Nu, n-am dispărut, doar ne-am mutat!

La fileu s-a mutat cu arme şi bagaje pe Facebook, unde petrecerea continuă! Sunteţi invitaţi să contribuiţi cu ce vă lasă inima: un comentariu, o poză, un like. Vă aşteptăm!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/La-fileu/139418946090184?ref=tn_tnmn

Indian Wells: Ce mai zice fetele?

Să intrăm direct în subiect.

JJ vorbeşte despre părerea celorlalţi despre ea şi despre toată vrăjeala cu "gândirea pozitivă" când tu joci ca naiba.

Q.  The local newspaper here took a poll on the likely women's winner here, and only about 10% of the persons who responded picked you.  What kind of chance do you give yourself?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  Do you think I care?  (Laughter.)

Q.  No.

JELENA JANKOVIC:   It's the same like, you know, some people are gonna like my dress; some people not.  So it's like, you know, if I really focus on what other people are gonna think, I'm not really gonna go too far. To be honest, I don't really read newspapers, and especially not about myself.  I read about other things.

Q.  We all liked your dress.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  No, just kidding.  I'm just making a joke.

Q.  Can you be a happy person if you're not playing your best tennis?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  You know, on the court, not, obviously. I don't think anybody can really enjoy, when you're playing really badly on the court. I don't know one person, no matter how positive you are, that you're gonna be really enjoying it and having a smile on your face.  You hit the ball like for the 100th time out, you're gonna be, "Ah, nice.  Keep doing that."   That's the reality.  Actually, you try to be positive, but it's hard.

Ana explică care e situaţia cu antrenorul ei part time, ce deal are cu Novak, şi ce-a făcut în Las Vegas.

Q.  So Darren is going to be consulting with you a little bit, or was it a temporary thing of going to Las Vegas?

ANA IVANOVIC:  Well, Europe was really cold, and I wanted to keep practicing outside, so I was thinking of coming to America anyway.  So then I just thought I'd go to Vegas, and there were some other players there and Sorana was there, so it was nice to hang out. Andrea Petkovic as well. So it was nice to spend some time there and also work with Darren. 

Q.  So you did a lot of gambling, went to shows?

ANA IVANOVIC:  Yeah, exactly.  I gambled all my money.  (Laughter.)

Q.  Have you and Novak agreed you're going to go to each other's every single match now?

ANA IVANOVIC:  If that's what it takes to win, I won't complain.

Q.  He even brought his coach, too.

ANA IVANOVIC:  We're all good friends, so they're super funny, and they're really relaxed.  Actually, I can learn a lot from how they approach things, and it was great to see him there.  I actually didn't think he was gonna come.  He said, I'll come and watch to return the favor from Melbourne.  I was like, Sure.  He said, Really.  Leave me a ticket.  Then when he came, I couldn't believe it.

Anyway, I think for guys it's much worse watching women's tennis than us watching men's.

Q.  He looked a little stressed at times.

ANA IVANOVIC:  It was pressure.  He won Australian Open and I had to play for him. 

Q.  You don't have a full time coach, but you have a sparring partner and Darren helped you.  Are you consulting with him or pretty much out there on your own making your own decisions?

ANA IVANOVIC:  No, I consult with Darren, and I worked with him in the past.  He knows my game and he knows the history as well.  That's why I think he can help me.

A big part of hiring someone new is going through the process of getting to know each other.  And if you work well together and so on, it takes time for certain things to come into place.  That's why it's great to have him here.  He understands.  He comes to practice when he can, and it's not like stressed and like I have pressure that he needs to be in every practice.

I have my sparring partner that talks to Darren a lot, and they discuss what I have to do.  But, you know, Darren comes when he needs to, and he gives me some good tips.  It's good. 

Q.  Are you in the process of looking for a coach, or are you...

ANA IVANOVIC:  Not at the moment.  Not at the moment.  Its been kind of a roller coaster, so I'm just happy how it is at the moment with my sparring partner there.  And, you know, he's great guy and we have lots of fun hitting, and that's what it's about.

Q.  What's his name?

ANA IVANOVIC:  Olivier Morel.

Q.  Is he French?

ANA IVANOVIC:  Yes.

Q.  Can you explain to me the difference between the coach and consulting?  I'm not quite sure if I know the difference.  He sounds like a coach to me.

ANA IVANOVIC:  Yeah, well, that's what he is, but he's not there the full time and he can't give me advice when I play adidas girls.  That's the difference.

