The Mischa Zverev interview that follows is from the German wild card’s press conference following his 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(3) victory over sixth-seeded Jurgen Melzer at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle today.
Zverev will face Benjamin Becker, who beat second-seeded Nikolay Davydenko today, for a place in Saturday’s semifinals.
Q: When did you realize that you still had chances today?
ZVEREV: When I broke him back in the second set. He was 3:2 up and I stopped thinking and suddenly I got the break and it was 3-3. Then, I thought if I serve through I might be lucky and get to the tiebreak and then anything can happen. Then, I thought for the first time that things could go in my favour. But also in the first set, at 1-1, I already had one or two breakpoints but did not use them. But I think I served quite well in the first set, except for the game when he broke me. I was also 30:0 up and suddenly he made four points. Afterwards I held my serve quite comfortably. Looking at the statistics now I think that I was that inferior. Just a few easy mistakes, I was a bit unfocussed and lacked match practice. That’s why I lost the set.
Q: Is it easier for you as a leftie to play another leftie?
ZVEREV: I don’t really know since I’m not a right hander. It is said that lefties have a bit of an advantage because they are quite rare on the Tour. So, the serve come with a different slice. Everything is exactly opposite. You just need to prepare yourself, especially mentally. You need to know how to build your game. If you prepare yourself properly everything is possible.
Q: So was that a real highlight today after the long break due to injury?
ZVEREV: Especially the last months weren’t that good. I think it was one of my best matches in the past twelve months. My last good match was here against Berdych last year. I arrived here last Tuesday and got some good preparation.
Q: What does it mean that you made it to the quarters?
ZVEREV: It means that things are going further. And it means that the work is paying off, that I am on a good path, that I am practicing properly and good and hard. I hope to play as well in Wimbledon and make a few points. It would also be important to transfer my performance to clay in Stuttgart and Hamburg. That would be great.
Q: Your forehand was very good. Did you also have that impression?
ZVEREV: It was better than before. Whenever I got nervous it got worse. I made a few important points on my forehand and it wasn’t a real weakness as before. I worked a lot on it. You need to work a lot. Some have talent and some have both. If you have talent, you need to work, if you don’t have any talent, you need to work even harder. I don’t want to say that I don’t have any talent (laughs), I just want to point out that some people are born with a forehand and others have to work hard for it.
Q: Who do you expect next round?
ZVEREV: Both won a match, so they are in good shape. Benni Becker is always dangerous on grass, serves well and has a good forehand. Davydenko builds his game from the baseline, takes the ball early and moves you around. Therefore, grass might not be his best surface, but still, he is very dangerous.
Topics: Benjamin Becker, Breakpoints, Favour, Four Points, Gerry Weber Open, Highlight, Jurgen Melzer, Last Tuesday, Leftie, Long Break, Match, Mischa, Nikolay Davydenko, Quarters, Right Hander, Tiebreak, Twelve Months, Victory, Wild Card, Zverev
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