Mardy Fish
Państwo Stany Zjednoczone
Miejsce zamieszkania Tampa, Floryda
Data urodzenia 9 grudnia 1981
Miejsce urodzenia Edinie, Minnesota, USA
Wzrost 187 cm
Masa ciała 81 kg
Gra praworęczny
W roku 2000 w wieku 18 lat został profesjonalnym tenisistą. Początkowo grał w małych turniejach. W 2002 razem z Andy'em Roddickem zwyciężył w Houston. To było jego pierwsze poważne zwycięstwo.
W 2003 wygrał swój pierwszy pojedynczy turniej i zakończył rok jako dwudziesty w rankingu tenisistów świata.
W 2004 przegrał finał olimpijski w singlu na Olimpiadzie w Atenach.
W 2007 po pokonaniu w I rundzie Ivana Ljubičica osiągnął ćwierćfinał singlowego Australian Open 2007, w którym uległ Andy'emu Roddickowi, 2-6 2-6 2-6.
W styczniu 2008 razem z Sereną Williams zdobył Puchar Hopmana 2008.
Prywatnie przyjaciel A-Roda, świeży żonkoś zdaje sie poza tym.
http://www.tennisnews.com/exclusive.php?pID=27614
Mardy Fish bez trenera. :D
Stać go na lepsze wyniki, ale prawie zawsze zawodzi
Sezon 2009 w liczbach
Ranking: 55
Tytuły: 1 (Delray Beach)
Finały: 1 (San Jose)
Bilans spotkań: 21-17
Zarobki: $662,937
AO - 3 Runda
RG - 1 Runda
WM -3 Runda
US -
Fish Sends Murray Crashing Out
With his serve firing on all cylinders, Mardy Fish sent defending champion and third seed Andy Murray crashing out of the Sony Ericsson Open Saturday. Fish fired 10 aces and won 82 percent of points on his first serve to hand Murray his first opening-round loss in 11 months, just one day after second seed Novak Djokovic was upset by Belgian Olivier Rochus.
“No doubt [it’s one of the best wins of my career]. He's a Grand Slam finalist this year already and his results speak for themselves,” Fish said. “It's a great win. Certainly had to serve well, and I did when I needed to. Got me out of some jams there late in the match. Had I think three break points against, and hit aces on every one of them or unreturnables on every one of them. Little lucky in that aspect, as well.”
Watch Live Online From Saturday
Murray, who led 3-1 40/0 in the first set, paid tribute to Fish’s clutch serving, but added that his own game fell short of expectations.
“Mardy served well when he needed to, especially the second set when he was down break points he served well. But I just wasn't very good today, and I'm gonna need to get a lot better… if you leave the ball short in the middle of the court, it's very easy for guys to attack and be aggressive. You don't get away with playing that way against guys that can serve well that are difficult to break and play very aggressive on the return."
Fajne zwycięstwo, oby jeszcze raz się pozbierał po kontuzjach i jeszcze raz spróbował zaatakować rejony Top-30. ;)
#4) Newport 2010
1R: Michael Russell (USA) 6-1 6-2
2R: Somdev Devvarman (IND) 6-2 6-0
QF: Frank Dancevic (CAN) 6-7(6) 6-4 6-4
SF: (Q)Richard Bloomfield (GBR) 7-6(5) 6-4
W: (4)Olivier Rochus (BEL) 5-7 6-3 6-4
Osiągnięcia na dzeiń dzisiejszy:
Tytuły singlowe (4):
2010 (1) Newport (Outdoor/Grass)
2009 (1) Delray Beach (Outdoor/Hard)
2006 (1) Houston (Outdoor/Clay)
2003 (1) Stockholm (Indoor/Hard)
Finały singlowe (11):
2010 (1) London / Queen's Club (Outdoor/Grass)
2009 (1) San Jose (Indoor/Hard)
2008 (2) New Haven (Outdoor/Hard) , ATP Masters Series Indian Wells (Outdoor/Hard)
2007 (1) New Haven (Outdoor/Hard)
2004 (3) Athens Olympics (Outdoor/Hard) , Halle (Outdoor/Grass) , San Jose (Indoor/Hard)
2003 (3) ATP Masters Series Cincinnati (Outdoor/Hard) , Nottingham (Outdoor/Grass) , Delray Beach (Outdoor/Hard)
Z której strony na to nie patrzeć, przegrał dużo więcej finałów niż ich wygrał. :D
Fast-Rising Fish Captures Fourth ATP World Tour Title In Newport
Mardy Fish lifted his fourth ATP World Tour trophy (4-11 final record) at the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport on Sunday.
The fifth-seeded American hit 24 aces past No. 4 seed Olivier Rochus of Belgium for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 victory in two hours and four minutes. It was his first grass-court title after three runner-up finishes on the surface.
“It means a lot to win now on every surface in my career – indoor, outdoor, hard, clay and grass,” said Fish. “I’ve certainly lost a lot of heartbreak finals, and it feels good to win one.”
By capturing his first tour-level title since March 2009 at the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships, Fish will jump around 30 spots to No. 49 in the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings on Monday.
The 28-year-old Florida resident picked up a cheque for $75,700 and earned 250 South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking points, while 29-year-old Rochus received $39,780 and 150 points.
The first set went with serve to 5-5 when Rochus broke and converted his second set point opportunity to clinch the 45-minute opener. Fish had hit seven aces and dropped nine service points.
At 1-2, Rochus fell to 15/40 and was broken by Fish, who maintained the advantage and hit his 15th ace to win the second set in 30 minutes.
Fish broke Rochus at 4-4 on his fourth break point opportunity of the third set with a forehand volley winner. The former World No. 17 was then forced to save two break points before closing out his 23rd victory of the season on his second championship point.
“I was feeling really good on the court,” said Rochus. “It was just one or two points. The last two games were so close. I had two break points [at 4-5], game points at 4-all. It’s just like this. When it’s that tight, one has to win. But Mardy was pushing hard at the end and his serve was really good, so maybe he deserved it a little more.”
Fish, who set up both of his championship points with aces, said: “I served great, and I needed to for sure. I served great when I needed to in that last game… If I didn’t come up with those [aces] he probably was going to break me eventually.”
Over the past 10 months, Fish has dropped 30 pounds in weight due to a strict diet and training regime with trainer Christian LoCascio. Last month he finished runner-up to Sam Querrey at the AEGON Championships, another ATP World Tour 250 grass-court tournament, in London.
“In that spot and that atmosphere, it was tough to swallow,” Fish said of the loss at the Queen’s Club. “I wanted to play this match on my own terms, figure out a way to win it or lose it on my racquet.”
World No. 65 Rochus, who did not drop a set en route to his eighth ATP World Tour final (2-6 lifetime), was the first Belgium in tournament history to contest the championship match.
Steve Darcis was the last Belgian titlist at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis in February 2008.
Fish triumphs in Newport
Fifth seed Mardy Fish captured his fourth career ATP World Tour title Sunday afternoon, as he rallied past 4th-seeded opponent Olivier Rochus in three sets, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.
Mardy Fish took home top honors at the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Championships on Sunday following his three-set victory over Olivier Rochus. The 28-year-old American, making his second appearance in a grass court final this season, rifled 24 aces en route to a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 success in two hours and four minutes. Fish, who won his 23rd match of the year, improved his record in finals to 4-11. With the championship victory, the Tampa resident will move to world No. 59 on Monday.
After splitting the first two sets, both players held serve until the ninth game of the decider. Fish missed three opportunities to break, but converted the fourth to lead 5-4. The American faltered serving for the title, forced to save two break points. Fish regrouped to close the match on his second championship point of the match.
"It means a lot to win now on every surface in my career – indoor, outdoor, hard, clay and grass," said Fish. "I’ve certainly lost a lot of heartbreak finals, and it feels good to win one. I served great, and I needed to for sure. I served great when I needed to in that last game. If I didn’t come up with those [aces] he probably was going to break me eventually."
Fish ended the day with 15 of 16 service games held and 89% of his first-serve points won.
#5) Atlanta 2010
R32 James Ward (GBR) 6-1 6-2
R16 Robby Ginepri (USA) 6-1 7-5
Q Taylor Dent (USA) 6-3 6-0
S Andy Roddick (USA) 7-6 6-3
W John Isner (USA) 4-6 6-4 7-6
Brawo Mardy, uznane marki na liście pokonanych w Atlancie ;)
metjuAR napisał:
Brawo Mardy, uznane marki na liście pokonanych w Atlancie ;)
Hehe, faktycznie, prawie sami Amerykanie. Jakby zamiast Warda był Blake (wszak takżę James :D) to byłoy jeszcze bardziej okazale. ;)
Fish catches Atlanta title in oppressive heat
Mardy Fish won his second straight title by outlasting fellow American John Isner in brutal heat, 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-4) in the ATP Atlanta Championships.
The 49th-ranked Fish followed up title success at his prior event, the grass tournament this month at Newport the week after Wimbledon.
The match win was the ninth in a row for the inspired American, who came through in just under three hours in blistering 37 Celsius degree conditions.
"It feels great. This is what I've been putting in the work for. I feel as good as I've ever felt in my career,'' said Fish, winner of his last 10 matches and a winner of two tournametns in a year for the first time in his career.
"Playing in the heat, you have to convince yourself you feel better than the other guy, even if you're feling it. I struggled at the end of the match. I wasn't used to the weather as I had played at night.
"I felt great until about five-all in the third set, but I didn't want to leave anything out there. I was maybe a little lucky to pull through. It was a extremely physical match with all of the heat. He's no fun to play. He gives a lot of people trouble.
"My confidence is really high right now.''
Second seed Isner, winner of the longest match ever played in the sport when he won in the first round at Wimbledon, may still not have totally overcome the mental physical drain from that 11-hour contest a month ago.
Isner remains on one title this season, obtained at the start of the season in Auckland.
"Conditions were brutal again,'' said Isner. "The first hour was the hottest. It took a lot out of both of us. I've never played in conditions this hot and humid.
"We were both just scrapping it out. This is the third final this year that I could have won. It's disappointing - four finals this year and I've lost my last three.
"I know that sooner or later it will happen - I'll make sure of that. It stinks to lose this tournament.''
The second seed was unable to put the match away after winning the first set with the break of serve which counted at the end after missing on his first five.
But Fish, playing in the faster daytime conditions which speed up the court and ball, managed to find his rhythm in the second as the heat began to war down big man Isner.
Floridian Fish profitted as Isner struck a double-fault to set up a set point, which Fish grabbed to square the sets at one each.
The sixth seed went up a 3-1 break in the third set only to lose it a game later. As the last set wound into a tiebreaker Fish's form again began to lift.
The winner over top seed Andy Roddick in the semi-finals earned a 4-1 margin, held off Isner and earned three match points as Isner hit a tired return long.
Fish advanced to victory on his second chance on a concluding unforced error from his weary opponent.
Fish lost around 15 kilograms last autumn as he recovered from knee surgery and the results has been a vast improvement in his game and fitness.
He now stands 16-2 on the ATP since the start of June after earning a finals spot on grass at Queen's club but losing to American Sam Querrey.
Fish pulls out of Los Angeles
Reported on July 27, 2010
After winning two straight titles in Newport and Atlanta, Mardy Fish has pulled out of Los Angeles citing fatigue and an ankle injury.
"I need to rest in order to compete at a high level," said Fish, who will be replaced in the draw by a lucky loser.
Fish’s Strong Play Continues
MASON, Ohio — Just as one American tennis player is surging, another may miss the United States Open. Mardy Fish continued his blistering summer play, winning for the 14th time in his past 15 matches, beating Richard Gasquet on Thursday to advance to the star-studded quarterfinals at Cincinnati.
But John Isner, who won the longest match in history at Wimbledon, may miss the Open after turning an ankle on Wednesday night. He retired from the match, left in a walking cast and his status is uncertain for New York.
“It’s been a strange summer,” his coach Craig Boynton said Thursday.
Another American hope, the 2003 Open winner Andy Roddick, slipped into the quarterfinals on the strength of 26 aces during a 6-4, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (5) victory over fifth-seeded Robin Soderling.
Things turned testy during the second-set tiebreak when Roddick vociferously complained that Soderling, unsure if a call had been overturned, took too long to challenge. Roddick aimed his agitation at the umpire through the match.
“I was probably a little frustrated with him and a lot frustrated with myself,” Roddick said during a televised on-court interview. “Unfortunately there’s no one else to talk to.”
Roddick, recently bumped from the ranking’s top 10 and unaccustomed to being seeded ninth, plays No. 2 Novak Djokovic on Friday. Djokovic beat the resurgent David Nalbandian, 6-1, 7-6 (7).
Top-ranked Rafael Nadal escaped a match point during a second-set tiebreak, beating back the upset bid of France’s Julien Benneteau, 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-2. Roger Federer, seeded third, never took the court, advancing when Philipp Kohlschreiber withdrew with a shoulder injury. No. 4 Andy Murray edged Ernests Gulbis, 6-7 (8), 6-3, 7-6 (5).
Murray, the winner of last week’s event in Toronto, faces Fish, a wildcard entrant who has lost just once since a second-round exit at Wimbledon. He won at Newport and Atlanta, beating Roddick and Isner along the way, and beat No. 8 Fernando Verdasco this week. Murray, who won at Toronto last week and said he is fighting fatigue, would be Fish’s biggest catch.
A Leaner Fish Hungers for Open Success
MASON, Ohio – The burger joint taunted Mardy Fish.
“I stare out the window from my hotel at a place called ‘Five Guys,’ Fish said the other day. “That’s incredible food.”
A year ago, Fish might have succumbed to the temptation. But this is a different man – in both mind and bulk. And now, shed of 30 pounds from the weight he has carried most of his career, he might finally be considered a viable contender at the United States Open.
Fish, 28, has long been a solid player on the men’s tennis tour – good enough to make the main draws, rarely able to make much of a racket at major tournaments. But knee surgery and a dedication to a better diet a year ago have changed Fish, ranked 36th and now in possible position to secure one of the Open’s 32 seeds.
His 170-pound frame has a spryness that has added an intriguing dimension of quickness to his all-around game. It has helped him become one of the best players of the summer, winner of two tournaments (Newport and Atlanta) and 15 out of 16 matches.
On Friday, in the heat of the day at the Cincinnati event, Fish beat fourth-ranked Andy Murray for the third time this year in a sweaty, tight match, 6-7(7), 6-1, 7-6(5). It was the third top-10 player Fish has beaten in the past month, and lifted him to Saturday’s semifinals, where Fish awaited either Novak Djokovic or Andy Roddick.
Murray won last week in Toronto, and played a daily succession of daytime matches here. Between points against Fish, he often looked more anguished than usual, bending over to catch his breath or wincing as he limped around the court. He often dropped his racket and put his hands on his knees. After losing the second-to-last point, he fired a ball out of the stadium and received a warning from the chair umpire.
Fish, the crowd favorite, displayed no such drama.
“I don’t get tired as much with 30 less pounds than I did before, so I’m able to do a lot more. I’m able to train harder and train longer, you know — train for more hours, even days before matches, weeks before tournaments, things like that. So as far as affecting my mobility, it’s been everything. I mean, it’s night and day. I feel extremely good on the court, on and off the court. I feel like a completely different player.”
It allows him to be even quicker at the net, a large part of Fish’s arsenal, and he is now better built to chase balls along the baseline. The lost weight has not cost him much strength; he still wields a healthy 130-m.p.h. first serve.
