Malek Jaziri – Press Conference
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. What are your thoughts on that one?
MALEK JAZIRI: It’s tough one. I was not ready today physically 100% like I wanted. I gived everything on the court. I put a lot of energy to come back second set. 4-1, I had a few opportunities. I went down a little bit physically.
I think he make me play every ball. Every time one more ball, one extra ball on the court. Not easy to play a player like him. Every time you have to push more, to go forward to the court, to make winners. He don’t make lot of mistakes. Not easy to play guys like that if you’re not ready physically, I think.
Q. What is your biggest takeaway from this week?
MALEK JAZIRI: I mean, I took a lot of confidence from this week. I need to build all the positive things from this week, to continue for positive energy, positive way to work. Hopefully I will make even hopefully good season this year.
Q. Would you say it’s been the best week of your career?
MALEK JAZIRI: Yeah, in 500. It’s my best result in ATP 500. I did already in 250. First time 500.
I played good tennis. I tried to be aggressive today, you know, to give everything on the court. I mean, he was playing very good today. He’s a very solid player.
When I had the opportunity, I was not there today. 4-1, 4-2, I was serving, I was not there. Have few mistakes. It’s not easy. You have to, like I said, keep physically. It’s not easy.
But I take the positives way.
Q. What do you think you did right this week? What are you most proud of?
MALEK JAZIRI: Yeah, I mean, I’m proud I won lot of matches. Tunisians, lot of people, I make them happy. I can see in the face. For me, as well, I took a lot of confidence from this week mentally and tennistically as well. I gived energy to my team, as well, to work harder for the season, to put good objective to make great season, as well.
Q. The crowd was almost like a Davis Cup crowd. How did that make you feel? You don’t get the opportunity that often.
MALEK JAZIRI: Yeah, it’s good to feel that. Like I said, physically I was not ready 100% today. I mean, they pushed me. They pushed me. I was up 4-1. If I keep my serve on 4-2, maybe it will be another match. 4-All, he come back. Not easy.
If it was maybe one set all, with the crowd, with the positive energy that I tooked, with the confidence, maybe can be another match.
It was a great opportunity for me, a great match to win, but this is tennis. That ball to come back into the match, it was out like this, and the last serve as well was out, his serve. Even if I congratulated him, he told me, Sorry, it was out. Bad luck.
Q. Who said it was out?
MALEK JAZIRI: Even him.
Q. The player?
MALEK JAZIRI: Yes. Told me, I’m sorry. It was out, the serve.
But it happened. It was not my day today.
Q. Choose your challenges wisely.
MALEK JAZIRI: Sometimes you use it for stupid balls. It was that ball today.
Q. You’re back in the top 100, probably top 80. How does that set you up for the rest of the season?
MALEK JAZIRI: Like I said, give me confidence to play more relaxed little bit. You know that you will be, like, in the Grand Slam main draw, give you more opportunities. Even ATP, next entries in the Barcelona ATP, Monte-Carlo. Maybe if I play a few weeks better, I have a chance as well.
It’s a good opportunity to get some points. If everything goes good, take it from the best way.
Q. You said you’re going to challengers, not to the States?
MALEK JAZIRI: Yeah, I’m going to play challengers.
Q. Where?
MALEK JAZIRI: In China.
Q. How do you adjust your mentality from this?
MALEK JAZIRI: It’s not easy. You have no choice. I didn’t expect to play here like this. I was playing every day, fighting every day. Was tough beginning of the year. I decide to play some challengers, to play more matches, to create more confidence, to feel good in the court. I didn’t play a lot of matches, so I didn’t win a lot of matches the beginning of the year. I need more matches. I decide with my team to play more points.
We’ll go to China. We’ll go fight.