Q.  Thank you very much.

Masha filozofează despre etapa actuală a carierei sale, noua rachetă Head şi noul antrenor, vorbeşte despre cum au virusat-o ruşii, şi cum s-a simţit ca un star rock la meciul demonstrativ organizat de Nike.

Q.  What's your feeling in this stage of your career?  Does it feel like work and a chore in any way, or is there a real joy to it and a freshness still? 

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  I think it's pretty tough to go on a tennis court thinking that it's a chore.  It's pretty difficult on its own, because you obviously have to work on a lot of things in your game, and go through other things off the court. I have a new coach and new racquet.  So you're working on those things, and you're trying to build. I like the work ethic that Thomas has brought on the court.  It's worked on a lot on many different areas of my game, and it's a whole different ball game when you go into a match. That's what I've lacked for many months now, and I just really hope that I can play a lot of matches.

Q.  I know you developed a lot of patience after the shoulder surgery, because you had to, being out.  But when you got sick at Fed Cup and you got back on the plane and you realized you couldn't play Paris, Dubai, or Doha, were you saying, Oh, my God, I can't believe I have to go through this again?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Yeah, that was a bummer, but I just knew it was gonna happen, because when you come into a country and 50% of the people are sick in the city and you're playing in a stadium, you know, with thousands of people, I mean, there's a really good chance you're going to get something.  I just got it pretty bad.  Yeah, I was out for a couple of weeks. 

Q.  One of the great things about tennis is we have all these cycles.  We always come back here or Paris or London.  But earlier this week you went up to Eugene.  Can you describe what it's like, what it was like up there to play in front of a fresh crowd?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Yeah, so energetic, and it just felt alive. We were introduced onto the court from walking down stairs.  And with the whole inside being dark and only you're walking alone down the stairs, you feel like a rock star. You know, I felt like the opening act to U2  playing before Roger and Rafa.  I was like the Blackeyed Peas.  (Laughing.)  It was really fun. I have been with Nike for so many years., from being a young girl when they didn't make clothes in my size and they never had a junior line and I had to wear things that were twice as big and rolling up my skirts.

Q.  Do you have to show yourself now, let's say the next couple of months, that, Yes, I put in the work, have a new racquet, a new coach, I can still produce good results and really good tennis?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Well, I know I can produce good results.  I wouldn't be here. But I'm pretty realistic in terms of knowing that I'm not just going to come out of nowhere and all of a sudden, you know, feel like everything is well and I'm winning matches easily.  I'm not gonna have any hiccups in the matches and not go through tough opponents.

 

Dinara mărturiseşte că s-a gândit serios să se lase de tenis după AO,  şi cum au ajutat-o mama ei, noul antrenor şi Marat.

Q.  When you left Australia, you were frustrated with how you played and how things went.  Were you sure that in a month, maybe two months if you kept working hard, that your tennis would come back?

DINARA SAFINA: After Australia there was a moment I came to Moscow for the Fed Cup.  I said to my mom I'm retiring.  I said, I don't want any more of this. Because for me it was tough, because I knew that I'm gonna start next week with a new coach. And, like, it was a moment that was going in my mind, Will I be back?  

Q.  What did your mother say to you when you said that to her?
DINARA SAFINA:  Well,  she said, Come on; be positive.  I said, It's not about positive or negative.  It's just I was not happy being on the court anymore. So for me, it was tough, because I love the sport.  And once you're not enjoying it, you struggle, you know.
So I change it around to practice, and really like David, he was really positive every time, because there were moments in the practice I would go down.  He's like, Come on; keep it up; let's work hard.  I mean, thanks God it's paying off.

Q.  Have you ever dealt with anything like that before where you've been that far down that you felt like it wasn't fun anymore?
DINARA SAFINA:  I was down, but not that down, you know.  I was down, but still my ranking was 20.  

Q.  You talked about before not discussing tennis with your mother.  But it seems like this time you went to her when you weren't feeling good and talked to her, not just about personal things but about tennis, too.  Can you talk a bit about that?
DINARA SAFINA:  Well, that moment I felt like she was the person who knows me, you know.  That I could really speak out what I have deep inside.  I knew it would also hurt her, but  I said, I cannot keep it anymore inside.  So I went to her.  Then I think she was the closest one for me.

Q.  Can you tell us what the new coach has brought to you since you started working together?

DINARA SAFINA:I think he started to put me back in the track the way I should to play.  I went away from my game completely, and he's trying ‑‑ of course we still didn't have too much time to work, but at least day by day he is forcing me to be again aggressive, because he knows that's the way of my game.