In winning at Atlanta, Fish beat Andy Roddick and John Isner, two higher-profile and higher-ranked Americans. In the second round at Cincinnati, he beat No. 8 Fernando Verdasco with the help of 18 aces.
Change came a year ago, when Fish missed the United States Open because of knee surgery. He said it was the lowest point of his career. Sensing his tennis mortality, he was determined to make a late-career push with a newer, slimmer self.
He last played the Open in 2008, reaching the quarterfinals, where he lost to Nadal, after not getting beyond the second round in eight previous appearances.
A similar run looks increasingly plausible. Fish, by shedding weight, has shown that less can be more.
Znakomity turniej Mardy'ego i świetna gra w finale. Miło patrzy się na tak agresywny i pełen polotu tenis, zwłaszcza uwagę zwraca ogromny luz, wręcz nonszalancja, z jaka Amerykanin uderza piłkę. W dobie tłuczenia na spiętych pośladach, miło jest widzeń kogoś z naturalnym talentem do gry. Oby taka forma towarzyszyła mu w kolejnych występach
Szkoda Fisha. 3 finał Mastersa i 3 przegrany w bardzo dramatycznych okolicznościach, po wyrównanej 3-setówce.
2003 Cincinnati: 1-2 do Roddicka (Mardy miał 2 MP, oba Roddick obronił asami)
2008 Indian Wells: 1-2 do Djokovicia
2010 Cincinnati: 1-2 do Federera
Do tego przegrany w 5 setach finał IO w Atenach. GDYBY udało się wygrać połowę z tych spotkań to dorobek Ryby byłby naprawdę niczego sobie.
Oby Amerykanin utrzymał taką formę do końca sezonu.
--------------
http://blog.gvtnews.com/2010/08/22/mard … px?ref=rss
American Mardy Fish has withdrawn from Pilot Pen Tennis due to fatigue.
Fish wycofał się z NH, jedyna słuszna deyczja.
http://www.mardytennis.com - oficjalna strona Mardy'ego.
US Open - Fish in frame for US Open run
American Mardy Fish put himself firmly among the challengers for the US Open, his defeated opponent and compatriot Andy Roddick said.
Since Wimbledon, Fish has won at Newport Beach and Atlanta and narrowly lost to Roger Federer in the Cincinnati Masters final.
Even though Fish, who enjoyed his only victory over Federer the last time they met at Indian Wells in 2008, lost the final, Roddick believes he has earned the right to be considered a real contender at Flushing Meadows.
"You're going to have the normal cast of characters as the favourites and then that next kind of tier of four or five guys and I think Mardy has played himself into that discussion," Roddick said. "I think with this week I've kind of put myself back in that discussion."
Roddick will re-enter the top 10 in next week's rankings after reaching the last four but Fish has flown up the rankings and will be 21st, even if he loses Sunday's final.
In the guide to current hard court form in North America, the US Open Series rankings, only Britain's Andy Murray is above Fish, who agrees with his old school mate and friend that he is in the frame at the US Open, which begins on August 30.
"I think it's fair to say. I've won a lot of matches this summer, more than most guys," Fish said. "You know, the US Open Series, there's no better way to judge than that. I think I'm pretty high up that list.
"I feel great, I've done some things that I have never done in my career and won more matches this year up to this point than I ever have.
"I have a great opportunity to improve my ranking to where I've never been before."
US Open. Mardy Fish wśród faworytów. Wszystko dzięki... diecie
Mardy Fish od lat należy do czołówki amerykańskich tenisistów, ale w wieku 28 lat osiągnął życiową formę. W lipcu wygrał dwa turnieje pod rząd, a w Cincinnati, będącym próbą generalną przed US Open przegrał dopiero w finale po zaciętej walce z Rogerem Federerem. W ostatnim tegorocznym turnieju wielkoszlemowym należy do głównych faworytów. A wszystko dzięki radykalnej diecie.
Najwyższe miejsce w karierze w rankingu ATP, siedemnaste, Mardy Fish osiągnął w marcu 2004 roku jako 23-latek. Od tej pory (z kilkoma przerwami spowodowanymi przez kontuzje) utrzymuje się w pierwszej setce na świecie, ale już od dawna Amerykanie nie wiązali z nim nadziei na kontynuacje wielkich sukcesów Andre Agassiego i Pete'a Samprasa. Fish pozostawał w cieniu Andy'ego Roddicka i Jamesa Blake'a a ostatnio także Johna Isnera i Sama Querrey'a. Wszystko zmieniło jesienią zeszłego roku.
Koniec z pizzą i cheeseburgerami
Mardy Fish doszedł do wniosku, że ból lewego kolana który dokuczał mu od paru miesięcy jest spowodowany nadwagą i postanowił zupełnie odmienić swój tryb życia. Według słów zawodnika decyzję o przejściu na dietę podjął dokładnie w dniu operacji kolana, czyli 28 września 2009 roku. Kto wie, czy data ta nie zapisze się tym samym w historii amerykańskiego tenisa.
- Mógłbym zawsze jeść cokolwiek bym chciał, i może co gorsze, kiedykolwiek bym chciał. Cheeseburgery i pizzę. Rzeczy których profesjonalny sportowiec nie powinien jeść. Miałem po prostu złe nawyki żywieniowe i nie wiedziałem, co jest dobre a co nie. Myślę, że byłem świadomy tego co jadłem, ale przekonywałem się, że wszystko jest ok. - zwierzał się Fish.
Tenisista zrezygnował z wszelkich fast-foodów i przestał jeść po 18.30. Wystarczyło. W styczniu, po czterech miesiącach od ostatniego oficjalnego spotkania, Fish wrócił na korty odmieniony. Na Australian Open przyjechał chudszy o dziewięć kilogramów. Do lipca stracił kolejne 4,5 kilo. - Nawet nie myślałem, ze mam do zrzucenia 30 funtów - przyznał Amerykanin. - Czuję się świetnie, jak zupełnie inny zawodnik - dodał. Mierzący 188 centymetrów zawodnik w ciągu dziewięciu miesięcy zbił wagę z 90 do około 76,5 kilograma. - Patrzę na swoje zdjęcia z kortu i porównuję z nowymi. "Nie mówcie mi, że tak wyglądałem!" - żartuje Fish.
Życiowe sukcesy
Zmiana przełożyła się na wyniki. Już na początku sezonu Fish doszedł do półfinałów w Sydney i Derlay Beach, ale naprawdę wystrzelił w lipcu, kiedy triumfował w dwóch turniejach pod rząd: w prestiżowej imprezie na trawiastych kortach w Newport a następnie w Atlancie, gdzie w drodze po tytuł pokonał najmocniejszych obecnie rodaków Andy'ego Roddicka i Johna Isnera. - To szczyt mojej kariery. Nigdy nie wygrałem dwóch turniejów w ciągu roku, a teraz wygrałem dwa turnieje pod rząd. Nigdy nie miałem serii dziesięciu wygranych meczów - emocjonował się Fish po turnieju w Atlancie.
Fish wśród faworytów US Open
Na tym jednak nie poprzestał. Na turnieju Masters w Cincinnati, będącym próbą generalną przed rozpoczynającym się w poniedziałek US Open Fish doszedł do finału, gdzie po emocjonującym meczu przegrał 7:6 (7-5), 6:7 (1-7), 4:6 z Rogerem Federerem. Po drodze pokonał Fernando Verdasco, Andy'ego Murray'a i Andy'ego Roddicka. Nie umknęło to uwadze ekspertów. W nadchodzącym US Open bukmacherzy wyżej niż Fisha oceniają szansę jedynie Federera, Murray'a i Rafaela Nadala, mimo że Amerykanin jest obecnie na 21. miejscu na świecie a rozstawiony jest z numerem 19. - Z pewnością gram najlepszy tenis w życiu - komentuje Fish, który wkrótce obchodzić będzie 29 urodziny, a więc osiągnie wiek w którym wielu graczy przymierza się do przejścia na emeryturę.
Strzeż się Novak, odchudzony Fish będzie czekał w IV rundzie :D
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. What happened to you out there this afternoon?
MARDY FISH: I won. (Laughter.) No, these guys are good, man. You know, I started out great. I made one unforced error in the first set, entire first set. Played a bad game early in the second and he held, served well, held throughout there. 4 All in the third set he hit four winners, broke me there, and played a long game the next game and he held. Next thing you know, you're down two sets to one thinking, you know, maybe you're going home. That's not where I want to be right now, so I was lucky to turn it around and play a little more aggressive. I was playing a little too defensive. You know, lucky enough to turn it around.
Q. I know you've cited your fitness as a big reason for your success, but I'm wondering, was there ever a point in the past couple months where you wondered, have I lost maybe too much weight in order to withstand a five set test? Was that a thought? And if so, what did today tell you?
MARDY FISH: No, it hasn't. We didn't I didn't think the match was all that long. I mean, there were three sets that were really quickly or really quick. So, I mean, it was only a two hour forty minute match. Yes, it's hot. This is probably the hottest it's gonna be here. But, I mean, from what we went through this summer, what John and I went through this summer in Atlanta, I mean, it's just not even I can't tell you. It's not even close. It's not even I mean, it's 50 degrees less, I'm telling you, and no humidity, so it just feels nice. (Laughing.) It just feels kind of hot. So to answer your question, I don't think so. I mean, I haven't put myself in that position yet. I've just played a five setter in the French in the first round and then a five setter in the French in the second round that I lost 10 8 in the fifth. But I felt my body felt fine. That wasn't the reason that I lost.
Q. During the summer, can you talk about the motivating factor in your decision to go on the diet?
MARDY FISH: Well, I had my knee surgery because I was too heavy. That was why my knees were hurting. Both knees were hurting. I mean, one needed repair and the other one was just sore all the time. I was just too heavy, flat out too heavy. So that's why I did it.
Q. Do you consider it sort of a body reinvention or career reinvention?
MARDY FISH: Probably maybe a little bit of both. I mean, career is more important to me than, you know, sort of how I look on the court. I mean, I feel like a completely different person, playing like a completely different player, and able to do things that I've never been able to do before. Hopefully it's a career thing.
Q. Do you look at pictures of yourself just from a couple years ago?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I've seen them. I look at Stacey sometimes and say, What was your problem? Why didn't somebody tell me that I looked like that? (Laughter.)
Q. Really? It's just that stark to you, the difference?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, it's really -- it looks really different. I mean, you guys would know, too. I feel so much different, as well. You know, I can look at pictures, and some pictures I might look okay and some, you know, not. Even from 2009 Wimbledon, I mean, you know, it's almost embarrassing to think about as a professional athlete or a professional tennis player. I mean, we have to be in such good shape. It's pretty crazy how I kind of got away with it for a little while, at least.
Q. What do you feel when you say you feel completely different? Try and describe what feels different.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I just feel like I can do you know, sort of do I feel healthy. You know, a lot of it has to do to be honest, a lot of it has to do with just sort of walking around. Walking around the locker room, walking around... You know, just sort of feeling confident. A lot of it's mental. You know, I want to set a precedent to the guys that, you know, I can play in the hottest stuff out here and outlast as many people as I can, you know. So I want to sort of at least try to put some sort of myth out there that, you know, that I can last as long as anyone.
Q. Is there one thing that was hardest to give up?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, lots of stuff was hard. I saw a Domino's Pizza commercial the other day that looked pretty good. That looked really good. Yeah, but I love it wasn't necessarily just what I ate, but when I ate them and times that I ate them, and, you know, days of matches and nights before matches and things like that. I miss a lot of the stuff.
Q. Does it say anything about tennis and what it takes to play at a high level that you could have been an elite player 30 pounds heavier?
MARDY FISH: Well, I mean, I think it shows that you can't do that. I think I've had some good results here and there but never sustained them, never kept I've never been, you know, consistent throughout a year, throughout an entire year. I've had, you know, a big result here and a big result there at the end of the year, a final of Indian Wells and something in Delray Beach, but then nothing for five months because I was injured or not feeling well or not playing well. So I think that speaks volumes to what you need to do in this sport to be, you know, at a high level, is that you have to be fit to want to be consistent.
Q. How did your new physique and your new mental state affect today's match in your mind?
MARDY FISH: It's huge. I mean, it's absolutely huge. I can feel how the other guy's feeling. I can see that, you know. I can see that he's struggling to move out to his forehand even, you know, early in the fourth set, even when he won the third set. You know, so I felt great. I mean, I felt fresh. It's a good feeling, you know, sort of to wear down a player and know that all the hard work that you put in just paid off right there.
Q. Was this a match you would have lost before?
MARDY FISH: I don't know about this one. I think a lot of the matches that I've won this summer, it's a lot easier to play when you're winning, a lot easier to, you know, sort of play mentally at a high level when you're winning a lot of matches, too. You know, I think in the long run, yeah, I probably wouldn't be in that position. But I haven't won very many five set matches throughout my career apart from this year, so it's tough to answer yes, you know.
Q. Why didn't you do it sooner, like a couple years ago?
MARDY FISH: I mean, I never -- I always wanted to be in better shape. I've always worked hard. You know, I just kind of would go until I got tired, and I got tired really, you know, sort of too quick. You know, then I just wouldn't make the right choices as far as what I was eating, and a lot of it was, you know, that I wasn't educated enough on some of the good, you know, some of the things that I needed to do. A lot of it is maturity and getting older, you know, sort of getting married and realizing that you don't you're just not out there for yourself anymore. You can be pretty selfish as tennis players, being an individual sport. You know, Stacey travels a lot with me, and she's part of it. You know, you want to do your best. You want to make as much money as you can while you can and do some try to do some cool things while you can, because it's not going to last too long.
Q. Coming off the third set, you had to be thinking, No way can I lose this match given all the results I had this summer.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, it was a scarey position to be in, no doubt about it. Sitting there in the changeover, I wasn't thinking, you know, No way can I lose this, because guys can beat anybody. But I just didn't want to sort of go out kind of playing like I was playing. I mean, I wanted to play a little more aggressive, to say the least. You know, I knew that it was still a long ways away. Still has to win a whole set. I was close in those couple sets, you know. But, yeah, you're absolutely right. I mean, this is a new position for me, you know. It's new sort of to have a lot of expectations, have a lot of people talking about you. It's a new spot for me, and it's where we want to be, you know, for sure. But I'll have to get used to it. (Laughter.)
Q. You've had two slam quarters before. You've come into tournaments playing well. I would think as well as you're playing now, a slam semi isn't completely out of the question, huh?
MARDY FISH: No, I don't feel like it is. That being said, I've never done it. And then on the other hand, like I said before, I mean, I feel like a completely different player. I mean, I know that I am. So how far that takes me, I have no idea. But, you know, I've never been fitter and never been mentally as strong. I've never wanted it more, and so hopefully that goes a long way.
Q. Couple years ago I think you lost a five setter here early on. We were talking about your career, and I used the word, "journeyman" which you weren't very happy at the time. But now that you've had this resurgence, were you concerned that it was going in that direction? Thankfully now that there has been this a resurgence, and you said you were happy with the higher expectations, but you can't go under the radar screen anymore. Is that also...
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, it's just different. It's where you want to be. I've put in so much work this summer, put in so many hours this summer, you know, playing in tournaments, playing matches, and fighting through matches that I wouldn't have won before. I never would have beaten Murray three times in a row before, you know, years past. Yeah, I have been I have gone into slams and come out disappointed a lot. You talk about the Robredo match, I lost 6 4 in the fifth and I was up 4 1. I remember it, because, to be honest, I was feeling some cramping coming on and my body just kind of gave out. I don't want to be in that position anymore. I hope that I'm not. You know, who knows? Who knows what it will be this year.
