F. Lopez - Day 7 Monday, June 27, 2005 Q. Did that feel as good to you as it looked to us? FELICIANO LOPEZ: I think it was an easy match. I don't think Mario played as good today. He maybe was a little bit nervous, not serving as he's serving usually. From my part, I play a great match. I serve very good; I play my best strokes today from the baseline. I return good. So for me was a great match. Q. Did you sense right from the start that it wasn't quite right for Mario? There was something wrong? FELICIANO LOPEZ: Yeah, a little bit since the beginning of the match he was not serving like with confidence, no? He was doing many double-faults. But, you know, something happens. It happens to me also sometimes when you don't find the way to play yourself. Well, I'm quite happy, no, because he played -- he didn't play his best level and I play my best level, so... Q. They say that a serve-and-volleyer can't win this championship. What do you say to that? FELICIANO LOPEZ: I think they say today is in quarterfinals now. No, I'm serving good. I'm playing good volleys also. But the only thing I have to think is to focus in the next round, which I'm going to play probably Lleyton Hewitt, which is one of the best players in the world - even more on grass. He's a grass specialist, I think. He won the tournament here. So I don't want to think in semifinals or finals, I just want to focus on my next round. Q. It's very unusual to see a Spanish player serve and volley so well. How has this come to you? FELICIANO LOPEZ: This is the way I play, no, since many years now. Probably I'm not the typical Spanish, no? But I like to play from the baseline as well, no? But for sure, one of my best weapon is to come in and to serve and volley. Q. Do you think that aces as a statistic are overrated for success at Wimbledon? FELICIANO LOPEZ: What do you mean? Q. Some of the players that have the highest aces are losing in the tournament; it's not such an important statistic. FELICIANO LOPEZ: Well, the thing is that when you serve ace, for sure you win the point. But sometimes, for example, for me I'm not serving that many aces, but I'm serving good percentage, and then I win the point with the volley, no? So it depends of the game, no? For me, especially for me, I didn't serve that many aces in this tournament, but I'm serving very good, no? So, for example, if you see Karlovic, for sure he's playing 51 aces, but he lost the match. But is not that important only the ace; it's also important the way and where you serving to play the next shot. Q. You've now beaten a couple of top seeds. Are you starting to think that maybe this is a tournament you could get farther in? FELICIANO LOPEZ: No, as I said before, I'm going to play probably Lleyton Hewitt, which is one of the best players in the world. For sure now I'm quarterfinals, no? It's easy to dream. But, you know, I just want to play the next round as well as I did today and try to play my best tennis, same I've been doing to this week, and that's all. Q. How do you rate your chances against Hewitt? FELICIANO LOPEZ: Well, for sure it's going to be a tough match, no? He is one of the best players in the world. He's returning unbelievable. He's playing today against Dent, which is a guy who is serving and volleying all the time, as I'm doing. Well, it's going to be tough, no ? today, as the day before, as always. Probably with him you have to be all the match there because he's fighting every ball. But, you know, I'm going to try my best tennis and hopefully I'm going to go in the semis. Q. Will you play any differently from the way you played today? FELICIANO LOPEZ: If I have to play the same way as I played today? Q. Will you play the same way? FELICIANO LOPEZ: Yeah, I will try. I have to play my tennis, no? Doesn't matter which is the opponent. Q. If Dent were to win, how do you see that match? FELICIANO LOPEZ: Against Dent? Q. Yes. FELICIANO LOPEZ: Similar than the match of today, no? Serving and volley as Mario, as I'm doing also. So it's going to be quite different match. If I play Lleyton, it's going to be different. Q. Do you like your chances better against Taylor? FELICIANO LOPEZ: Probably a little bit. But it's not only for the game, no? It's because of Lleyton, he played many quarterfinals of Grand Slam, no? This is a very important thing also. Q. Are you feeling more comfortable with the surroundings now? Last week you walked off the wrong way. Are you getting more used to being here and playing in big games? FELICIANO LOPEZ: Yeah, this is because why I play in Court 1. It was my first time against Safin. I didn't find the way to go out of the court. No, but now I know everything here. Q. You know your way around okay, yeah? FELICIANO LOPEZ: Yeah, it's okay. Q. You have a very good record here compared to the other Grand Slams. Why do you think that is? FELICIANO LOPEZ: Because of my game. I think I have a good game for grass, better than clay, better than any other surface. That's what I think, my serve and volley is good for this surface. That's why I'm playing good always here. Q. How much grass did you play before you started playing at Wimbledon? FELICIANO LOPEZ: First time I played on grass was my first Wimbledon actually. I reached the fourth round. After this tournament, after my first Wimbledon, I realize that I can play good on grass. Q. Do you feel pressure on your shoulders or are you able just to relax as somebody who maybe is more of a dark horse? FELICIANO LOPEZ: No, I don't feel any extra pressure, no? I just try to play every match as good as I can. This is very important for me. For example, now if you will see tomorrow all the newspapers, they will talk about my match, probably because I think it's 33 years already that there was no Spanish guy in the quarterfinals here. So it's probably one thing that makes the people dream a little bit, no? But I don't like to dream, no? I just going focus on the next match and try to beat Lleyton Hewitt or Dent, that's all. Q. Are you pleased that you're not having to worry about the doubles? Does it give you more chance to focus on being in the singles now? FELICIANO LOPEZ: Yeah, maybe a little bit, no? When you won your singles match, the next day you used to have a day off. I've been practicing yesterday a little bit. We went for dinner in London. We've been quite relaxed, no? Maybe if we play doubles yesterday, it would be different, no? I'd be more tired today. Q. Where did you go when you went out in London? FELICIANO LOPEZ: We've been in a Spanish restaurant, very nice one. Q. Do you know which area of the London? FELICIANO LOPEZ: Kensington. Q. Would this be your favorite tournament now, Wimbledon? FELICIANO LOPEZ: Yeah, sure. -- Political,opinionated,energetic and determined. You've triumphed over tragedy and proved that nothing can stop you. Stay beautiful,darling! --

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