Q.  Is one of the reasons you're having problems with your serve is because last year you had to adjust the serve because of the back pain?
DINARA SAFINA:  Well, honestly, I changed the motion because of the hip.  Because after my back, it went into my hip.  I was so painful, my hip, so I could not serve. And then after the US Open I was practicing one week with my brother, and he told me, Try this serve. And since then, maybe the motion is not perfect, but at least I have no pain. If I go now to practice, I will not make one double fault.  But to play more matches when you're in tension, like how to control, so this I have to get used to it still.

Q.  Is your brother helping you a lot?  What kind of a relationship do you have with him now?
DINARA SAFINA:  We have, I must say, unbelievable relationship. He's really like helping me a lot, and he's behind me.  He's supporting me all the way. It was not the same when he was playing, because, you know, it's tough to come to him after the match, and he has his match and I come with my problems, you know.  So now at least he has time, and he really always like, You need me?  I'm there.  Whatever.  You need to practice, I help you.  I do whatever I need to help you.

Q.  Last time you played Maria, who you are going to be playing, was 2008 French Open, which was shortly before she underwent her surgery.  You guys have kind of shared a lot of ups and downs together.  Just talk about your feelings about playing her and the rivalry and long history between you two, similar age.
DINARA SAFINA:  Well, yeah, it's another tough match.  I just see her.  She's another athlete.  She is also coming back from an injury, but she's a little bit higher ranked than me, just hundred spots.  (Laughter.)

Kim crede că să chemi antrenorul pe teren în timpul meciului nu e foarte util. Dar poate fi distractiv.

Q.  Before the start of the third set today, your opponent called for her coach.  I'm wondering when you hear that if you might not say to yourself, "I got her".  She doesn't know how to proceed.
KIM CLIJSTERS:  I do think that sometimes, to be honest.  And I sometimes even wonder, Why do you need your coach right now?  You're beating me.  Just keep everything going the way it's going.
Yeah, that's why I'm also ‑‑ you know, I think the rule is ‑‑ it's fine if players want to use.  But I will never use it, just because I think you will learn more out of a match when you can deal with it yourself.
Even if you don't deal with it, you learn more from it. So that's why I'm not a big fan of the coaching system.  I understand.  I mean, when I'm watching a tennis match and I see a coach who goes out there, I think it's fun to hear. Even what happened in Australia with Jarmila Groth, whenever her husband/coach were arguing, I mean, that's when I love it.  You know, that's the funnest part about it.

It's nice to kind of get the advice, but it's not like you don't know it.  You know what I mean? A lot of times people who sit on the side of the court see something, but I'm more of a feeling kind of person.  That's also the feedback that I'll always give, is how I felt out on court. That's why I like to deal with it with myself, because I'm the only person who's feeling how I'm feeling out there at that moment.

Caro vorbeşte despre şcoală, prietenii ei, şi cum e diferit tenisul masculin de cel feminin. Iar cangurul australian a fost înlocuit de căţelul californian. Yay. 

Q.  Do you still talk to some of your friends from school days?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI:  I do.  I do. I have a lot of friends also from kindergarten.  I think it's very important to keep in touch with those friends.  You know, they see you as the person you are and not a tennis player, not the person you are on court.  Actually, most of my best friends, they have no clue about tennis.
So that's nice, as well.  You know, it's like, Can you teach me the score?  I'm like, No.  Okay.

Q.  Are some of them in university, and are there times when you think ‑ and I know you're successful and you like tennis ‑ oh, maybe it would have been nice to go to university when I was 18, 19, 20?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI:  Yeah, there are some of them going to university.  I have a few friends who are actually traveling the world at the moment, so they are ‑‑ I think they are in India.  I think they're coming to the U.S. next week, so I tried to get them down to Miami.
Yeah, I have a few friends that work, that goes to work now, and of course when you hear about, watch the movies with the college experiences and everything, you know, it looks cool.
But I still have that opportunity after I finish or taking some courses.  But of course it will never be the same.
But again, I'm happy about the things that I have chosen in the lifestyle I've chosen, because, I mean, not a lot of people can say that they love what they do.  They can travel the world and they can live from their hobby.
So I have a lot of possibilities after my tennis, as well.