Q. You have been talking about this before, but a big part of our sport, so mental, is belief. You've have had really a breakout season. It's a long ways away, but in your gut, do you think you can win this thing, go all the way? Talk about that, and belief.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, I haven't shown that I can beat the top players in three out of five sets, because it's much different than two out of three. But coming off a tournament like Cincinnati, you know, every guy that I played there was either in the top 10 or was just in the top 10. Every single player all the way from Simon to Gasquet, you know, those guys weren't in there. They'll be back there, you know. So I played Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and doubles, as well, three times. You know, so I feel like physically I can do it, and that's really important. I've never felt like that before. But maybe you'll have to ask me if I'm still sitting here next Wednesday. You know, I mean, I don't -- I know that I can beat those guys in two out of three sets. I know that I can beat them, but I haven't shown it in three out of five. So I'd like to do it once and then answer your question.
Q. Jimmy Connors said earlier today that your situation was kind of a better late than never scenario. Are you okay if that's kind of the truth? Are you not somebody who is going to look back with any regret?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I get asked that question I have got asked that question quite a bit this summer. Why didn't you do it before? I mean, that was me, you know. Just really hard to it's really hard to try to dwell on, you know, some of the mistakes that you've made in the past. I'm not even saying they're mistakes, because I've had a great life. I've had a lot of fun. I've got great friends out here that I've made throughout the years. So, you know, that was who I was when I was, you know, between 20 and 26 years old. Yeah, I did make some decisions then that I probably wouldn't make now. Yeah, I did. I mean, I definitely made some bad choices. That's long gone, long gone. I just want to, you know, use these next three, four, five years, however many I have left, to see how far I can go. I've got an unbelievable opportunity now from Newport, you know, the 12 month calendar from Newport, to get into the top 10. That's where I want to be.
Q. Talk about the support your wife has given you and gives you. There was a belief with Borg and McEnroe where they kind of dovetailed after getting married, and that married life would kind of takes away the competitive spirit and your focus. You seem to have the opposite experience.
MARDY FISH: I really do. I really feel like it's added a ton. Like I said before, I've been really selfish over the years just, you know, because it's just such an individual sport. I mean, you have guys on your team, coaches and trainers and things like that. But, you know, it's really hard to think about them when you're 4 All and in the third of a match and you want to dig it out. You're thinking about yourself. That's just not the case anymore with her, and to be honest, with them. It's sort of a transformation of realizing how much work my trainer, Christian, puts in and has put in over the past couple years, how much the USTA has invested in me in letting me share David Nainkin, a coach who is also coaching Sam Querrey. So there's a lot of people I've realized that want me to do well and want to put in a lot of work for me to be in that position. I realize that now.
Q. Do you look up to her in the stands for support? Is it something that you...
MARDY FISH: Maybe. Not too much -- I try to look at the coach during the match. I can glance at her every once in a while.
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. I noticed that you had 14 aces throughout the match, but you only had 52% first serve percentage. What else did you do right out there today?
MARDY FISH: Well, I competed well. You know, he started out great, really sort of uncharacteristic to what I thought he was going to play like. I never played him, practiced with him, played him in doubles, none of that, or seen him play all that much. You know, I knew he was sort of a typical slow court player, and he took to the hardcourts really well in the beginning. I was sort of surprised how aggressive he was playing. So I kind of fought hard to stay just a break down, to be honest, in that first set. I figured that hopefully I could weather this as long as I can, and eventually, you know, he'll maybe come down to earth a little bit. He gave me a few points there in that 5 4 game and the 6 5 game to allow me to win that first set, which was huge, because the weather, it was pretty hot. So, you know, the first set is huge in this type of weather.
Q. Any other shots in particular or parts of your game that may have won you some points specifically?
MARDY FISH: I mean, I think I was pretty solid throughout from the baseline, much more aggressive than with my first round. I thought I played better than my first round, as well. I think my legs won me a few points in the end of that first set. You know, I felt -- physically I felt great throughout the match, and I knew he was sort of struggling there a little bit, I could tell.
Q. You made the quarters here a couple years ago. Is there a sense of house money? You seem so relaxed in the big spots as you were today.
MARDY FISH: Um, I mean, this is a scenario playing, you know, these first few rounds in a tournament, in this tournament, that I'm not used to much. There's a lot of people that have talked about my summer and how well I've played. To be honest, I felt like I've been the underdog most matches in my career. This is the spot that I want to be in. You know, you want to be the favorite and winning a lot, so I think my summer that is changed a lot of that. But I have played well here the past couple times that I've come. So, you know, I've got a really good opportunity, you know, from the 12 month calendar year from Newport, you know, sort of the start of Newport -- or I feel like that was the beginning of, you know, maybe a 12 month run that I can try to get myself into the top 10. I have a really good opportunity. I didn't play -- obviously I didn't play at all last year. Still have four or five zero pointers on my ranking that will come off. I'm excited.
Q. It just seems weird. This is your 10th US Open, and to find yourself in that spot 10 years out.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, and I've come in a couple times having played well in the weeks prior to the Open, 2003 and 2004. I played well in Cincinnati in 2003. I was 21 years old at the time, so people, you know, talked a lot about me then. Then 2004 after the Olympics, people talked a lot there. I didn't handle it well. I learned from it, obviously. I've learned from even my first round match here to, you know, like you said, just be a little more loose, have a little more fun, and enjoy the spot that you're in.
Q. Is there a greater satisfaction knowing what it takes to do all that and having gone through all of that to be where you are?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, certainly the experience helps a ton with that. I've been in a lot of positions in my career, but I've never put myself in a Grand Slam sort of as a guy that people talk about to really, you know, really do well here.You know, I've come in under the radar. The two quarters I made I was unseeded in both of them and under the radar quite a bit. This is a new -- certainly new for me, and I enjoy it.
Q. We have expectations for you, but what are your expectations?
MARDY FISH: Um, well, I'd like another crack at a top 5 player, top 10 player in a slam. I think I've beaten a couple of them in slams, but never deep into a tournament. So, you know, sort of getting yourself into winning maybe another match and getting myself into the situation of playing, you know, a Djokovic or a Davydenko or one of these guys that has been there quite a few times you know, slam in, slam out, they're going deep so to put myself in a position to play them. I certainly feel like I can hang with them.
Q. I'm wondering with all that heat and humidity if you might still be losing weight on us here.
MARDY FISH: Probably. Out there I probably did. (Smiling.) I'll try to put it back on. No, you sweat quite a bit. You've got to be real disciplined a couple days before these, all these matches, to, you know, really hydrate well and hydrate during the match. There's a lot going on to try not to cramp out there. You just never know how your body is going to react to all the sweating.
Q. Might you actually lose up to four or five pounds out there today?
MARDY FISH: Oh, sure. It's definitely possible. I weigh myself before and after almost every match.
Q. What about today? Did you go down?
MARDY FISH: Um, I did. You do, for sure. You just lose all the water weight and try to put it back on right away. It's only a couple pounds. It's nothing drastic.
Q. Tennis is obviously a sport of up and downs; everyone goes through that. Close friends with Andy. What's your read on the sort of big picture? Good spring and sort of some problems after.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, you know, I mean, he's getting himself to feeling healthy. Yeah, it's certainly disappointing to see him lose. This is his favorite tournament. It was too late for me to stay up last night, but I saw it in the morning. I mean, you sort of are bummed out for a friend and you know, you know, how badly how much he puts into all the weeks that he plays. He's certainly had a spectacular career, so there's nothing to dwell on by any means. He'll be back. He'll put in the work, and he'll enjoy his time off now, I'm sure.
Q. Do you think he could win another slam?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, he's gone through periods where he's been the best player on that, you know, on that surface during that week. You saw in the spring he was the best hardcourt player by far not by far but he was the best hardcourt player during that time. If there's a Grand Slam during that time, he's the winner. Every slam he puts himself in the position where he's physically as fit as anyone, you know, and he can handle any challenge that anyone brings. There's no doubt that you know, I'm sure in his last few years out here he'll put himself in his best position to do well at Wimbledon. Clearly that's one that he wants, and I would probably expect him to not play as much. We only played two clay court tournaments this year. But, you know, sort of cure his maybe kind of like Lendl did back in the day when he geared himself around wanting to do well at Wimbledon. So we'll see what happens, but clearly he's probably, you know, disappointed today.
Q. What are your thoughts on whether Andy plays aggressively enough when he's on the court? There was discussion after his match yesterday. His opponent said he doesn't see Andy as being the aggressor as much as he should be.
MARDY FISH: Well, I think he's I've watched some tape of him when he won the US Open in 2003. He's certainly played a more aggressive style. But I think he's fitter now than he was back then, so he can rely on his legs a little bit more now. There's clearly -- he's no dummy. You know, he's gonna play how he feels best suits him. You know, he's got a great team behind him that Larry -- they put together a game plan, and I guarantee you that's how it's gonna play. You know, that's how they think that he can best play, and he's sometimes he is the aggressor. I didn't watch much of the match last night, so, you know... But with his serve, he can be on you like lightning.
Q. The other day when you were talking you were saying how like before the weight started to come off you stopped right before you got tired. How did it change once the weight came off, and how are you feeling now?
MARDY FISH: Well, it was sort of -- I really got aggressive with my training once I was -- once I knew I was able to put in the long hours and not get, you know, injured or have nicks and bruises and things like that that come up when you're probably not in your best shape.And it really got -- it got fun. I mean, it got fun to practice. It's fun to, you know, try to outlast guys, and it's fun to see when, you know, you play a match like today and you're in the heat and you sort of crawl back and win that first set. You kind of look over in the changeover and you see the guys got the ice towel around and he's probably not feeling that well. That's why you put in the work.
Q. When did that whole process start exactly?
MARDY FISH: September 28th.
Q. You closed both of these matches pretty convincingly. Is that a part of the fitness, of the, of the confidence, are you trying to put the hammer down?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I think it was probably a lot of both. I think in both rounds guys kind of ran out of gas a little bit. I mean, it's hot. It's hot. I'm used to it. Both guys I played in the first two rounds only played New Haven. They weren't over here for Canada and Cincinnati and stuff. So I'm used to the heat.
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. I noticed that you had 14 aces throughout the match, but you only had 52% first serve percentage. What else did you do right out there today?
MARDY FISH: Well, I competed well. You know, he started out great, really sort of uncharacteristic to what I thought he was going to play like. I never played him, practiced with him, played him in doubles, none of that, or seen him play all that much. You know, I knew he was sort of a typical slow court player, and he took to the hardcourts really well in the beginning. I was sort of surprised how aggressive he was playing. So I kind of fought hard to stay just a break down, to be honest, in that first set. I figured that hopefully I could weather this as long as I can, and eventually, you know, he'll maybe come down to earth a little bit. He gave me a few points there in that 5 4 game and the 6 5 game to allow me to win that first set, which was huge, because the weather, it was pretty hot. So, you know, the first set is huge in this type of weather.
Q. Any other shots in particular or parts of your game that may have won you some points specifically?
MARDY FISH: I mean, I think I was pretty solid throughout from the baseline, much more aggressive than with my first round. I thought I played better than my first round, as well. I think my legs won me a few points in the end of that first set. You know, I felt -- physically I felt great throughout the match, and I knew he was sort of struggling there a little bit, I could tell.
Q. You made the quarters here a couple years ago. Is there a sense of house money? You seem so relaxed in the big spots as you were today.
MARDY FISH: Um, I mean, this is a scenario playing, you know, these first few rounds in a tournament, in this tournament, that I'm not used to much. There's a lot of people that have talked about my summer and how well I've played. To be honest, I felt like I've been the underdog most matches in my career. This is the spot that I want to be in. You know, you want to be the favorite and winning a lot, so I think my summer that is changed a lot of that. But I have played well here the past couple times that I've come. So, you know, I've got a really good opportunity, you know, from the 12 month calendar year from Newport, you know, sort of the start of Newport -- or I feel like that was the beginning of, you know, maybe a 12 month run that I can try to get myself into the top 10. I have a really good opportunity. I didn't play -- obviously I didn't play at all last year. Still have four or five zero pointers on my ranking that will come off. I'm excited.
Q. It just seems weird. This is your 10th US Open, and to find yourself in that spot 10 years out.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, and I've come in a couple times having played well in the weeks prior to the Open, 2003 and 2004. I played well in Cincinnati in 2003. I was 21 years old at the time, so people, you know, talked a lot about me then. Then 2004 after the Olympics, people talked a lot there. I didn't handle it well. I learned from it, obviously. I've learned from even my first round match here to, you know, like you said, just be a little more loose, have a little more fun, and enjoy the spot that you're in.
Q. Is there a greater satisfaction knowing what it takes to do all that and having gone through all of that to be where you are?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, certainly the experience helps a ton with that. I've been in a lot of positions in my career, but I've never put myself in a Grand Slam sort of as a guy that people talk about to really, you know, really do well here.You know, I've come in under the radar. The two quarters I made I was unseeded in both of them and under the radar quite a bit. This is a new -- certainly new for me, and I enjoy it.
Q. We have expectations for you, but what are your expectations?
MARDY FISH: Um, well, I'd like another crack at a top 5 player, top 10 player in a slam. I think I've beaten a couple of them in slams, but never deep into a tournament. So, you know, sort of getting yourself into winning maybe another match and getting myself into the situation of playing, you know, a Djokovic or a Davydenko or one of these guys that has been there quite a few times you know, slam in, slam out, they're going deep so to put myself in a position to play them. I certainly feel like I can hang with them.
Q. I'm wondering with all that heat and humidity if you might still be losing weight on us here.
MARDY FISH: Probably. Out there I probably did. (Smiling.) I'll try to put it back on. No, you sweat quite a bit. You've got to be real disciplined a couple days before these, all these matches, to, you know, really hydrate well and hydrate during the match. There's a lot going on to try not to cramp out there. You just never know how your body is going to react to all the sweating.
Q. Might you actually lose up to four or five pounds out there today?
MARDY FISH: Oh, sure. It's definitely possible. I weigh myself before and after almost every match.
Q. What about today? Did you go down?
MARDY FISH: Um, I did. You do, for sure. You just lose all the water weight and try to put it back on right away. It's only a couple pounds. It's nothing drastic.
Q. Tennis is obviously a sport of up and downs; everyone goes through that. Close friends with Andy. What's your read on the sort of big picture? Good spring and sort of some problems after.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, you know, I mean, he's getting himself to feeling healthy. Yeah, it's certainly disappointing to see him lose. This is his favorite tournament. It was too late for me to stay up last night, but I saw it in the morning. I mean, you sort of are bummed out for a friend and you know, you know, how badly how much he puts into all the weeks that he plays. He's certainly had a spectacular career, so there's nothing to dwell on by any means. He'll be back. He'll put in the work, and he'll enjoy his time off now, I'm sure.
Q. Do you think he could win another slam?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, he's gone through periods where he's been the best player on that, you know, on that surface during that week. You saw in the spring he was the best hardcourt player by far not by far but he was the best hardcourt player during that time. If there's a Grand Slam during that time, he's the winner. Every slam he puts himself in the position where he's physically as fit as anyone, you know, and he can handle any challenge that anyone brings. There's no doubt that you know, I'm sure in his last few years out here he'll put himself in his best position to do well at Wimbledon. Clearly that's one that he wants, and I would probably expect him to not play as much. We only played two clay court tournaments this year. But, you know, sort of cure his maybe kind of like Lendl did back in the day when he geared himself around wanting to do well at Wimbledon. So we'll see what happens, but clearly he's probably, you know, disappointed today.
