Q. What are your emotions right now? You're in the quarterfinals, but a tough way to go through.
GILLES SIMON: Well, you never want to win like this. It's already strange when it's another player, I mean. But when it's a friend like Gaël it's more difficult.
I don't know. I have a quarterfinal to play in two days, and I just have to focus on this.

Q. Did you speak to him after the match?
GILLES SIMON: Yeah. He has a pain, I don't know where, just in the arm. It's hard for him to hit the forehand.
What can I say?


Q. Even before he got injured, the first set was a bit of a strange match. Not a lot of power; a lot of slicing, moving around. Is that because you know each other's game so well?
GILLES SIMON: Yeah, I think it's just for this. I know what he doesn't like to do, and it is the same for him. That's why it seems maybe a little bit strange during some points.
But I can't win against him if I just play my game as usual, because he really likes to run right, left, right, left, every time. It's just useless against him. That's why I just wanted to play slower than usual, just to try to attack then, because I wanted to have a speed difference.
But sometimes I know that there were so many points very long, just backhand and backhand, pushing the balls right after [sic] to the net.
But, well, we just want to win the match, so I did what I had to do.

Q. Do you worry about how that sends you into the next game? Having played a match like that, will that affect your game and timing?
GILLES SIMON: No, it's not a problem. I just did what I wanted to do. As I said, I can play faster than this, I know. I will play faster than this the next match.
But that was the way I wanted to play, so...

Q. You must be proud to be in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, though.
GILLES SIMON: Yes (smiling). I'm very happy, of course. I think I have an interesting match in the next round. I think it's going be hard for Fernando to win today because he's very tired, but we never know.
But if it's Nadal, I just want to enjoy this match like the last one.

Q. Will you match any of Nadal/González?
GILLES SIMON: I don't know. I really think Nadal's gonna win (smiling). Yeah, I think it's going to be him. I just have to wait, and I have one more day to have my tactic, even if I know it already.
I prefer to play ‑‑ I think I prefer to play against Nadal. I prefer to play the No. 1 always. That's funny (laughter).

Q. Do you have some specific tactics in your mind if it's Nadal?
GILLES SIMON: Yes. I have to run five hours to win. I have no choice (laughter).
Usually I think that it's easier to play against them because you really know what you have to do. You just have to do a perfect match to win. If it's not perfect, you lose.
It's easier when you get into the court. It's easier to stay focused on the match because you know that every point is important.
Well, just have to be perfect to win. So I prefer to play in that way.

Q. How different will you feel facing Nadal again perhaps in this tournament compared to last year when you faced him here? You've changed a lot as a player. How different is your approach now mentally maybe?
GILLES SIMON: Yeah, the approach is different because I just did it once, so it's easier for me. When you get into the court, you just want to win always. Last year when I played against him, that was not this already.
I wanted to play a good match, but when I had a chance to finish the first set finally, yeah, I didn't play to win the match. I was just enjoying to be on the court, playing beautiful points, but that was it.
This time it's gonna be different because I just want to win. I don't care about my level.


(via AO Tennis Championship 2009, photo/AFP/Getty Images)

Gilles Simon - Australian Open 26. January Interview