22/01/2012 12:11 CEST - TENNIS

T. Berdych - 22.01.2012

Q. Do you have any regrets about not shaking his hand at the end of the match?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, I mean, just to say about this story, which I already take it as a past, it's just one thing that what happened from the side of Nico was pretty much maybe not what should be happening in the tennis, and that's it, you know.
So I think if they want to look at it like that, then I think maybe we both did some mistake. So it's even, and that's it. You know, I wouldn't do any big story with that, you know. Just something happen there, and that's it, you know.
It's already we don't have any problems at all together. That's how it is, you know. It was pretty tight match, and I think it's more about the game than just this story.

Q. In his press conference the other day he was asked if there was any bad blood between you and him. He said not with him, but he said between and you Rafa he thought there had been incidents in the past. Is that right?
TOMAS BERDYCH: I mean, this is something what is maybe, what, five, six years old. Is nothing to talk about it. There is definitely we are friends, all of us. I mean, there is nothing that is coming, you know, from one, me, him, Rafa, Nico, anybody.
It's just any time, we go, you know I mean, I practice with him many times. Even if we gonna come out from here and see on the other tournament, there is no problem at all. Just we can meet, we can have a practice, and whatever.
So, I mean, this is really something what's come up maybe from the emotions. As I said now, which is not too far from the match, it's already past. That's it.

Q. What was it that happened on his side?
TOMAS BERDYCH: I mean, what was happen this is just once I'm gonna talk about it and that's it. Probably whoever played the tennis knows that the court is pretty big, and you always have some space to put the ball in. And not even if you stand each other like three or four meters close to the guy, just try to hit it straight to your face, you know. I was just able and lucky to somehow fell down. Just hit me in the arm, and that's it, you know.
Actually, this is not the way how tennis is. Even if you have this point, you always have enough space to where to put the ball and not actually try to hit the other guy.

Q. So you think it was intentional, him hitting you, then?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, could be. I don't know why. You normally could go for it, yeah, so it's just probably maybe too emotions. I don't know.

Q. But he said sorry on the court.
TOMAS BERDYCH: You think is this enough to apologize?

Q. That's usual in tennis, say sorry. Maybe he didn't mean to do that. I don't know. Just a question.
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, but, you know, you should think first, then you did something. So I think that's it, you know. Yeah, but I wouldn't do any big deal from that, you know.

Q. If sorry is not enough, what could he have done besides saying sorry?
TOMAS BERDYCH: He should play the ball differently. That's it. That's what I was talking before, you know. When the court is not like two meters big and actually we have like nine meters, I think, there is pretty much enough of space when you have easy ball which, you know, that pretty much was.
Yeah, but that's it, you know. That's what happened there, and leave it like there.

Q. The crowd seemed to take very much his side against you at the end there. Their reaction, were you surprised at that?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, I don't know what to say. Yeah, I mean, I can say I was a bit surprised, but hopefully it's just as I said, it's past. Why to go still?
Probably you'd like to talk about this more than the match was pretty good. It was kind of a fantastic match, and maybe you still these days want to try find out the stories like that than nice matches.
So that's it.

Q. Your thoughts on your upcoming quarterfinal?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, I mean, of course, I'm really happy to go through. I mean, it was extremely tough battle. We play four sets for almost four hours, and, you know, it was a great game I think from both of us.
That's I think the important thing, you know. We come here to play tennis and not to be talking on the table and just talking about something what is not that important.
Yeah, I mean, the game was really good. It was three or all the four sets it was really, really close ones, and it was just deciding in few balls.
So, you know, I'm really happy to go through to make the same results like last year, I mean, and now just try to get recovered from that and to be ready for Rafa.

Q. Did you watch some of Nadal's wins this week? How do you assess his game in this tournament?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, yeah. I saw a couple of not all the matches. Of course not. But I saw some play of Rafa, and he's looking really strong. I mean, he didn't drop a set yet and he's playing really confidence, really well.
And as he's shown, you know, he's a great tennis player. Deserve to be the position that he has, maybe even higher. So, you know, for me it's gonna be extremely tough.
But all the past I think like nine or ten matches I think I already lost to him. So, you know, it would be nice to try to change it a little bit, but I know that it's gonna be really extremely tough.

Q. Have you ever not shaken hands with somebody after a match before? Was that the first time?
TOMAS BERDYCH: No, I think it's the first time.