Q. What are your thoughts on whether Andy plays aggressively enough when he's on the court? There was discussion after his match yesterday. His opponent said he doesn't see Andy as being the aggressor as much as he should be.
MARDY FISH: Well, I think he's I've watched some tape of him when he won the US Open in 2003. He's certainly played a more aggressive style. But I think he's fitter now than he was back then, so he can rely on his legs a little bit more now. There's clearly -- he's no dummy. You know, he's gonna play how he feels best suits him. You know, he's got a great team behind him that Larry -- they put together a game plan, and I guarantee you that's how it's gonna play. You know, that's how they think that he can best play, and he's sometimes he is the aggressor. I didn't watch much of the match last night, so, you know... But with his serve, he can be on you like lightning.
Q. The other day when you were talking you were saying how like before the weight started to come off you stopped right before you got tired. How did it change once the weight came off, and how are you feeling now?
MARDY FISH: Well, it was sort of -- I really got aggressive with my training once I was -- once I knew I was able to put in the long hours and not get, you know, injured or have nicks and bruises and things like that that come up when you're probably not in your best shape.And it really got -- it got fun. I mean, it got fun to practice. It's fun to, you know, try to outlast guys, and it's fun to see when, you know, you play a match like today and you're in the heat and you sort of crawl back and win that first set. You kind of look over in the changeover and you see the guys got the ice towel around and he's probably not feeling that well. That's why you put in the work.
Q. When did that whole process start exactly?
MARDY FISH: September 28th.
Q. You closed both of these matches pretty convincingly. Is that a part of the fitness, of the, of the confidence, are you trying to put the hammer down?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I think it was probably a lot of both. I think in both rounds guys kind of ran out of gas a little bit. I mean, it's hot. It's hot. I'm used to it. Both guys I played in the first two rounds only played New Haven. They weren't over here for Canada and Cincinnati and stuff. So I'm used to the heat.
US Open 2010 - wywiad po porażce w 4 rundzie
MARDY FISH
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. How do you feel about your run here this year?
MARDY FISH: Um, well, it's a little tough to put it into perspective this soon, but, um, it's been a great summer, obviously, for many reasons. Sort of put myself back into a position where I feel like I belong, and I put in a ton of hard work. Speaking just of this tournament, I mean, I haven't -- I don't think I've played necessarily my best tennis of the summer, but was in a position in the first three rounds, you know, sort of as the favorite of those matches. You know, in the third round of a slam, I haven't been in that situation many times, so it was nice to get through there. Novak played great today. You know, I just didn't execute. So it's been a great summer, to answer your question.
Q. You've beaten a lot of top players. What is it about Novak that's given you problems? Is it a matchup issue?
MARDY FISH: I mean, it certainly is a matchup issue. We've played a lot of good matches. I mean, we've had we played a match in Hopman Cup one year; he beat me 7 6 in the third. The final of Indian Wells was 6 3 in the third. Indian Wells just this year was three sets, as well. So we've played good matches. I felt so many times today like even off my first serves I was sort of fighting to neutralize the point. I was on my back foot quite a bit even, when I was with the wind. I think he certainly had the advantage as far as playing I haven't played on that court in two years. Man, is it different from playing on Louis Armstrong and Grandstand. There's not hardly any wind outside, and it's windy in there, really windy. For him to play every match in there and sort of get used to that I think certainly helped him. Didn't help me at all. It took me a while just to get used to sort of the conditions. Even when I warmed up this morning at 10:30 it wasn't too bad. We actually looked at the flag up at the top of the stadium, and it was dead. It wasn't moving at all.
Q. Do you think the Americans have gotten short shrift on the stadium courts this tournament?
MARDY FISH: I like Louis. Louis Armstrong and Grandstand are two of the best courts we have out here. I had 20 minutes to get ready, you know, for that. I never got a chance to get on there the practice week. You know, for whatever reason, I don't know why they haven't put us on there, but I'm sure that had nothing that doesn't mean that if I play Clément out there that I win today by any means. But it took me a while to get used to it, for sure. It's certainly a windy court.
Q. Can you predict from the way the flag is blowing where the wind is going, or is it different on the...
MARDY FISH: No, it's pretty predictable. The way that the flag is going, it's the opposite of the way the flag is going, for whatever reason. I looked at the forecast today and it didn't look like it was too windy at all. Certainly got to be the windiest court out there, for sure.
Q. Heading forward, have you set any kind of goals in terms of a ranking or results where you'd like to be at this time next year?
MARDY FISH: Well, I mean, I'm sure I'll sit down with the right people, you know, maybe after Davis Cup, and try to come up with some ranking goals and some tournament goals, like you said. Just off the top of my head, I'd love to make it into the top 10. I think there's just such a significant difference between a player who's been in the top 20 or even the top 15 and then, you know, a top 10 player. I mean, there's not many guys that have done it, and seems like most of the really good players on tour have been there, you know, just once just for a couple weeks, if that's what it is. But, you know, you saw someone like Stan Wawrinka yesterday beat Murray. He's been in the top, as high as 8 in the world. He's had a run, and people have put together runs like that. I've certainly put myself in a great position. I got 1400 points or so in the summer just in the summer, the U.S. summer. So, I mean, that alone puts you around top 30 in the world. I've got a great opportunity, and so that -- just off the top of my head, that would be a huge goal for me.
Q. How did you feel today? I mean, it looked like you were laboring a little bit at times. How did you feel on the court?
MARDY FISH: It's just, you know, you're at the end of a long summer. I haven't played many tournaments, but I played way more matches than I ever have, which is a great thing. I'm certainly not complaining, but, you know, I don't think anyone feels 100% at this point. I've got a few things that are going on, but none of which had any effect on the match. You know, so I think it kind of comes down to just a matter of, you know, trying to put together the best plan of attack to play him, and then execution. You know, because, I mean, I think sometimes I sort of get into a rut of it's so much fun for me now to be able to sort of run down shots and play a little bit of defense. I do that too much, and I'm aware of it, for the most part. But he plays defense as good as anyone, and so he's better than me at it, for sure. That was the case. I tried to, you know, get to the net, tried to stay more, you know, be a little more aggressive towards the middle part of the match. I just didn't -- I had some chances. I just didn't execute, generally. He played great. He played he kicked my butt. He played great.
Q. Do you feel like you missed an opportunity with that Love 40 breakpoint in the middle of the second set?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, that's a huge I think I was down a break at that point, as well.
Q. Yeah, you were.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, to get back on serve, maybe switch the momentum a little bit would have been huge. You come out of most matches and you think, Man, well, if I would have won this point or won that game, you know, things would have turned around in the match. It's really hard to say that with the scoreline being so one sided. But, you know, yeah, maybe that would have been a nice game to win and maybe switch the mode a little bit.
Q. I'm sure you're aware Patrick McEnroe announced this morning he will be stepping down as Davis Cup captain after the tie in Bogota. I'm wondering just your thoughts on his tenure as captain and what qualities you think are needed at the moment for his successor?
MARDY FISH: I had a great time playing for P Mac. It truly was an honor to play for him. I saw him when he took the job, I was, you know, sort of part of the mix in the beginning of my career. I saw him evolve from, you know, a rookie Davis Cup captain to a great Davis Cup captain, which is what he was now. I saw, you know, him handle players the way he handled players in the beginning of his captaincy and sort of the way he handles players now. He was extremely open to, not really criticism but, you know, handling players specific ways, not handling everybody the same way. I think he did an amazing job with that. It's a tough job in a sense that you've got to let a lot of people down, as well. Sometimes I was on that at that end of it. I felt like maybe sometimes I, you know, could have played certain ties or could have been that second singles guy sometimes. He always was really straightforward. You know, sometimes brutally straightforward as far as where I stood, and I also respected that, as well. So we had a great time. He was one of the guys when we were -- you know, during the weeks, and he will be missed.
Q. Patrick and José Higueras were up here before talking about American tennis and why there would be six Spaniards in the round of 16 and two Americans. Do you have any theories on that, about why Spain, what they do? You play these guys. Why do they do so well?
MARDY FISH: Just off the top of my head, I think that tennis is a huge sport in Spain. Clearly Rafa Nadal and Fernando Verdasco are Spain's best athletes. They're getting a lot of their you know, obviously soccer is their biggest sport, but tennis is right there. I mean, Rafael Nadal is arguably the biggest sporting athlete they've ever had. They've got -- they just keep coming at you with guys that can play on hard courts or clay courts. If I named all the guys, I'd forget three of them probably. (Smiling.) They're just unbelievably tough outs week in, week out, David Ferrer, guys like that. So, you know, these guys are their best athletes, I think. They've got a lot of people playing tennis over there, and they love it.
Q. Just to follow up on that, is there anything that Spanish players do in general that you see, any characteristic of theirs as their approach to the game, strategy or mental?
MARDY FISH: I think one of the things, if you look at, they're all in unbelievable shape. You won't come across a, you know, a top 50 Spaniard who isn't afraid to take his shirt off in practice, you know, and looks good doing it, you know. (Laughter.) They're in shape. They're physically fit. You know, they can play on all surfaces, you know. Having a high number next to your name means you have to be successful on a lot of surfaces, you know. These guys can play on clay, clearly can play on fast hard court that's here, and do well at Wimbledon, as well.
Q. Yesterday Sam said that too much is being made of the changes in your physique and the upgrade to your game. What are your thoughts right now about the changes in your game and your physique and what it might predict for the future?
MARDY FISH: Well, I can't -- you know, I don't know where it takes me. I've always said that. I'm not sure where I'll end up as far as, you know, 12 months from now coming back here, where I'll be ranked or what I've accomplished or what, you know... But I know that I feel like a completely different person. You know, I mean, I always had the ability to beat a lot of good players, but not consistently. I feel like consistently I can do it now over the long haul. And I've got to do a better job that I didn't do today. Just sort of figure out the exact strategy that I want, and I'll hopefully try to figure that out over the course of, you know, the next few months or however long it takes me to sort of find that happy medium between staying aggressive and playing defense. I'd love to -- I feel like I can play on clay a little bit now, as well. So it's, you know, Sam has a higher metabolism than I do. He doesn't know what it feels like to, you know, be overweight and then to work as hard as I did to get back to where I am now. You know, I think he's sort of trying to stick up for me a little bit in the sense that everyone's saying, Well, I've lost this weight so now I'm a good player where maybe I wasn't before. I just wasn't consistent before. I could have a result here and result there, but never consistently. So I think that's maybe what he's trying to say.
Q. Playing Djokovic, is it kind of hard to read him sometimes as far as get a rhythm because he has that sort of a sleeping giant effect where you can't really see what he's gonna...
MARDY FISH: He puts a lot of pressure on you with his movement. He's probably -- you know, he's top, you know, 3 fastest guys as far as his movement is concerned on tour. It's very hard to wrong foot him. It's very hard to win a winner from the baseline. It's very hard to get him sort of on defense. You know, you can't really rely on much as far as a game plan against him. I mean, he returns so well. He can go through stretches where he can serve really well, too, serve as well as anyone. When he hits his spots on his serve and holds serve all the time, he's always up there as far as breaking serve. He's, you know, probably in the top 2 or 3 as far as return games won on tour. There's just not many holes there to try to figure out. Clearly, I mean, his record speaks for itself. He will I'm sure in no time he will win more Grand Slams than he's got now.
Q. What are your thoughts on Sam's game and his chances here in Week 2?
MARDY FISH: He seems like he's in a great spot right now. I think his draw has opened up pretty good for him. I think probably the toughest guy in there might be Youzhny to make the semis, and he's in a great spot. He's put himself in that spot. I think the world of Sam's game. I really think he's got a lot of upside. If he were a stock, I'd buy big time. (Laughter.) I've said that for a while. I mean, his serve alone will keep him in the top 30, easily. And then, you know, once he develops his backhand and figures out that he's 6'6" and moves like he's 6', you know, and sort of uses his movement to his advantage, the sky's the limit. I mean, he won't have very many weaknesses. He plays a lot of doubles, so he tries to, you know, figure out his short game a little bit as far as the volleys and stuff. He's got that sort of happy go lucky mentality that, you know, nothing really gets to him as far as the stage. He's played a lot of big matches and doesn't seem like that affects him all that much.
Q. If U.S. men's tennis right now were a stock, what would you do?
MARDY FISH: I'd buy high. No, I think Sam's got a great future. I'm not sure how high, you know, how high that is, but he's won a lot of tournaments this year and he's only getting better. And then, you know, I think Harrison has a lot of Roddick in him, a lot of, you know, Roddick when he was 18. He's got a big game. More importantly, he wants it. You can tell he wants it real bad. Just being around him, he is intense about tennis. We said -- we saw him after his match where he lost here and said, you know, Bad luck or whatever. He said, Oh, I shouldn't have missed that forehand in the fourth set or something like that. I was like, What are you talking I said, I knew you were doomed when you lost the first point of the match, you know. He's an intense kid. You know, these two guys are gonna be around for a long time.
Q. Mary Carrillo was joking that you might let up on the diet now and have a beer or something to relax. Is there something you are looking forward to?
MARDY FISH: Well, I still have to play doubles. I'm looking forward to getting out there on the Grandstand right now, and then after that we'll see where it takes us. We've got Davis Cup, you know, in a week. There's not really -- not too many breaks. I won't slip up, though. Tell her I won't slip up. (Laughter.)
Q. Speaking of Harrison, what's your explanation for the lack of teens in the top 100 or 200?
MARDY FISH: I don't know. Something that Andy said to me, he asked me what the average age in the top 100 was or what I thought I was. I said, I don't know, 23, 24. He said 27 years old. I was surprised at it. I think it's one of those things where you it's a really physical game now. And by that, I mean it's a long year, year after year after year, and, you know, the young guys in these -- they're just fragile, I feel like. You know, you look at Rafa and some of these guys, even Andy. I mean, these are big guys. Soderling, he's a big guy, you know. Just over the course of a season. Maybe they can Harrison can beat a player here or a player there, but he's got to grow into his body. He'll get physically stronger and fitter. Gosh, it's a long year. Once you finish that year then you have to do it all over next year and then do it ten years in a row.
15.11.2010r. 
Mardy Fish dosyć niespodziewanie awansował w dniu dzisiejszym na najlepszą pozycję rankingową w karierze. Amerykanin jest obecnie na 16 miejscu.
Odejmowanie i dodawanie punktów za 2 wielkie turnieje jednoczesnie (Paryż, Londyn) zazwyczaj oznacza spore przesunięcia rankingowe. Brawo Mardy, Top-15 w zasięgu. ;)
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Brawo Mardy, Top-15 w zasięgu. ;)
A tam, Mardy uważa, że stać go na Top-10 w następnym sezonie. ;-)
After career year, Fish aiming to crack Top 10
After ending 2010 ranked a career-high No. 16, Mardy Fish tells the Treasure Coast Palm that he believes he can crack the Top 10 next year.
"I have very high expectations, higher than I've ever had," Fish said. "I'm healthy, fit, confident. So I don't think it's unrealistic to aim for the top 10. I don't have many (rankings) points to defend the first half of the year. The first three Grand Slams, I didn't get past the second round.
"So if I can be more consistent through the first part of the year, win some matches on the clay, do something more at Wimbledon, I should be able to get there."—Matthew Cronin
The Last Word: ATP No. 16, Mardy Fish
Fish nearly single-handedly won a Davis Cup
tie for the United States in Colombia.
