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4/26/08 3:55 PM | Cheryl Murray
Q. First of all, congratulations on being the first American to make the quarterfinals or better since Vince Spadea in 2003. Were you comfortable with your movement on clay?
A. I feel comfortable, yeah. I don't slide, but other than that, I feel pretty comfortable.
Q. Andy Roddick and James Blake have drawn criticism for not coming to the clay Masters events. How do you feel now, carrying to American clay mantle?
A. It feels good. I've already inspired James Blake to take a wildcard into Barcelona next week. I know it's because it's what I did here. I think next year, hopefully, more guys will come over. I mean, I think so.
Q. We're hoping so. It seems like once they get to the French Open, they haven't had any time to prepare at all. Usually the clay warm up event that they play is the one in Houston, and Andy Roddick didn't even play that this year.
A. A lot of guys though, it's a long time if you stay over here and play Barcelona, Rome, Hamburg and then the French. It's just a long time.
Q. They don't like to be in Europe that long, you think?
A. I don't either. I'm going home tomorrow morning for three weeks. I'm not much better than those other guys.
Q. The big win that you had over Richard (Gasquet) yesterday. Would you consider that the biggest win of your career, or have there been others?
A. One of, for sure. I think James Blake and Mikhail Youzhny and even Kevin Anderson because it was the finals of a tour event. But yeah, the win over Richard Gasquet was pretty big.
Q. I think there was some surprise that you were able to win that match after you lost the first set. People were packing away for the night, and then you took the second.
A. Yeah, I think it kind of upset some people. They were booing when I won.
Q. When you were a kid and you dreamed about winning “the big one”, what tournament did you dream about?
A. Monte Carlo. Just kidding. (laughter) US Open. I think most American when they're young dream about the US Open.
Q. Did you attend the US Open as a child?
A. No. The first time I went was when I played juniors US Open.
Q. Why do you think American players have so much difficulty on clay? Is it lack of warm up events, or is it movement?
A. I think it's not enough warm up events, and confidence. They come over here and dread the clay court season. They like to just play a couple of events and move on.
Q. In their defense, the clay court season is a lot of tennis in a short period of time. As soon as you're done these clay events, you have to head over to start the grass season, and fatigue is an issue.
A. It's definitely tough. Especially since if you are American, your clay court season is a window of two months. Where if you're European, you kind of play February through now (the South American swing).
Q. I was reading on-line. You have your own fan base, sort of like the J Block and they call themselves the Samurai. So tell me about that.
A. It was my high school buddies. They started it when I turned pro at the LA Open tournament. They came with their shirts off and spelled Samurai across them. There must have been five hundred kids there from my high school that first day when I played in LA. It's quite a fan group. When they come to my matches, they bring instruments, and they have this giant gong that they gong when I win points.
Q. So they are more creative than the J Block? Is that what you're saying? (laughter)
A. Definitely.
Q. Do they mostly come to your west coast (America) events or do they come to others as well?
A. No. Most of them are in college. Maybe when they're out of college they can do more traveling. A couple came to the US Open a couple years ago. Mostly LA Open, Las Vegas and Indian Wells.
Q. You said you are going home for three weeks. What is your next event?
A. Poertschach, Austria the week before the French.
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