Q.  You practice with men regularly.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI:  Yes.

Q.  Do you feel like on the ground that there isn't that much difference between the power men and women use?  Main difference is in the serve?  Or do you feel like groundstrokes is quite a bit of a difference?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI:  I think it's different.  I think the men play with a lot more spin.  They play with a bigger margin over the net.  Maybe it doesn't seem so fast when it comes to you, but once it bounces, it just goes away. Of course, they are stronger.  They're faster than us, there's no doubt about that.  And they have a better serve.  If I play just from the hand, I can win tiebreakers, I can win to 11.  But, you know, there's no chance to do that if you serve.
And also, the men, sometimes they just think differently.  Sometimes we can panic when we get a shot and we don't really know what to do with it.  They just place the ball.  They know then that they can expect this and that. And I think that's what we can learn from the men, as well. 

Q.  We finished a project on BNP last year.  The women were very close to the men on groundstrokes.  The men were 2.2 seconds between hits, and the women were 2.5 seconds.  So the women were just 300 milliseconds off the groundstrokes behind the men.  So they're closing in on the men on speed off the ground.  Do you recognize that when you see them play?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI:   It's tough to say. I never played a real match against a man, and I don't really want to because I like to win, so I like the way it is.  (Smiling.)

Q.  Have you found any kangaroos in the parks around here?
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI:  Unfortunately, no.  I found a dog, but it didn't bite me yet.

Un an nou fericit de la Indian Wells!

A venit primăvara! (poate dă săptămâna asta vreo ninsoare sau îngheţ, ceva, că intru în depresie). Şi cu această ocazie, a început şi anul în materie de tenis. Nu mai ştiu cine zicea, cred că sensei Tignor, că Australian Open pare mai degrabă ultimul Slam al anului anterior decât primul al anului curent. Chiar dacă are loc în ianuarie, vine în continuarea toamnei şi iernii de hardcourt, pentru că extrasezonul, scurtat ba de Davis Cup, ba de demonstrative, mai că nu există. Şi după AO, să spunem lucrurilor pe nume, top 5 nu prea mai joacă timp de o lună, până la Indian Wells, luându-şi o pauza mai lungă decât extrasezonul oficial. 

De fapt, toată chestia asta cu noul an care începe pe 1 ianuarie, pe un frig de n-ai chef să începi nimic, mi se pare complet nepotrivită. Ca să fac o paranteză, şi să mă dau mare cu vasta mea cultură, în civilizaţiile precreştine noul an se sărbătorea de 1 martie, adică de Mărţişor, când se mai încălzea p-afară şi îţi ardea şi ţie de sărbătorit. Păi nu? Precreştinii nu erau deloc fraieri.

Ce vreau să spun, în afară de faptul că urăsc frigul, este că pentru mine Indian Wells, primul Masters 1000 al anului, dă startul sezonului de tenis pe bune.

Partea proastă pentru noi europenii e diferenţa de fus orar. Pentru că, imediat după frig, ce detest cel mai mult e lipsa somnului, (sunt o burgheză fără pic de spirit de aventură) nu voi vedea decât meciurile de dimineaţa sau cele de seara foarte târziu la ei. Asta e. Dacă nu venea Copernic cu teoria lui cum că pământul e rotund, şi rămâneam la ce-a zis Ptolemeu, cum că chestia e plată plată, nu mai aveam atâtea probleme cu diferenţele de oră...

Până acum meciurile transmise la ore rezonabile la noi n-au prezentat nici un interes pentru mine, deci las analizele profunde pe seama voastră, a fanilor dedicaţi care stau noaptea să vadă meciurile interesante. Iar eu mă voi concentra pe conferinţele de presă, care au avantajul că pot fi citite la orice oră. Şi pentru că sunt burgheză şi pe deasupra elitistă, mi se pare normal ca toată lumea să ştie engleza.

Ryan Harrison, unul dintre juniorii americani talentaţi care încearcă să facă tranziţia spre ATP. După victoria în 3 contra lui Chardy, a avut de zis nişte lucruri foarte înţelepte despre strategie în tenis şi ce sfaturi a primit de la Andy Roddick:

Q.  What would you say your greatest strength is?  And to improve one or two things, what are the one or two things?

RYAN HARRISON:  A lot of guys have a breaking point, I guess.  I never have ever reached a point in a match where I said, "Forget it, I don't care".  I think that's a huge asset for me.  I think that I have a variety.  I can play with my forehand, play with my slice backhand, and I can come over my backhand a lot.  I look to serve and volley  whenever I can.  I guess that's the positive thing about my game.