Best of 2010
Fish, newly trim, built stamina and confidence through the second half of the year. That new form and fitness peaked with a heroic five-set win over Santiago Giraldo (3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 4-6, 8-6) to clinch a relegation Davis Cup tie for the U.S. in the altitude of Colombia.
Worst of 2010
Losing to Novak Djokovic in the fourth round of the U.S. Open is nothing to be ashamed of, but through the summer Fish had begun to make us believe he could win a match like that. Instead he went quietly, 3, 4, and 1.
Year in Review
At 29, Fish may have had his finest year. He finished a career-high No. 16, won two tournaments and reached two finals, the latter of which was a close, three-set loss to Roger Federer. All of it came after he lost 30 pounds and, for the first time in his career, completely dedicated himself to the sport.
See for Yourself
Fish challenges Federer in Cincy:
The Last Word
Fish has had his up years, months, and matches before and has had trouble following them up. He finished the year injured, so he’ll have to create his summer momentum again from scratch. But if he stays as fit as he was this season, Australia should be a good place for him to begin.
—Steve Tignor
2010 w liczbach
Ranking: 16
Tytuły: 2 (Newport, Atlanta)
Finały: 2 (Queens, Cincinnati)
Bilans gier:40-14
Zarobki: $933,878
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
DEUCE
Mardy Fish is currently No. 16 in the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings.
Last year, Mardy Fish resurrected his career; realising that athletic ability was not enough to survive on the ATP World Tour. By maturing into a true professional, the American was able to regain his Top 20 ranking.
Mardy Fish tried his best to put on a brave face. Still he could not stop the tears from streaming down. The red, white and blue flag being raised for the gold medal winner on the podium at the Athens Olympics was not the Stars and Stripes. And the national anthem that was playing was definitely not the Star Spangled Banner. Rather the Himno Nacional de Chile. It all seemed like a bad dream to the young American. Less than an hour earlier, he was on the verge of making it a dream come true. A sharp pain seared through his body. It was greater than any injury he had ever experienced. It was the nasty, brutal kind. The Tennis Gods had played a cruel joke on the talented Mr. Fish."The Olympics were very painful. It was one of my greatest highs, but it also became one of my greatest lows."
“He came so close to winning being up two sets to one,” says Tom Fish, Mardy’s father. “It was heartbreaking to watch. Though, for me he did fantastic. When he left for Athens, he said, ‘I am going to come back with a medal.’ And I am thinking, wow, good attitude son.”
It was a lofty goal for someone who was ranked in the 30s at the time.
“The Olympics were very painful,” confesses Mardy Fish. “It was one of my greatest highs, but it also became one of my greatest lows. When it came time for Beijing, I did not want to go through that pain again. I think that I have matured since then, and I just hope that I am in good form and fortunate enough to be selected for London [2012].”
Trace Mardy Fish’s career and you would have a sketch that looks a bit like the Rocky Mountains of Colorado; high rising peaks mixed with sheer drop-offs. In the fall of 2009, a severe knee injury backed Fish into a corner. There was no way out. He would have to commit or quit. Fish chose to commit.
The results speak for themselves, a career-high ranking of No. 16. And with wins over Andy Murray (Miami, Queen’s Club and Cincinnati), Andy Roddick (Atlanta and Cincinnati), John Isner (Atlanta); and titles at Newport and Atlanta. Oh yes, there was the matter of his Davis Cup heroics in Colombia. Just exactly when Mardy Fish started putting in the hard yards and stopped Super-Sizing his meals is not known. But most figure it came about somewhere between marriage and the knee surgery.
“Resurrection and commitment are the words that first spring to mind when I think of Mardy's career,” says Jim Courier. “Mardy has really blossomed and matured in the past couple of years, which is a credit both to him and surely to the influence of his wife. He experienced the serious knee surgery that threatened his career and then firmly committed himself to getting fit for the first time in his career. It was a career resurrection.”
“There was not an exact moment where I said, ‘this is it’,” admits Fish. “It kind of built up and with the knee surgery and not being able to work out at all with the stitches, it just hit me. I had a lot of questions. I had been fooling myself. I thought I was in shape, but I really was not. Basically, I was too heavy to be running around a tennis court."Outside of his talent, his greatest attribute was his belief."
“I wasn't surprised at all about his commitment,” says good friend and Davis Cup teammate James Blake.
“I thought that maybe ten pounds would be good for him," says Tom Fish. “When he lost that he said he felt good, and decided to drop another ten. And then another ten.”
After it was all said and done, Fish had shed 30 pounds. His problem had never been hitting the ball, it was getting to it. Now that was solved, he could get on with the business of winning tennis matches.
You can say a lot of things about Mardy Fish, but lack of ability is not one of them. Tennis coaches on the ATP World Tour rarely agree on anything, but one thing that anybody who has ever fed a ball to Mardy Fish consent on is his natural born talent.
“He has always been an incredible athlete,” says Tom Fish. “He did not really choose tennis until he was 15 years old. I knew he was special but did not know what sport he would choose. He was good at all of them, baseball, golf, basketball and tennis.”
“His talent was very obvious in all sports,” says Mardy’s former coach, Stanford Boster. “He is almost a scratch golfer and sometimes joked that he has chosen the wrong sport. Mardy always knew he was going to be a tennis professional. It also helped that Tom and Sally (Mardy’s parents) encouraged a professional career and his Dad was instrumental in putting the pieces of the puzzle together.”
“Outside of his talent, his greatest attribute was his belief,” continues Boster. “He could have been playing the worst tennis against a great player and somehow still believed he should win.”
Coach Kelly Jones was by Mardy’s side when he got his breakthrough on the ATP World Tour. Jones backs up Boster’s claim.
“Well the first thing is that he (Fish) believes he can beat anybody,” explains Jones. “That there is absolutely nobody he cannot beat on a given day. This is one thing that he said to me and then he went out and backed it up. And he is an exceptional athlete.”
Scott McCain was the United States Tennis Association’s men’s pro development coach when Mardy was coming through the ranks."Mardy was like any other teenager. He enjoyed all sports, cars, music and girls."
“I think obviously he used his talent to make his breakthrough,” says McCain. “His talent was good enough to get him to Top 20. But, today, we see a different Mardy Fish. I don’t think he is as much worried about style as he is about how he can win this particular match.”
Mardy’s father agrees.
“He has definitely grown up a ton,” says Tom Fish. “He used to try to beat players with just his sheer athletic talents and ball striking ability.”
Talk about Mardy Fish long enough and you will learn that there is Mardy Fish the tennis player, and Mardy Fish the person. The player might have had his struggles, but the person was always very popular with the boys. And the girls.
“Mardy was like any other teenager,” says Boster. “He enjoyed all sports, cars, music and girls.”
And the girls must have enjoyed Mardy. His wife, the lovely actress Stacey Gardner gets more stares from the Centre Court crowd than Hawkeye.
“The first thing that comes to my mind with Mardy is a good time,” says James Blake. “He is someone that is always making people laugh. When we were younger and playing a lot of doubles together, I remember that some of the other doubles players thought we weren't taking it seriously. Yet we played great and were trying, but we just had so much fun that we were laughing the whole time we were on the court.”
It was billed as the Battle of Bogota. A Davis Cup World Group play-off tie between Colombia and the United States of America. The warm sunny days that Bogota enjoyed all week, came to end on the final day of the tie. It was a damp, grey Sunday morning when play started in the Plaza de Toros. The bullring was draped in the tricolour of the Colombian flag; yellow, red and blue. As the Colombian crowd entered the Plaza de Toros wearing sombreros, tight fitting blue jeans and leather cowboy boots, Mardy Fish entered the bullring with his ball cap pulled down low and dressed like a Ralf Lauren poster boy. However, image was the last thing on this quiet American’s mind. He might as well have entered with a hard hat and tool box for it was obvious by his demeanour and five-set win on the first day and four-set doubles win on the previous, that he was not leaving Colombia until it was 'Mission Accomplished'."Mardy has great variety in his game. He can adapt to the situation."
The scoreboard indicated the Americans were leading, but if synergy could talk it would say that this would be death in the afternoon for Team USA. It would not be pretty tennis, but at an altitude of 8,000-feet, it never promised to be. In addition to Santiago Giraldo and Alejandro Falla of Team Colombia, Fish was facing a clear and present danger to his mission; pressure-less tennis balls. With a forehand that looks more like a slingshot than a stroke taught from a ‘How To Play Tennis Manual’, Mardy would have to adapt to the tricky conditions. Fish went old school mixing up quick and delayed pressure so much that not even Captain Patrick McEnroe knew what he would do next.
“Mardy has great variety in his game,” quipped McEnroe wisely. “He can adapt to the situation as needed.”
Early in the fourth set, there was a bit of a scare for Team USA when Fish, on a coast to coast scramble, tumbled to the court plowing his racquet hand into the clay. The flesh on three knuckles was ripped off. With blood on his hands, and the momentum swinging towards Colombia, Fish toughened up.
“It looked worse than it was,” says Doug Spreen, Team USA trainer. “Basically, we washed it out. Mardy gritted his teeth, and went back to the front lines.”
He would need a little more than toughness to take down Santiago Giraldo who was now scrambling around the court like a terrier in heat. The match was level at two sets all.
When Giraldo broke the Fish serve at five games each, it looked like Mardy was done and dusted. With Giraldo now serving at 30-all, somebody from Team Colombia did not do their homework because Giraldo served to Fish’s backhand. Hell, even on the ATP Player Profile it says clear as day that the backhand return is Mardy’s favourite shot. Fish blistered the return for a forcing error. Break point converted proved to be Brokeback Mountain for Colombia.
This Davis Cup tie will forever be remembered as the Mardy Fish Show, and for rescuing the Americans from relegation. Team USA Coach Jay Berger adds."I watched every last point of Mardy's matches in Bogota and he was inspirational."
“It came down to Mardy getting the ball in the court more than anyone else,” says Berger. “Mardy brought a lot of commitment to the team without any ego. Before we had our first practice, he told us that he did not care if he does not play at all, or if he plays every match. He is here to do whatever it takes to the get the win and get back to the World Group.”
“Mardy leads by example,” says Davis Cup teammate Ryan Harrison. “You see the way he goes about preparing. Every day same routines, he gets out before everyone else. First one at breakfast, etcetera. I have learned a lot from him.”
“I watched every last point of Mardy's matches in Bogota and he was inspirational,” says new Davis Cup Captain Jim Courier. “Winning all three points in a tie puts him in rare company in US team records.”
After listening to any and all who have ever known Mardy Fish, it sounds as if all of his career he has been auditioning for a role in a Batman movie. Only he was not sure if he wanted to play the hero or the Joker. After the stunt he pulled in Bogota, how about Ironman? These days he has an entire cast of coaches singing his praises.
“Mardy has started buying shares in himself,” claims Stanford Boster.
“The maturing Mardy Fish is what we are seeing today,” says Kelly Jones.
On 28 December 2010, Mardy Fish cut his holiday short and arrived in Brisbane, Australia a week early.
“I did not want to leave anything in the bag for the start of the year,” said Fish. “I wanted to make sure that I did everything right preparation wise.”
Mardy’s coach, David Nainken, believes that he is on the right track.
“Mardy is a true professional,” says Nainken. “A lot of good years in him.”
If we have learned anything about Mardy Fish, it is that he is a multi-talented athlete who is a lot of fun to be around and who saves his best stuff for the biggest stage. Now that he has added substance to the style, it is most likely that we will be seeing a whole lot more of the talented Mr. Fish in 2011.
28.02.2011
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 15
Fish Earns SF Berth, Top Dog Status
Mardy Fish produced another quality performance at the Sony Ericsson Open, defeating No. 6 seed David Ferrer 7-5, 6-2 in the quarter-finals of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Miami.
The conditions were tough for both players, but Fish handled the circumstances better, continuing to pressure his opponent when the Spaniard became frustrated. "You know you're not going to play well going out there… the ball is not exactly where you want it to be with the wind like that,” said Fish.
“I know that in the back of my mind… [I did not play] nearly as well as I played yesterday, because the ball is not going to be in the position I want it to be in, the wind might take the ball longer or shorter than yesterday, and you're not going to be as dialed in. I knew that. I tried to use it to my advantage.”
Fish, the lone American left in either singles draw, kept alive the possibility of a player from the United States winning the men's event for a second consecutive season. Andy Roddick took home the trophy in 2010 but was bounced in the second round last week. With the win, Fish will become the highest-ranked American for the first time on Monday, overtaking Roddick.
Tennis analyst and Fish’s former Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe is thrilled about the landmark Fish will acquire next week.
“It’s a testament to Mardy’s commitment in the last couple years to become the best player he can be, so I couldn’t be happier for him and prouder of what he’s done. I think it is a milestone,” McEnroe told www.sonyericssonopen.com after the match concluded.
“I know Mardy’s big goal is to get to the Top 10 and he’s very close to doing that now, so I think it sets him up (hopefully knock on wood), he can stay healthy the rest of the year and has a great shot to finish in Top 10 and even higher.”
Fish evened his record against Ferrer to three wins and three losses, and is seeded to meet Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals. The World No. 2 tonight plays Kevin Anderson, the South African who shocked the Serb in their only meeting, in Miami three years ago, when Djokovic was defending champion.
Djokovic and the No. 14-seeded Fish have met five times, and the 2007 Miami champion is yet to lose to the Floridian. Their most notable match came at the final of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event at Indian Wells in 2008, when Djokovic edged Fish in a close three-set match. The Serbian is riding a 23-match winning streak dating back to last December’s Davis Cup Final and Fish isn’t taken aback by Djokovic’s results.
“It's really not that surprising when you watch him play that he hasn't lost yet, because he's playing so well,” commented Fish about Djokovic’s undefeated record this season.
“He's not going to win every single match this year. Whether it be this week or in July, he's not going to win every one. It's just not possible. So hopefully it can be me.”
Though Djokovic will be the heavy favorite against Fish should he get past Anderson, McEnroe isn’t ready to write off Fish’s chances. “Mardy’s got to serve well like he did today against Ferrer. He’s got to be aggressive when he can, but also has to be consistent, so it’s a fine line,” said McEnroe.
“Djokovic has been unbelievable this year… but Mardy is playing with a lot of confidence and he’s had three great wins in a row here, so he should be primed.”
04.04.2011
Najwyższy ranking w karierze: 11
Mardy w najbliższy poniedziałek zawita do Top-10. :applause:
Całe życie chłop na to czekał, brawo. ;)
Graty !
18.04.2011 - Mardy Fish w Top-10!
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 10
Brawo Mardy! ;)
Szczere gratulacje. Kto by pomyślał jeszcze rok, półtora temu że w ostatnich podrygach swojej kariery Mardy znajdzie się w Top 10.
Mardy został 4 najstarszym tenisistą, jeżeli chodzi o wiek, w którym po raz pierwszy wtargnął do Top-10. W momencie awansu do grona 10 najlepszych graczy świata Fish miał 29 lat, 4 miesiące i 9 dni.
