes, you feel a bit bitter after you've lost such a match. But I'm also calm, because ‑‑ had I lost in three sets I wouldn't say the same things, but I would have lost. So I'm comfortable with myself, with the way I played, with the way I fought.
But I didn't make it, so I'll continue fighting to play even better matches.

Q. What happened on this contested ball? Couldyou explain that?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: Well, the ball was out, but I can't complain about one point when there were more than 200 in the match.
That wouldn't be very fair play for me to complain, but it was hard. You know, I saw the ball out. I showed it. The line judge comes. He shows nothing, because he didn't show many thing. That drove my crazy. I said, Show me the mark, and the umpire showed me nothing.
I said, well if this is a mark, then I'm in trouble. Well, I don't know.

Q. Now,you said you were a bit bitter, but you seem to be okay.
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: Well, that's what you say. Of course I'm a bit bitter about the way things turned out. I was talking to Martin in the locker room, and I had ‑‑ I was more bitter for another tournament that was less important. That was in Barcelona.
But because there I had made mistakes, here the tournament is very important. But it's true that deep inside, I feel calm. I had fun playing tennis. I feel my serve is getting better and better.
I always try and give the best of myself. The thing is, I didn't manage today.

Q. Quite clearly you can see things from different perspectives. Had you had to play against Nadal and had you lost, you would have said, A, I had to play against Nadal, but you played against Soderling. He is playing very surprising tennis at a very high level. No one expected him at this level, and you played him at this level. Do you take it as tough luck or as fate?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: No, that's one of the variables. This is what makes tennis interesting to people, because you never know what's going to happen. Bad luck is being the same age as Federer andNadal. That's bad luck.
I don't know what happened to those guys who had this, were the same age at Borg and Vilas. That's tough luck. When you lose against an opponent, it's okay. I mean, it's okay, even if it's the match of your life. But it's okay. We all fight to win.

Q. Congratulations for this tournament. Fifteen days ago, you said you could play better and better. Did you have this feeling today? Did you feel that you could have played a bit better today, or did you give the best of your tennis?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: No, I did the best I could, and unfortunately I didn't succeed. All I can say is I gave everything I had. When I start a tournament, I give everything I have.
Sometimes I play better, but that's not the point. What's important is winning or losing.

Q. Are you leaving with a feeling that in the fifth set, at 4‑1, it was aseries of errors, or do you think he stepped up and got better?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: No, what I feel is I tried, and I did not succeed in doing what I wanted to do today. I didn't want to use my second serve because of the way he would return the ball, but each time I played as if it was a second serve.
I do think I didn't play my best tennis, but that's not an excuse. I always try and do my best, and what you saw on the court is all I have.

Q. Are you saying that you didn't play well all along the match, or just at some stages?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: No, all along the match. I mean, the conditions were difficult. They were difficult for both of us. My opponent didn't help me feel more comfortable, because I never managed to move him from his position.
I felt pretty uncomfortable, but I recognized that I managed to come back two sets all, and I had the match in my racquet. I had the feeling that I was not going to lose this match. But this happens, and I need to learn from that.

Q. At one stage things turned around. Did you feel that you were losing the match?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: No, no, he came back. But at 4‑All, it was too big and I was really exhausted, both physically and mentally. Well, then, he won the match.

Q. Apparently the crowd was supporting you more than Soderling. Did you feel that?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: Yes. Yes. The crowd ‑‑ I mean,that's the best court in the world along with Wimbledon. We all dream of playing on this court. The French crowd, they are very knowledgeable in tennis, and so you feel recognized when you make your best efforts.
And whatever the results and as a tennis player, it really is moving.

Q. This is my last question. This was an excellent year for you. Before this tournament, you had to stop for three weeks because you were injured, and you played a semifinal here. What are you doing for the rest of your season? Wimbledon? What do you expect to win? Are you even more eager to win?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: Well, obviously. If you have no plans for the future, you need to stop playing. I mean, I play because I have ambitions. All the tournaments I've played this year I felt I was giving the best I could.
That's the most important. Sometimes you're worn out physically, mentally. You don't really feel like playing, like winning, but the people push you to give your best.
This year I had two injuries that prevented me from playing in a couple of tournaments, but when I decide to play, I play100%. Likewise, when I practice, if I don't feel like practicing, I don't, because I want to be there 100%.
You want to optimize your time on the courts and in the tournaments, as well.


(via www.rolandgarros.com, photo/AP Photo)

Fernando Gonzalez - Roland Garros 05. June Interview