Le 6 août 2007  - August 6, 2007                   

                    F. FOGNINI/P. Polansky
           
6‑3, 7‑6
           
           
PETER POLANSKY
           

            Q.  Do you think he was just a little bit better than you or were there other factors, like your hand, stuff like that?
            PETER POLANSKY:  No, I don't think my hands was a factor.  I think he was just playing steady.  He hit a couple big forehands when he needed to.  But I think most of the time I kind of just gave him a few too many free points off his second serve.  I was trying to go for it a bit more.
            I had like three breakpoints where I hit the same return long, backhand return long.  I think just the bigger points I wasn't really able to convert them as well.
            I was up a break twice in the second set, and he was able to break me back both times right after.  In the tiebreak, I was up 3‑Love, 4‑2, something like that.  You know, I just kind of gave him a few too many points when I was up.

            Q.  On the set point, you missed one of those backhand returns.
            PETER POLANSKY:  Yeah.

            Q.  Do you think it was because you were going for too much; he hit a good serve?
            PETER POLANSKY:  You know, I don't know.  Just kind of got up on me a little bit.  I just tried to step in a little bit, caught it a bit late.

            Q.  Towards the end, you seemed to have a cramp in your leg.
            PETER POLANSKY:  On one of my serves in the beginning of the tiebreak, I noticed that when I landed, my calf cramped for a split second.  I was trying to be careful with it.  Then on the approach forehand, when I pushed off, it cramped right on that one.  That's when I kind of knew ‑‑ that's when it felt a lot worse, on that one.
            On the serve, it was tough to push off, so I double‑faulted the next point, then I missed that return.

            Q.  They talk about learning from losses and stuff like that.  What did you learn today?  Can you tell right after a match or is it something you have to think about?
            PETER POLANSKY:  Yeah, I mean, you know, right now there's so many things I just wish I could be out there again.  You know, I mean, I just think it was a great experience anyways.  I mean, playing in front of a crowd like this, big tournament like this.  Even though, you know, I knew I could have won today maybe, I know I can compete with these guys.
            I'm not really out here just kind of trying to, you know, just ‑‑ I'm not really just happy to be here.  You know, I actually believe this year, you know, I could have won a couple of rounds if I was playing well.
            I think everything, this whole thing, has been a learning experience.  It's been great this whole tournament.  I know he was a qualifier.  He's played a couple matches before me, but his ranking was, you know, still 130.  He wasn't one of the higher‑ranked guys, but his level is there.
            It was just an all‑around good experience, I think.

            Q.  What happened to your hand in the first set?
            PETER POLANSKY:  Three days ago I had a blister out of nowhere.  It got better.  But I tried playing with the tape off today.  Near the end of the first set, the blister kind of opened again.  I just got it taped up again.  It wasn't too much of a problem.

            Q.  Some bad luck?
            PETER POLANSKY:  A little bit, but it's okay (smiling).

            Q.  Where do you go from here?
            PETER POLANSKY:  I'm just going to take a few weeks off now at home, just rest up and get some fitness done.  I mean, I've been on the road, this is my seventh week in a row.  It's been quite a while since I've been home.  You know, just go home, relax a bit.
            I'll be playing some challengers again in the States I think in September.

            Q.  Do you feel like you're a little worn down, seven straight weeks?
            PETER POLANSKY:  Well, when I was in Italy, it was all on clay.  You know, I got back and had to go straight to Granby, which is really fast courts.  You know, I don't really feel too worn down.  I mean, it's a little bit tough mentally playing seven weeks in a row, even though I've been feeling great.  I just think, you know, why play eight in a row.  I just thought I'd take some time off.
            I don't think I was really worn down from it all.  It was all right.

            Q.  How would you sum up your progress so far this year?
            PETER POLANSKY:  I think so far this year I've been doing really well.  I just started playing more and more challengers these last couple months, been able to qualify for more, winning some rounds now.
            So, you know, I think my progress, so far I've been doing great.  I know now if I go play challengers, most of guys in the draw I know I can win on any day.  I know they're good players, I won't win them all, but I just believe that I can beat them now.

            Q.  You'll be able to get into a few challengers without qualifying.  Will that make it a little easier?
            PETER POLANSKY:  Yeah.  Some of them in the States are a little bit tough.  I think my ranking is like 320, 330 now.  I should be able to get into main draw in some of them, maybe be one of the top speeds in quallies if I have to.
                  
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