Statystyka:
1. Tony Roche (AUS) - 30 (2 mos., 9 days) - No. 9 - July 26, 1975
2. Jurgen Melzer (AUT) - 29 (8 mos., 9 days) - No. 10 - Jan. 31, 2011
3. Alex Metreveli (RUS) - 29 (7 mos., 1 day) - No. 9 - June 3, 1974
4. Mardy Fish (USA) - 29 (4 mos., 9 days) - No. 10 - Apr. 18, 2011
5. Radek Stepanek (CZE) - 27 (7 mos., 13 days) - No. 8 - July 10, 2006
6. Jiri Novak (CZE) - 27 (6 mos., 22 days) - No. 9 - Oct. 14, 2002
7. Jan Kodes (CZE) - 27 (6 mos., 12 days) - No. 5 - Sept. 13, 1973
8. Guillermo Canas (ARG) - 27 (5 mos., 14 days) - No. 10 - May 9, 2005
9. Tom Gorman (USA) - 27 (4 mos., 12 days) - No. 10 - May 1, 1974
10.Bill Scanlon (USA) - 27 (1 mo., 27 days) - No. 9 - Jan. 9, 1984
RG 2011 - konferencja po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 000ae.html
RG 2011 - konferencja po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie.
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 0012a.html
06.06.2011
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 9
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie
Mardy Fish defeated Marcel Granollers 7-6. 7-6, 6-4
Q. Do you feel any more pressure representing and playing for U.S. men, you and Andy, considering the dearth of individuals at the top?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, sure. You know, I mean, I'm ranked the No. 1 American. So, yeah, with it comes, you know, a little bit more pressure. And I feel it for sure. But, you know, it's where you want to be. So it's a good thing.
Q. Do you have any thoughts as to sort of why the drop off behind you guys at this point? We've been asking this question and talking about this for about a year now.
MARDY FISH: I mean, I think it's just because we're not you know, we're not competing for slams on a slam by slam basis. I think that's one of the main reasons why we get the questions. I mean, we have as many guys in the top 10 right now than any other country. You know, Spain has two, we have two, and no one else has two. So, you know, I think it's just for lack of the big events. I mean, we've all done well at Indian Wells and Miami and things like that, which are big events for us. But, you know, this is obviously another step above those.
Q. You've been coming here for a number of years now. Your game should fit into the grass. You've had some good grass court results. Can you talk about the evolution of your game on grass and what your expectations are this year?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I feel most comfortable with my style of play on this surface, you know, and it takes some getting used to. I certainly wasn't as clean as I hope to be in the next round or rounds, as I keep going hopefully.
But, yeah, I mean, this is my best surface. I won more grass court matches than anyone else did last year. I played three events. At Wimbledon I didn't do well. I made the final of Queen's and I won Newport.
So I obviously feel pretty comfortable on this surface. This is certainly the tournament that, you know, I look at sort of my résumé of making, you know, quarterfinals in the other Grand Slams, Australia and the US Open, and this is the one that always jumps out at me to want to do well at.
Q. What makes grass your best surface? Why does your game fit it well?
MARDY FISH: Well, I feel comfortable coming to the net. I feel comfortable coming forward. They're doing a really good job of making it tough to do that, as well. You know, the balls are extremely heavy. When the sun's not out, it's very hard to really get the ball through the court, you know, minus the serve. You feel like it is still grass, obviously, so the serve still takes, the slice still takes, still moves pretty good. But it's as the balls are as heavy as any ball out there. I feel a lot more comfortable serving, if you take away the grass, a lot more comfortable serving at the French Open with those balls.
Q. Can you explain what 'heavy' means to you?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, balls get real big real quick. You know, you can't really feel your shots as good as you can as, you know, like the US Open, with those balls there. And they just get tough to hit the ball through the court. It's tough to hit winners from the baseline. Like I said, the serve still moves and still takes and you can serve well and hold serve because it's grass. It's still grass. But, uhm, you know, the grass is so good and the bounces are so pure that, you know, the balls, they're really, really heavy.
Q. Is that frustrating for a guy who likes grass?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, sure, it's frustrating. I serve and volleyed on I think almost every first serve today. But I served well and had a lot of free points on my serve, so I didn't necessarily get into a ton of rallies, have to get into a ton of rallies on my serve games. It's tough to hit the ball through the court with the forehand. You know, you got to try to generate a lot of pace, and it's hard.
Q. Do you understand why there seems to be this desire by officialdom to homogenize all the surfaces?
MARDY FISH: Not necessarily here. It's such a unique tournament, you know. It's such a unique surface. There's not a ton of tournaments you can play on grass. We can kind of get around the clay, play a couple clay court events. If you want to, you could play half a year on clay. You can't do that here. So obviously it's such a unique surface and unique event, so...
Q. I guess you consider, of the slams where you should be doing well, you consider this the one where you've underachieved the most?
MARDY FISH: Without a doubt, yes.
Q. Why is that? Is it a conditioning thing?
MARDY FISH: No, it's not a conditioning thing here. Conditioning doesn't play a huge part. Mentally I haven't nearly been as strong. I've had some bad luck.
I remember in the third round in, I think it was 2006, might have been 2007, I had to pull out of a match in the third round against a qualifier, because I was as sick as I've ever been in my life. I had to play Nadal in the first round one year. I had to play Gasquet in the first round one year when he had made the semis here year before. Obviously really good players. I've had a little bit of bad luck, and I'm ready.
Q. Istomin, your next opponent?
MARDY FISH: Yeah. I never played him. Sam has played him. Obviously sharing a coach with Sam, Nainks has seen him play I think four times in the last year, has played Sam, so we'll get a good plan.
Q. What was your reaction when you heard who Isner will be playing here? And what are your thoughts about last year and this year?
MARDY FISH: Pretty shocking, obviously. And let's hope that it doesn't happen again for their sake, because you want them to do well. I want John to do well. First and foremost, he's a tough opponent. He's a really good grass courter. Let's hope it's not a perfect storm again.
Q. What do you remember most about last year's match between them?
MARDY FISH: Just sort of it being surreal. It just kind of you just couldn't really believe what was unfolding. You knew going through, you know, when it was kind of in the 30s and 40s that it was never going to happen again; you were never going to see that again.
Yeah, so just pretty surreal. You know, you'd almost capture the moment, and I think it's a cool plaque that they have out there on Court 18.
Is the schedule out? Do they know when they're playing or where they're playing? Haven't seen it.
Q. You're not a short guy, but when you walk around the locker room these days, do you feel like the height of the players...
MARDY FISH: There's a lot of tall guys, a lot of big guys. You know, serving is a big part of today, because if you can get some free points, you know, the way they've slowed the surfaces down, it's big.
Q. Do you have to be like 6'4" to get those free points these days?
MARDY FISH: It certainly helps. You know, I mean, there's not a lot of guys in the top 10 that aren't at least six feet tall maybe besides Ferrer. Is he 6 feet tall? I mean, he's not 5'3", you know. I mean, he's the only guy that jumps out at you that doesn't require a ton of free points.
Q. Has Andy given you any c**p about out ranking him or anything?
MARDY FISH: C**p? No. I mean, he wants it back. I'm going to try to hold him off as long as I can (smiling).
Q. How strong would you say the top four seeds are here right now, given the surface, and how each one of those guys are playing?
MARDY FISH: Very strong. As far back as I can remember, it's as top heavy as you've ever seen. I mean, those guys have all the points. You know, if you look back maybe five or ten years, I think I have like around 2400 ATP points, and I don't think that would put me in the top 10. So those guys are doing well on every surface. It's not a fluke, you know, that you see the top four seeds almost every event in the semifinals, it doesn't matter where it is. Murray, any one of those guys could win the tournament. I wouldn't be surprised if any one of those guys did.
Q. How intimidating is that to everybody who is in the next group?
MARDY FISH: Well, I mean, you got to go about your business. You got to hopefully not face 'em early. And, you know, once you get there, I mean, you know, certain guys feel like they can beat 'em. You know, personally I feel like I can, especially on this surface. Murray's obviously a really tough out here just because this is one of his best surfaces and it's home. Roger's Roger and Rafa's Rafa. Djokovic is playing as well as you've ever seen anyone, as I've ever seen anyone play across the net, for sure.
Q. You talked about the serve. If you look at the top four guys, Roger can serve, Murray can hit the big one. Isn't it more of a return in baseline games outside of mental that is their strengths all around?
MARDY FISH: Their strengths, yeah. Djokovic and Murray return as well as anyone just from a serving point of view. You know, when they're across the net from me, I mean, they're the scariest ones to me. I haven't played Nadal in a little while, so, you know, I can't necessarily speak from experience with that. I haven't played him since, you know, maybe '08, quarters of the Open. Those guys I played recently, they're the ones that strike the most fear returning wise.
Q. You spoke earlier about the dearth of players or the perceived dearth of top American men players to follow you guys. When the Williams sisters are not around, as they weren't the last year or so for the most part on the women's side, how different do you perceive the women's tour without the Williams sisters?
MARDY FISH: I mean, it's always wide open, it seems like. You know, it's great to have them back because, you know, just missing them at the French Open, besides Sam, I was the only seeded player. We missed Andy obviously there, too. You know, they're always missed. I mean, they're such big personalities, you know, you can tell when they're there and you can tell when they're not there. You know, so with the exception of Bethanie, I mean, I feel like we're kind of struggling on that side, you know, minus them. And when they're not there, you can really feel it.
Q. Did you see Venus' outfit today?
MARDY FISH: I didn't. I didn't see it. I was playing.
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie
M. Fish bt. D. Istomin 7 6, 6 4, 6 4
Q. Talk about your match, thoughts overall. Fairly clean?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, very clean. A lot more sound than the first round, which I was hoping for. This guy's a very good grass court player. Certainly a pretty streaky player when he plays well.
So it was nice. I had to keep my level, for sure, the entire match.
Q. When you came into the French, you talked about you just wanted to make that third round, do something better. Here it seems like you're more comfortable, more relaxed?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, certainly more confident on this surface. You know, sometimes on clay there are guys that you go out in a three out of five set match and feel like you can beat them, but not that often.
You know, out here is different. I certainly feel like if I can put a few matches together, get some confidence, that maybe this is one of the years that I can do well here. I mean, certainly my goal is certainly a goal is to, you know, go deep at Wimbledon one time.
Q. How do you define 'doing well' here?
MARDY FISH: Well, that's a good question. I certainly feel like this surface, maybe this surface and the US Open surface, are my two best Grand Slam surfaces. And it's certainly a goal of mine to get past what I've done before, which is the quarterfinals.
I've never been to the second week here, so this is obviously a little different. Like to see how that feels.
But I definitely have aspirations of going further than just making the fourth round.
Q. Because of the state of tennis and golf in America, two sports the country dominated for so long, we're always writing about the state of golf and tennis in America. I noticed one of the pro golfers got a little bit distressed about it, saying, Why don't you just leave us alone? Do you feel the same, that we're harping on the thing too much because there are few Americans, both men and women, in tennis?
MARDY FISH: Well, I think it's more warranted in tennis. I feel like golf is funny because I think Americans haven't won the last five majors. I mean, that's not really a drought. Maybe that's a little more unrealistic. They've got a lot of players on that side of it.
I don't think it's unwarranted for us. You know, we're used to watching the guys compete for Grand Slams, you know, not compete for Masters Series events or just regular events. Tennis fans are used to seeing Americans win and play each other in Grand Slam finals. So it's tough to come from an era where, you know, Sampras and Agassi are playing each other five or six times in major finals. Pretty spoiled, you know, as an American tennis fan from that point of view.
Q. The whole American philosophy, team sports, individual sports, is, We're No. 1, we want to be No. 1. The advertisers jump on that. Do you think it all fits into part of it, why we sort of look at people who aren't at the top and say, What's the matter?
MARDY FISH: Well, I mean, we come from a country that's used to winning and winning at a high level and at almost every sport. Sometimes we wonder why we haven't competed at a high level yet in soccer.
You know, it takes time. These countries are getting their best athletes. Our most important sports or our most popular sports are getting our best athletes.
I think the same thing is happening in Australian tennis, as well. You know, soccer is becoming more popular there. Aussie Rules Football is more popular there. They're zapping up all their athletes.
That's, I think, a lot of where we sit.
Q. Why do you think individual sports kind of appeal to like your generation and generations before, and now all the kids seem to want to be on a team?
MARDY FISH: I don't know. I think it's preference. I love being on a team. I mean, I love the Davis Cup aspect of it. But, you know, there's nothing like answering for yourself out there.
There's sort of a sense of pride that I know tennis players have, and I'm sure golfers have, that it's just us out there. We don't have to rely on anyone. We don't need to rely on anyone. So I think there's a little sense of pride there.
Q. Speaking of Davis Cup, your victory in Colombia was pretty incredible. What would you say is the highlight of your career?
MARDY FISH: It's tough to say that isn't it. We made the finals of Davis Cup. I won some matches, relegation match, as well, in 2003. But after the summer that I had last year, sort of unexpected summer, winning a few tournaments in a row and doing some things I'd never done before, to top it off with that was pretty special.
So, yeah, you could certainly say winning those three points, not that many guys can say that. So that's probably my most proud moment.
Q. Alex Bogomolov just made it to the third round. How well do you know him?
MARDY FISH: I know him. He's a great kid. He's been playing for a long time on the challenger circuit, futures and things. I practiced with him a lot. Came through some of the challengers and stuff back in 2001, 2002. Hasn't been able to bust through.
Hopefully now he has.
Q. Why?
MARDY FISH: Just maturity. Comes with experience. You know, you only get better. You only improve. You only understand traveling and just life in general a lot better as you get older.
Q. Do you think some players don't understand the size or the smallness of the window of opportunity you really have in sports? You can get to 33, 34, it's shut pretty much.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, and I don't know what that feels like. Hopefully I've got a few more years until I know what that feels like.
I assume maybe you just lose a step; you don't recover as quickly as you do. You know, obviously turning around day after day is important for us.
But, yeah, I mean, it's small. And I'm trying just personally to, you know, take in every spot that I can. You know, a top 10 seeding in Wimbledon, which I've never done before, I'm not sure if I'll ever be back here again with the same number next to my name. So I'm trying to take it all in, as well. I certainly have a lot better understanding of what you said.
Q. You've been talking about quarter-finals, referring to Australia and the US Open. I know the big four are tough here. Is semifinals of a major completely out of your head, or is that an overall ambition?
MARDY FISH: No, that's a goal, certainly a goal. So is getting to top 10 in the world. That was a goal. So putting yourself into the final four of a major, not everybody does that. Clearly today it's even tougher.
So, you know, the depth is there. The top four guys are playing as well as I can remember four guys playing.
But I don't think it's out of the realm. I've certainly done it in other events, just not three out of five set events.
Q. All of us have regrets in our life. If the Mardy Fish of today could look back to Mardy a few years back who was enjoying the pepperoni pizza, what would he say?
MARDY FISH: It's how you started the question. We can all sit here and say we wish we would have done things differently, or some things. But I don't think about it at all. I mean, I'm just excited, you know, to be playing my best tennis of my life now.
You know, you see a lot of guys come through that sort of go downhill as their age gets older, and I'm going the other way. You certainly have regrets. I have regrets in life, period. Nothing to do with tennis. I don't dwell on the tennis ones at all.
Q. When somebody is playing, you're talking about the top four out there, when they face them, do you think the psychology of facing them already gives them an advantage as opposed to just hitting the shots back across the net?
MARDY FISH: Sure. It's got a lot to do with individual sports. It's got a lot to do with why tennis is such a tough sport, such a one on one type of sport.
You walk out there against these guys. A lot of times, you know, you're already down a break just because you're trying to figure out where you are and who you're playing against, or you're trying to get over that.
I'm sure if you ask someone like Pete back in the day, you know, he was up a break before he walked out on the court. I'm sure Roger could say the same thing.