The negative thing about my gave is the fact that I do have options, because sometimes I get to a point where I get confused and I don't know what to do in any given moment. For example, I'm serving out this match, and I'm going, "Okay, it's 5 3, 30 40.  Do I want to serve and volley on this, because I know I can do that, or do I want to serve and stay back, because I know I can do that?"

An experienced tour player will have something that they know they want to do.  You see Fed, he's gonna hot that serve and look for a forehand.  He's gonna crush it. You have guys like Sampras who knew they were going in no matter what.  Everyone has the thing they're doing.  I'm still trying to figure out what I need to do on big points.  It's an asset to have options, but something that can also be confusing.

Q.  What's the best single piece of advice you've gotten from a tennis person you know?
RYAN HARRISON:  Andy Roddick has been incredible when it comes to talking to me about matches and just general advice.  I think one of the most important things that has stuck with me is Andy has always told me: you have 10% of the time when you're feeling great, 10% when you're feeling bad, and the 80% in there that makes your career.

That's a huge piece of advice he's given me.

 

Rafa despre cariera lui de jucător de dublu, Roger, şi cum să vezi mereu jumătatea plină a paharului chiar şi când ai multe puncte de apărat:

Q.  You played doubles so well.  Why bother with singles?
RAFAEL NADAL:  Better.  I think I play better doubles, no?

Q.  What makes Roger special for you as a person?  Why do you like him? 

 RAFAEL NADAL: What can I say about Roger?  I said everything 100 times.  But if you want me to say another time, I think he's a normal person, and that's the most important thing, no? 

We love competition, but we understand outside competition is the relationship of outside of the court.  Doesn't affect nothing on our performance on court.  That's the most important thing.  At the end, we have a good connection together, and that's why we are always open to do exhibitions or events for our foundations or anything together

Q.  So you're No. 1 now.  What is your goal for this year since you already are on the top of the game?
RAFAEL NADAL:  The goal is the match of tomorrow. 

Q.  The clay court season is approaching quickly.  That's the surface where you're the dominant figure.  A lot of ranking points to defend for you.  What are your thoughts about that?
RAFAEL NADAL:  Is the same like every year.  (Laughter.)

Q.  Do you like the challenge?  You like that challenge?
RAFAEL NADAL:  Even if I like or I don't like, that's what's gonna happen.  Always the same.  I don't have to defend points, because every season start from zero, and I am focused always.
For me here, I defend semifinals; and if I do quarterfinals, my approach is am I losing points?  No.  I am for sure having more points than before.  So I don't believe about defend points or not.  You know?  I believe in play well and try to win.  You play well, you have chances.  If you are not playing well, doesn't matter if you don't defend nothing or a lot.  You not gonna win. 

Novak despre noul lui statut de cel mai în formă jucător al momentului, Twitter şi Facebook,  şi acrobaţia secretă pe care ne-o pregăteşte:

Q.  So if you hear people say, Novak is the player to beat now, would you disagree with that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC:  (Smiling) I like to hear that

Q.  Can you talk about this tournament, your feelings about it, and also any thoughts on last night's player party?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC:  First question was?  Because I heard just player party.  (Laughter.)

Q.  You just recently got Twitter.  Do you like having Twitter?  Who do you follow on Twitter?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC:  Yeah, I went crazy about Twitter and Facebook.  I don't know. To be honest, I always wanted to have my privacy, and some things in my private life I don't like to talk about too much.  So, you know,  I was never kind of against but never for, as well , the social networks.  But right now there is no choice.  (Laughter.) But I like tweeting and updating my Facebook page.  I do it quite regularly now, but more with some unusual, nontennis things.  Just something funny. 

Q.  You've played all over the earth.  Now there is word out that you may play up in the sky.  What's the story about that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC:  Oh, yes.  You wait and see.  We have interesting video coming up for Miami.  It's something that I think no tennis player has done it still

Q.  Have you lost your sanity?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC:  You will see.  I can't talk more than this, otherwise I will get fined.  (Laughter.)

Milos Raonic despre cum a hotărât cu antrenorul să dea mai încet primul serviciu doar ca să aibă şansa să între în nişte schimburi de mingi :), despre recent câştigata celebritate şi despre filozofia în tenis şi în viaţă învăţată de la părinţi.

Q.  You had quite a kick on your second serve.  Did you feel like that was throwing him off a bit and he was having to hit it back to you from...
MILOS RAONIC:  I've always been sort of able to serve well, but even through the whole practices of this week, it's always been mostly focusing on the second serve, not going for as much on the first serves, and sort of getting a chance to play more points, getting a chance to work on a few more things. Me and my coach, we both believe it's the necessary step to develop and to progress and to improve.