Q. You had this great run post Wimbledon last year. Could you previously take us through the sensibility, what it's like to go to Newport, the heat of Atlanta, the Hollywood of L.A.?
MARDY FISH: Yeah. I mean, you're talking about how last year went?
Q. The cultures, what it's like for a tennis player.
MARDY FISH: Newport's a special place. It's a great city. I always loved going there. Hadn't played well there. Hadn't put it together. Hadn't figured out how to play on those courts. Those grass courts are a lot different than they are here, a lot more grass court style tennis there that you can play.
Then Atlanta obviously being a new event, by far the hottest I've ever played in, the final of Atlanta. I needed a couple IVs right after and couldn't sit down for an hour or so afterwards because I was almost full body cramping. You know, it was just unbelievably hot.
I didn't play L.A. last year, but I'm going to try to play this year. It's a five minute drive for me, so it's tough not to play that one.
Then you obviously look forward to all the Masters series events, or Masters 1000 events that culminate with the Open. It's a fun time for the Americans. We can always play in front of our fans, in front of friendly faces that we know.
Seems like almost every week you're getting tickets for someone that you're close to. That doesn't happen throughout the rest of the year.
Q. Andy said yesterday that what he likes about Harrison is that he competes hard, he wants it, he has a desire, and he doesn't see that from a lot of younger players. Do you see that, too?
MARDY FISH: Oh, yeah. He's got a little bit of Roddick 2000, 2001 in him. You know, pretty raw. Just wants it bad. You know, it has to sort of channel. He's got a lot of energy.
For better or worse, sometimes it's going in the right direction; sometimes not. Hopefully he'll figure that out.
You know, he needs to get on sort of a path where he's got people around him, the right people around him, that he's improving at a high level daily, weekly. I don't doubt that he will. He'll figure it out.
You know, I think if you ask him, he's not sure which direction he wants to go as far as, you know, coaching or training and things like that.
That's one of the things that I regret most about playing, is not sort of investing in a trainer or a physical therapist early on in my career, because obviously I had a lot of injuries. Maybe would have put my butt into shape a little bit quicker.
So, you know, those are things that he's going to have to figure out that he faces now. He hasn't won very many matches since Indian Wells and now he's put a couple together here, which is great, you know, take advantage of his opportunities now.
Q. With the weather being so precarious, how important do you think it is that you're on schedule still?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, it's important. It seems like we'll get a lot of matches in today, the rest of the day. It's just nice to go through already without, you know, having to come off and stop today.
It's going to rain here a lot. You know, the wind was tough today. The ball's just not exactly where you think it is every time. So you have to, you know, just try to take care of your side of the court better than the other guy.
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 3 rundzie
M. Fish bt R. Haase 6 3, 6 7, 6 2, 1 1 (ret.)
Q. How does it feel to be the last American male standing?
MARDY FISH: Same as the French, right, I think. It's lonely. It doesn't feel great. And that's not the goal.
You know, I want the guys here. So that's a bit of a bummer, I guess.
Q. Someone suggested that last year you looked at the draw and it seemed so favourable for you that maybe you in essence psyched yourself out. Could you address that in retrospect?
MARDY FISH: I think last year at this time I was I think maybe seven or eight weeks into a trip. It's a really long time to be away from home. You know, usually I'm out of the French Open by the first couple days, so I have time to get home and then get to Queen's. And this time was a little different.
You know, last year I was spent. Obviously I had worked so hard in that off season, the beginning of the year, to get healthy. And I had just made the finals of Queen's. That was pretty much my only result that whole year.
So I didn't know what was on the horizon for me. So I was still a little unsure of where I was going, how it was going to work, how all the hard work I was putting in was going to unfold.
Much different this year. Yeah, last year, yeah, I had a pretty good draw. But, you know, it's nice to sort of be the guy, you know, when you step on the court, you're supposed to win. That's a good feeling. That's the spot you want to be in.
Q. Today matches are delayed, you get put on Court 14. You drop the second set. How do you make sure it doesn't get out of control?
MARDY FISH: I felt like I had a pretty good grasp on the match. I haven't seen the stats, but I had a ton of breakpoints. I don't remember many more than three or maybe even four at the most that I had against me.
I've only lost serve one time this whole tournament. So I felt like, you know, even through that spot I still hadn't lost serve.
You know, bummer to lose that 5 All game. I had maybe six or seven breakpoints in that game, you know. It's one of those things where you just kind of keep throwing darts at the wall and eventually something's going to stick.
He hit a dropshot there in the third set to give me the break early, kind of switched the momentum a little bit, if it did switch over at all. I felt like I really had a fine grasp on it, though.
Q. Do you worry about which court you play? Serena, obviously defending champion, was distressed because of Court 2. Does it matter to you?
MARDY FISH: I mean, you want to play on the big courts, certainly. I like that Court 2. What Serena doesn't understand is maybe she does she certainly deserves to be on Centre Court, there's no doubt about that. But when they put her out there, people can't usually get that close to her and to see one of the best players of all time on the women's side play that closely, you know.
I can certainly understand where she's coming from. I wouldn't put her on Court 2. I'd put her on Centre every time probably, just to save the harassment afterwards, I guess (smiling). Don't want to pick a fight with her.
Q. Do you feel you are maximizing your talent at this stage of your career?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I can say that. I sleep a lot better than I used to just knowing I can sort of put my head down, knowing that I'm doing everything I can, hitting a lot of goals that I've wanted to hit throughout my career now.
So, yeah, I feel pretty comfortable about the choices that I make and the decisions that I make. You know, I got a little heat for going home and not going to Queen's.
I don't worry about making the right or wrong choices anymore. I really feel like, you know, I can lean one way or the other, whichever way I'm feeling, and be okay.
In past years, you know, I really would have questioned, you know, if I didn't go to Queen's maybe and just came to Wimbledon straightaway a few years ago, I probably would have questioned even myself. I can't question it now.
You know, I'm pretty comfortable with knowing how to play tennis now. I know my limitations better than ever and also feel like I can play some pretty good tennis at times.
Q. Was there a moment, looking back, that's clear to you now when you really felt strongly that you weren't maximizing things, you really had to change something?
MARDY FISH: That's tough to say. It really is. Just because, you know, I certainly didn't plan to have the knee surgery and then have that time off, you know, before it happened obviously. So it's tough to answer that.
You know, it sounds like one of those 'Do you regret' kind of things.
Q. In what ways do you benefit going home and being home between the French and here?
MARDY FISH: Just sleeping in your own bed for 10 days in a row says a lot. I think you just kind of regroup mentally, as well, because it's such a long year. Nights before matches that I play, I mean, I don't sleep that well. You know, you get very nervous. You don't eat well in the morning, things like that.
To be away from all that, even for a few days, is big.
Q. A number of Americans have had their best success earlier in their career, Courier, Chang, Andy. You're coming on now. You had the good summer, the Colombia success, top 10. How is it feeling now? Are you saying to yourself, Well done? Is there a certain satisfaction?
MARDY FISH: I can appreciate it better. You know, we played the Davis Cup final in '04, and I was 22 I think at the time. I definitely didn't really understand sort of the place that I was at. I was lucky to be on the team at that point. I was 35 in the world, kind of falling a little bit in the rankings.
So I don't think I really could step back away from everything and say, Wow, I'm playing in the finals of Davis Cup in front of 23,000 people, whatever it was, setting the record there against Moya in the first match. I mean, I don't think I could really get a grasp on that.
I feel like I can now. I feel like it's much more satisfying, to answer your question, just because I can appreciate all the ups and downs that I've gone through. This is certainly an up for me now. I have no idea how long, you know, it will last. Hope it lasts for a while.
Q. Was it a matter of sort of not really understanding full picture the impact or the meaning? Was it a matter of youth or that you were so talented that it came easily?
MARDY FISH: A little bit of all that. Immaturity. Yeah, just youth. You know, probably thinking it's like one of those rookies that wins the Super Bowl in the first year, he thinks it's that easy, and he never goes back again the rest of his career.
We won in '07, and I was there, but I wasn't on the team, so it's not the same. It wasn't the same thing.
Q. And you were close to Andy, too, who was kicking butt.
MARDY FISH: Yeah. And he handled his career, that part of his career, way better than I did. He had a lot more game and a lot more stuff to work with than I did, as well.
Q. When you and Stacey are out in Los Angeles, which one of you gets recognized more when you're out together?
MARDY FISH: We don't get recognized much at all anyways. Probably me, I guess.
Q. Is that part of what you enjoy about being willing to make that plane ride back and forth?
MARDY FISH: Yeah. We have a dog. We kind of feel like we have a family a little bit. She's kind of like a child for us.
Q. What kind of dog?
MARDY FISH: She's a Dachshund, a wiener dog, a hot dog. It's hopefully the start of our family. She's pretty spoiled.
She's pretty spoiled. She has a person living at our house now taking care of her. It was nice to win today so we can pay for that.
Q. This is the first time you've gone into the second week here.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, it's the first time that I'll be around sort of tomorrow on the day off, which I'm excited about. We made the semis in doubles one year. That's a little different.
Q. Looking at that match, I know he's very good, reached the final last year, big server, but opportunity for you. It's not Rafa. It's not Roger.
MARDY FISH: Well, that's why you put yourself in that 9 through 12 spot where you don't have to play the 1 through 4 in this position. It sounds funny to say, because I've never been in this position before here at this tournament, but now that I am, you know, it kind of affords you that luxury.
But, you know, minus Andy, the 5 through 8 guys, he's probably the toughest one of those two. You know, he's pretty comfortable. Seems like he's pretty comfortable right now here. Brought back probably a lot of good memories for him now. He seems to be rolling.
I haven't seen off the top of my head all his results, but I think he went through in straight sets all the time pretty comfortably. Hopefully it's another level for him he'll have to go up, and we'll see if he can.
Q. You're going to get some pretty decent prize money. What are you going to get your dog to celebrate?
MARDY FISH: A couple bones, I guess. I don't know. She's pretty spoiled. She's got a lot of stuff already. She's very L.A.
Q. When you were growing up, did you ever think you'd actually hire a dog sitter to stay at your house?
MARDY FISH: I don't know. Probably. I don't know. Like I said, she's got a pretty good life, this dog.
Q. Talk about the match today. Did you have any idea Robin was in distress? There seemed to be so much talking going on between him and the chair, you and the chair, him to himself.
MARDY FISH: Like I said before, it's a pretty noisy place. There's not a ton of stands. People kind of sit on top of you. You almost can't breathe a little bit.
Security guards are moving around when you're serving. It's sort of an uncomfortable court to play on. It's very noisy. Brad Gilbert from up above yelling down to Patrick like during the thing. It's like, I can hear you.
Q. Is that when Robin turned around?
MARDY FISH: No, that was somebody else. I'd love for that to be Brad, but that was something else.
Q. Is that something that as a younger player would have shaken you up?
MARDY FISH: Yeah. You try not to let it go on too much. We're human beings. It's a long match. We played three hours, three and a half sets, and we still weren't done. So, you know, so many dips and valleys in every match.
If you win a match, I think you've won 51% of the points pretty much. I mean, you're losing 49% of the points even if you're winning the match. There's a lot of downs in a three out of five set match. The best way you can handle it is probably best.
Q. What was Brad yelling?
MARDY FISH: He was yelling, P Mac.
It's like, Bees, we can hear you. We see you (laughter).
Fish makes short work of Berdych
American Mardy Fish ousted 2010 finalist Tomas Berdych to advance to the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time in his career.
In one of the busiest days of the tennis year, top-ranked American Mardy Fish sent Tomas Berdych packing in relatively easy straight sets.
Fish served brilliantly throughout the match. The American smacked 23 aces, but more importantly, Berdych couldn’t get any kind of bead on the Fish serve. The American disguised it beautifully, often catching the Czech man leaning the wrong way.
Berdych played a relatively clean match with 31 winners and 18 unforced errors, but his play was slightly lackluster and he simply couldn’t keep up with an inspired Mardy Fish.
Fish went through the entire round of 16 match without being broken. He awaits the winner of Juan Martin Del Potro and Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals.
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 4 rundzie
M. Fish bt T. Berdych 7 6, 6 4, 6 4
Q. How does it feel to be the last American standing?
MARDY FISH: Last last. Again, I mean, it's not what you set out to do, you know. It was I guess bad luck for the Williams sisters to lose. Unfortunate, I guess. They'll be back, I'm sure.
Q. What are your thoughts on being this far along in the tournament right now and what is your level of excitement about it?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, it feels great. I mean, this is obviously a huge tournament for me. Suits my game probably better than any other tournament for me Grand Slam wise.
You know, so I felt like maybe it's one of those ones that I really wanted to do well at. You know in the quarterfinals. Feels great again. I'll have another tough one, for sure.
Q. You look at your results on grass recently and how you feel about it, do you think, Why did it take me this long?
MARDY FISH: I've had good success on grass in my career, but just never here. And I've had success in a lot of tournaments, but not really in slams. I think the three out of five thing has a lot to do with it.
I think, you know, the big guys are tough outs in three out of five. Two out of three I've beaten a lot of guys, but not three out of five. That's maybe my first top 10 win in a Grand Slam. They're hard to come by.
Q. You seem real measured, almost mellow. Do you feel like screaming like crazy inside?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, maybe it hasn't sunk in yet. I don't know. This is, you know, the one that you look forward to, this and the US Open, every year to do well at.
You know, it's different. This is much different than '08 US Open for me. I feel a lot different. I feel like a completely different player. So I'm hoping it doesn't end.
Q. If I'm not mistaken, you've only been broken once in your serve in four rounds. Did you see that coming?
MARDY FISH: I mean, look, I've gone through some runs in my career where I've served well. I think at one point I broke a record, Pete's record, that was broken numerous times by Roddick and then Federer, I think multiple people.
But I think it was maybe 90 something in a row I'll have to ask Sharko through Cincinnati and through the US Open. So I've had success on my serve, gone through matches without losing serve. This is probably one of the best serving days I've had.
I also served really well in the first round. I didn't have a breakpoint against me in the first round as well.
Q. Against him though today I guess returning somewhat important.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, sure. I mean, he's coming from another angle. I mean, he's a big guy. Tosses the ball real high. He gets up there high. I mean, when he hits his spots you don't know where he's going. You know, you're sort of guessing. Sort of have a small inclination where he wants to go on the big points. He likes the slider, this and that.
He hit the T serve as well on the deuce side. You know, sort of one of those things where you just try to take your opportunities when they come. I think for the most part he gave me that last break with the forehand volley thing that he tried. He would probably like to have that one back. Took advantage of most of my opportunities.
Q. How does it feel to be the Lone Ranger?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, it's not what you set out to do. You know, being the highest ranked American, I guess on both sides now, comes a pretty high responsibility. You know, as I said before, people are watching. You feel like people are watching more than before, especially with me.
Q. Not to get personal, but John McEnroe said that somehow Andy's marriage might be a distraction or detrimental. In the past you said your relationship and marriage has been a real help. Can you just talk about that as a factor in your career.
MARDY FISH: It's given me a whole 'nother lease on life, period. I mean, that's one of the reasons why you play. That's one of the reasons why Andy's still playing. I think it's completely unwarranted. It's not a great comment to talk about wives. You should probably stay away from the wives.
I mean, you know, I love Brooklyn. I love them to death, so I'll stick up for them, especially when it comes from a place, you know, that might not know the ins and outs of their relationship.
I know them as well as I know anybody, so, you know, that's tough to take, I guess.