Q.  You have been really successful lately.  Do you feel like you have any pressure coming into this tournament to be more successful?  What are your goals? 

MILOS RAONIC: I don't focus so much on results because you don't know what can happen.  Just sort of pointless in a way to try to control the outcome when you don't really have that much of a control.  I just try to focus on things I can control, and my progress and development is one of those things. 

Q.  With this incredible run of yours and all the attention and the teleconferences and press conferences and hoopla, what's been the one thing that's surprised you the most in this recent period?

MILOS RAONIC:  How much of sort of a respect and a response I get from the crowd.  It means a lot. Makes the tennis a lot more fun. I respect the sport.  I respect my opponents.  I respect the crowd.  It's nice to see that they're respecting me, also. This respect is amazing, because I was always brought up to be morally correct and as respectful as can be.  It's nice to be getting sort of that kind of feeling in return.

Q.  You mentioned this is your job, and obviously dealing with the media is part of that.  How much have you enjoyed the media spotlight in recent months?
MILOS RAONIC:  I like it.  I don't shy away from things.  I think I can speak well.  I think I get my ideas across very well.  It's been a great outlet for internationally to sort of get known and to get this kind of recognition.You have to be good at these kind of things, and you have to know that these things are going to help you. 

Q.  In tennis of course, unfortunately parents are often known to just push, push, win at all costs.  You said you were brought up with a moral sensibility, moral quality.  Talk about your parents, who I understand are both quite educated, and what morals did they teach you?

MILOS RAONIC:  The biggest moral that they taught me and they taught my family is respect.  They taught it to my brother, my sister, and myself.  My sister is teaching it now to her kids, to my niece and nephew.  Respect, work ethic, don't take anything for granted. 

Andy Roddick despre Jim Courier (noul căpitan al echipei americane de Cupa Davis), Novak Djokovic (care era de faţă), Twitter, cum presa exagerează totul, şi filozofia lui în tenis şi viaţă. A, şi e de acord cu Rafa referitor la apăratul punctelor.

Q.  What makes him (Courier) so good?
ANDY RODDICK:  Well, you know, it's all that.  You know, he's certainly very smart, very articulate, and understands the game of tennis.  You know, there is a select percentage of people who really get all aspects of tennis, and he's certainly one of them.

Q.  Just talk about Novak's year a little bit.  He hasn't lost a match since London.
ANDY RODDICK:  Get out of here because they're asking me a question about you.  This is awkward.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC:  Follow me on Twitter!

ANDY RODDICK:  You never say anything funny.

Q.  Do you think he's taking a big jump just even this year winning Australia, winning Dubai, winning Davis Cup?
ANDY RODDICK:  Sure.  Listen, I think you guys deal in extremes a lot.  I don't think it's ever as good as it seems.  And when he was struggling two years ago and you guys said he doesn't belong in the top 10 with the way he's playing. I didn't believe that either.  I'm certainly never going to count out Roger, Rafa; I still think Murray is going to win.  I feel like I have a shot, given the right conditions and everything. He's playing great tennis right now.  He's full of confidence.  What he's done this year so far is a hell of an effort, that's for sure.

Q.  Where are your enthusiasm levels for the game at the moment?

ANDY RODDICK:  No, that's something that doesn't really waiver for me.  You know, I get a lot of questions a lot of the times, and for me it's simple:  I don't think I'm going to ever apologize for my career.  I think it's perfectly within the realm of my possibility to play because I love playing, and I really enjoy the in day in and day out, and I like working.  I like this whole process.  The lows are bad.  The highs are great.  That will never change. You know, my kind of general respect and the fact that I realize I live a pretty charmed existence, I don't know that that ever really waivers.

Q.  You said you have no regrets in your career.  You have a huge voice on Twitter.  Do you have any regrets of the things you have to say on Twitter?
ANDY RODDICK:  Oh, daily, yeah.

Q.  Obviously you had a very good Indian Wells and a great Miami last year, so this month or the next three weeks is going to be important for you.  Talk about that.
ANDY RODDICK: You can look at it as I have to play this month for this month last year, but I had a crappy eight months after that, so, you know, it shakes out over the course of the year. I'm not going to get too high, too low.  I've never been one who gotten stressed out over defending points.  If it goes down in flames, then I have the entire year of average results to get it back. I know I've consistently proven that I can get there at the end of the year.  I think you look at your body of work over the course of the year, not over the course of three weeks.

În postul următor, fetele.