Q. Some guys are good at playing someone for the first time. Do you feel like you're a good first meeting player or not in your career?
MARDY FISH: Maybe, yeah. I don't know. That would be interesting. That would be another question for Sharko.
But, you know, we've practiced a lot. I've never played him, obviously. He takes some cuts at the ball, boy. He was playing at a real high level for the first set. You know, you're trying to feel each other out a little bit probably, having never played.
You know, he likes to see the ball and hit it hard. I don't think I was prepared as well for that type of style. You know, I mean, I thought maybe you can get in a couple rallies and things like that.
But it played quick. The humidity made it play pretty quick. Definitely the fastest conditions we've had here.
Q. Looking forward, what would be the best conditions for you come Wednesday?
MARDY FISH: Hot. Yeah, hot. Hot, quick, humid. I think it's going to turn again.
But if it's slow and cold, I got a lot of aches and pains sometimes, too, that don't warm up as good. And I felt good today. I feel great now physically and mentally, so it feels good.
Q. In 2003 you were the only one who took a set off of Federer when he won the tournament. Many years have been passed.
MARDY FISH: That's an archive there.
Q. Do you still remember that?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, 2003, Centre Court, third set, 6 4. I remember. 6 3 maybe.
Q. As someone who follows the Lakers and NBA, is it sort of odd to see Sasha standing around as part of an entourage here?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, it's a little different. One of the nicest guys I've ever come across. Actually had a text from him just now that said, Good job.
I was going to go on the Friday before I was going to play an exhibition and it ended up raining. I was going to go watch him practice because he practices here almost every day. I was going to go with him and show him my shot (smiling).
Yeah, it's fun. It's fun to have him around. Especially such a good guy.
Q. He seems to be a magnet. People from all countries are coming up and slapping his back and talking to him. Is that what you're talking about?
MARDY FISH: He's extremely friendly, yeah. You know, and athletes look up to other athletes. He plays in the NBA, you know. I've seen him play for the Lakers a ton, so, you know, obviously you know who he is.
You hope that all those guys that you watch and know, you know, you hope they're good guys. Turns out he is.
Q. When you were Roddick's teammate in high school, what kind of game did you bring on the court?
MARDY FISH: I was like a two guard. I kind of stayed behind of three point line. Didn't do much of anything. Didn't really make any spots. Didn't play that good at defense. No, I wasn't very good.
Andy was like the motor. He'd defend, rebound. We'd pay him not to shoot, so...
Q. Did you hear from Andy or any of the other guys before your match?
MARDY FISH: Yeah. I mean, these guys are my best friends, some of my best friends in the world. You know, you develop relationships out here. I've been out here for a long time. Isner, James, Sam, Andy, Robbie who is coming back now.
Q. You heard from all those guys?
MARDY FISH: Yeah. These guys are some of my best friends. If I'm not hearing from them, I'm not hearing from anybody.
Q. Sounds like Rafa is not too interested in visiting Austin, Texas.
MARDY FISH: This guy has a pretty hectic schedule. I'm not sure how I would feel if I won the French Open, had hopes of winning Wimbledon, could easily do both, and then have to go travel across the world to play on a completely different surface and then come back again. You know, where are your breaks?
It's not surprising. I like Rafa a lot. I respect the heck out of him. So I'm sure his decisions are pretty good.
Q. Do you think it's a tough decision for him, because he comes from a country where tennis matters a lot and they're used to him playing?
MARDY FISH: I think he's smart enough to realize what goes into preDavis Cups and things like that. You sell tickets with people's names on it. I think he knows that. I think he knows the in and outs of the tournaments and of Davis Cups and how big his name is and how much he can pull.
I'm sure, of course, he wants to be there. Of course.
Q. If Rafa does come through, how do you get in a mindset against a guy you've never beaten on a really big stage?
MARDY FISH: That's a good question. You know, you can't go out there thinking you can't win. That's one. We know that.
But I've never been past this spot in a Grand Slam. Past this spot is where I want to be, where you set your goals for. So game plan wise we'll come up with something. A lot of it's mental. I mean, these guys, you know, he's got ten Grand Slams pretty recently.
So half the battle is walking out there believing you can win, and I'll definitely do that.
Q. Most people like him. He's considered to be a good guy. Ten slams and all that. But there is criticism that he tends to take too much time on court. Talk about your feelings with that.
MARDY FISH: I take a lot of time, as well. I think, you know, you get in a rhythm and you want to be as comfortable as you can on the court. There are certainly guys you play that you know are fast players.
Andy is one of them that plays extremely fast. Doesn't even wait till the changeover. I'm more of Rafa's side a little bit in that I like to take my time. I like to think about everything.
You know, then you have the superstitions, where you put the water bottles, where you get the balls back on the changeovers, and things like that.
Q. You've been to this stage before in a slam, but not here. Have you learned anything from past experiences that might help you this week, do you think?
MARDY FISH: I hope so. Certainly, like I said before, I certainly feel not really unbelievably happy to be here. I feel like it's not a complete upset that I'm in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam at least inside from my point of view. That's all that really matters, I guess.
So it feels a lot different. You know, we'll come up with a game plan and we'll go into the match on Wednesday thinking I can make the semifinals of Wimbledon.
Q. Talk about when you're playing later in the day and everywhere you look upsets seem to be brewing, many of which come to pass. How aware are you of that? What does that do for you as you're waiting?
MARDY FISH: Not too aware. You know, you're kind of watching matches. You know, we watched the López/Kubot match a little bit. I saw that López ended up winning, which is surprising. Warming up at 12:30 and not going on till 5:00, that's the hard part. You want to play so bad.
You're not too aware of what the people are talking about on the grounds. You don't really have much idea of that.
Q. You spoke briefly about the mental challenge in facing Nadal. From a strictly tactical and style point of view, what to you is the biggest challenge for your game against his? He just won the third set.
MARDY FISH: Well, I think it's not having him take you out of your style of play. I know my style can be successful on these courts. One of the things that these guys get you to do and Berdych is the same way is it kind of gets you out of exactly how you want to play.
You know, sometimes Rafa can play defense very well, and so you don't attack as much as you probably should. Or, you know, Andy Murray or Djokovic move so well or return so well that you over serve, things like that. You want to, I guess, try to stay within yourself.
I'll go into the match knowing my limitations but trying to play as good as I can, 'cause I'll certainly need to.
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po porażce w ćwierćfinale
M. Fish def. by R. Nadal 3-6, 3-6, 7-5, 4-6
Q. If you'd started like you began playing in the third set, do you think you'd have beaten him?
MARDY FISH: Uhm, I don't know about that, but I certainly played much better. There's not many things I would have done differently. I would have liked to have served even remotely as good as I have, you know, the full tournament.
I mean, you get out there I've never played on that court before and I never played on Chatrier in Paris and it takes some time to get used to those players. Even though there's no wind outside there's just a little bit of breeze there, so it takes some time to get used to.
I feel like I started hitting the ball really well, you know, in the third set and got my teeth into the match a little bit. You know, all of a sudden the shadows are right there in that game that I lost serve. Just completely lost the ball when I missed the volley to get broken.
Little bit of misfortune, I guess.
Q. What was going on with the serve? First serve was around 50%.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I've served exceptionally well here this week in all four matches before this one. Maybe it's just the surroundings. I think a lot of it has to do with the opponent, you know, the person that you're playing against. You know you got to make it that much better when maybe that's not the case.
You know, you got to still stay within yourself. I think I over served at times, trying to go too hard, too quick. I mean, I'm aware of it. I know what I do wrong and try to correct it. Just never got a rhythm at all.
You know, that's really the only thing that I'm disappointed with, is I felt like I competed well. I'm pretty sure he felt like he played pretty well, too. So, you know, it's not a bad loss by any means. But, you know, I'm not in this situation all the time. You know, further than the quarterfinals is where I wanted to go.
Q. What do you take away from this?
MARDY FISH: Uhm, I mean, knowing that I haven't, you know, broken through and haven't had that huge win at a major, I know that. I know that I'm playing well enough to make the quarterfinals of Grand Slams and beat top 10 players.
You know, I'm lacking that one huge result, that one big one where it opens everyone's eyes and says, you know, Wow, I can't believe he beat him; that's a really good win. I don't have that. That's just off the top of my head, that's what I'll take away.
I'm sure tomorrow will come around and I'll be pretty satisfied with the way that I played here. You know, beating Berdych is a great win. I think that's my only top 10 win in a major. So I'll take that out of it. But it's tough right now.
Q. Fans are always comparing Roger and Rafa. On a neutral court, both players playing at their peak, who do you think is a better tennis player?
MARDY FISH: Right now?
Q. When they're both at their peaks.
MARDY FISH: Probably Roger. On a hard court, you know, a Miami type court. I mean, you know, he's got more credentials. But Rafa's not too far behind him. That would be my guess.
Q. You're hitting your stride here at an age when a lot of guys are starting to wind it down. Is there a feeling of, I wonder if I'll be at this stage here again?
MARDY FISH: Sure. I mean, look, I don't think in 12 months I'll be slowing down, but I'm certainly glad that I played on a stage like that here before I hang it up. Certainly am.
You know, this is one of those tournaments that you look forward to every year, especially someone like me, the way that I play. This is the one that you really want to do well at one time, especially since I hadn't. You know, I would have liked to have gone a little further.
Q. Did Nadal seem to be slowed at all or have any trouble with his left foot, which he had hurt in the prior match?
MARDY FISH: You tell me. I mean, you know, he seemed fine. He moved fine. I don't know.
Q. What was that like for you between matches? There was so much speculation about was he going to play, how hurt is he. You're the person that's most going to be affected by whatever.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, the first few hours, I guess Monday night, I mean, you're a human being, so those things creep into your head. You know, they blew it up pretty good. Went to the hospital, this and that.
So, yeah, I mean, that's not the way that I want to go through. Would I take it? Sure, I mean, I'd take it. But, you know, I'm glad he's not injured. And clearly he's not.
Q. So how do you see the semifinals playing out?
MARDY FISH: Uhm, well, I didn't see any of Murray obviously. Very surprised that Fed lost, especially with two sets' lead. I'll be interested to see the match with Murray. I feel like if he plays like that, you know, he's probably the favorite on this stage.
Novak's there. He's had a little easier road than maybe Rafa has. I think Rafa's the favourite, though.
Q. If Rafa were to go all the way, would that be a small consolation to you?
MARDY FISH: Sure. I mean, you don't root for it or anything like that. I'm sure John Isner feels like a small, tiny consolation at the French Open, even though, you know, he pushed him further than anyone else could. Yeah, I mean, small consolation, but nothing too serious.
Q. Tennis is a game of perspective. Two, three years ago, you're told that you're going to be reach the Wimbledon quarters, you'd be pumped. Now you're saying, sorry the pun, I didn't get the big fish. Talk about how your perspective has changed, and is that a good thing?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, it's changed a lot. It is a good thing, for sure. You don't want to be satisfied. You don't want to be in a position where you're comfortable where you are. If you're 8, you want to be 7, so on and so forth.
It's a completely different mindset for me. Making the quarterfinals of the other majors that I did, I can't remember what I did after those matches, but I'm sure I was, you know, unbelievably excited, you know, and felt like it was sort of that's a great run. Now I play Roddick in Australia when he was top 5 in the world or 3 in the world or whatever, then Rafa at the US Open.
I really walked out on the court feeling that I could win. And I still felt like it even in the fourth set, if I could get the break back and just put a little scoreboard pressure on him in the third set. That was my goal, was to just kind of put a little pressure on him serving, and at 5 6 that worked.
I felt a lot more comfortable, you know, throughout the match. You know, what I'm trying to say is I wanted to win; I felt like I could win. Maybe in those other matches I was sort of happy to be there.
Q. What about Davis Cup, leading the American team, how does that feel?
MARDY FISH: I don't think that's gonna be the case. I mean, Andy's always been the guy. He's gonna be the guy that we all sort of bounce off of and lean on, you know, get our energy from.
It will be great playing for Jim. Obviously I wasn't there in Chile. This will be my first time with him, so I'm really excited.
Q. What about Wimbledon translates well to your game? What about your game works well on this surface? Are those qualities of Wimbledon that are kind of distinct from other surfaces, are they getting more pronounced or more similar to hard court?
MARDY FISH: Getting a lot more similar to hard court, for sure. You know, the bounces are just so true. You feel like sometimes a lot of topspin doesn't jump through the court at all. It slows it down quite a bit. Especially today.
The conditions on Monday and the conditions today were completely different. There was a lot of humidity and it was a lot warmer on Monday. The court played a lot differently. It played a lot faster, which I liked. And today it felt very slow. But maybe it's because he's getting to everything, you know.
And the first part, it suits my style quite a bit just because I love coming forward. I love putting pressure on. I usually serve pretty well.
Q. You've played all these guys now, Berdych included. When you think about what sort of defines Rafa and what makes him different from everybody else really that you've played in the past and what defines him as a champion, what do you think that really is?
MARDY FISH: You know, you never feel comfortable. You're talking about on the court?
Q. Yes. Just playing him.
MARDY FISH: You're never comfortable. You know that when you walk out there it's going to be a battle regardless. You know, there's quite a few guys that you can walk out on the court with and maybe think if they're having a bad morning that they're not going to show up maybe. Or if you get on top of them, you don't want to wake them up, you can kind of get through the match.
He's never going to do that. I've never seen him do that. It's pretty incredible. He just shows up every time. 40 Love points, the game's not over. You see a lot of those games coming back.
You know, he just puts so much pressure on you with his forehand, with his movement. His forehand is so heavy and he can hit it so many different places, that when he's staying aggressive with it and when he's trying to hit it through the court, it's impossible to read and you're on the defense for the entire point basically.
Q. There was one point you were in control. Rafa runs down and hits a running forehand that hits the T out of nowhere. Your hat kind of goes askew.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, kind of near the end of the match.
Q. Yeah. Talk about his powers of retrieval, his defence to offence, and compare it to Novak, who is pretty darn good, too.
MARDY FISH: I think from the wings, on the run, when you're at the net, kind of passing shot type things, Rafa's as good as I've ever seen anybody. I mean, he can turn anything into a winner from anywhere on the court.
And Djokovic uses his movement. Rafa kind of uses sort of his forehand or his racquet really does the work and his hands do the work. Obviously he gets there and his movement's great. Djokovic does it with his feet; he does it with his legs. He'll turn a regular, you know, sort of offensive shot from me, maybe sort of a cross court forehand offensive shot that I'm still at the baseline into offense for him.
On hard courts, you know, Rafa passes as good as anyone. Novak moves as good as anyone right now.
04.07.2011
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 8
Wimbledon 2011 - 3 wielkoszlemowy ćwierćfinał Fisha!
Amerykański tenisista po raz pierwszy zagrał w 1/4 Wimbledonu 4-setowym boju przegrał z Rafaelem Nadalem. Wcześniej Mardy Fish 2 razy zagrał w najlepszej '8' turnieju WS: AO 2007 i US Open 2008.
hahaha :D hahaha
#6) Atlanta 2011
R32 BYE
R16 Nicolas Mahut (FRA) 6-3 6-3
Q Somdev Devvarman (IND) 6-4, 6-3
S Ryan Harrison (USA) 6-2, 6-4
W John Isner (USA) 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-2
Warto podkreślić, że Mardy wybronił 2 mp! ;)
metjuAR napisał:
#16) Atlanta 2011
Metju spokojnie, to dopiero 6-ty tytuł. :P
Wybiegam w przyszłość. :D