MEMPHIS, TN – February 19, 2011 – Brad Hunter provides his highlights of the Milos Raonic and Andy Roddick post-match interviews from Saturday.
Milos Raonic after his semi-final victory over Mardy Fish 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Reporter: Are you weary at all? It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks.
Raonic: No, I’m preparing the same way I did my first match in San Jose. I have my routine, I stick to it, I believe in it. I do as much as I can; it’s all I can ask of myself… If I need to fix some things I go on the practice court, I’m not gonna be arrogant or ignorant and say I don’t need to work on things.
Reporter:  What are some of the things you’re doing to get yourself ready for the next match?
Raonic: Eat right away, something nutritious. Stretching, get work if I have a nagging pain.
Reporter: There’s a certain Canadian theme, emerging. Are you proud of that?
Raonic: Yeah, there was a lot of snow here last week. (laughter) It’s good; it’s something for us to be proud of… I think it’s only the beginning.
Reporter: There’s never been a top 10 Canadian player. Do you ever question whether it’s possible?
Raonic: No. Simply. I’m doing this for myself. Never from I was young did I compare myself…always from when I was young, I set high goals for myself.
Reporter: You really seem to up your level of play, on really important points. Is that something comes naturally to you… or is that something you talk about…?
Raonic: I have my strengths that I try to rely on in these situations, they’ve been sorta peaking for me at the right times… Some days it’s going to manage to work, some days it’s not…
Reporter: What are your thoughts on the final, del Potro or Roddick?
Raonic: I look forward to it. Both players also are going to try and impose their game. Andy’s going to try to dictate more with his serve and forehand, change the pace with his backhand…
Reporter: If you had your choice Milos, who would you rather play? Roddick or del Potro?
Raonic: I don’t have my choice so it doesn’t matter. (laughter)
Reporter: Do you travel with maple syrup?
Raonic: I might start doing that.
Reporter: Your serve is such a weapon. Is that always been a natural service motion or is that something that you’ve worked on?
Raonic: It’s always been natural but I’ve always worked on it…
Reporter: Mardy said you played like a top 10 player today. Do you think that’s something that you can accomplish this year?
Raonic: This year it’s tough… but uh, I’m not gonna say I can’t but it’s tough. If I’m playing like a top 10 player the whole year then eventually I’ll be a top 10 player.
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Andy Roddick after his 6-3, 6-4 semifinal win over Juan Martin del Potro
Reporter: How do you feel about today?
Roddick: This is probably the best match I’ve played this year, including Australia… I was happy the way I played today.
Reporter: You got some treatment there… anything wrong… with the arm?
Roddick: No… I mean earlier in the week I was having trouble looking left with my neck… It’s not an injury; I think it’s a little bit of a pinched nerve… I get extended on my forehand and my arm will fall dead… it kinda comes and goes a little bit.
Reporter: Raonic next, who’s been playing with a whole lot of confidence… what do you need to focus on to get the win tomorrow?
Roddick: He has the confidence of someone who’s played 10 matches in 12 days. He’s winning every match close, playing well on the big points… and that comes with confidence. He’s certainly on a roll and has momentum. That being said I only have to beat him on 1 day. It’s just gonna be a matter of who can sneak out a break point and kinda try to convert it.
Reporter: Any significance to the number 50… to have reached 50 finals?
Roddick:  Yeah, to play in the finals of 50 tennis tournaments as a professional is a pretty big number.  I might not be that bad after all.
Reporter: What role do you think experience will play tomorrow? You’ve been in 50 finals, he’s been in 2.
Roddick: I honestly don’t think it’ll play that much… if it was a Grand Slam quarter or semi where the moment is so big and he has time to think about… he’s got so much momentum right now I think that kinda trumps any inexperience.
Reporter: You’ve been involved in some important off court projects with some academies, programs for kids and your charity foundation. What exactly are you doing?
Roddick: Basically I run a foundation called the Andy Roddick Foundation, and we support different at-risk youth programs in the South Florida and Texas area where I’ve lived. For various charities, we’ve raised close to 15 million dollars over the last 10 years or so. For different things… we have a tennis program in the west side of San Antonio… that is mostly (for) Mexican youth and their parents.  That’s grown from 50 kids to 600 now.
Brad Hunter is covering Memphis for Tennis Panorama News this weekend. Follow his reports here and live on our twitter account @GVTennisNews. Follow his personal twitter account @BradHunter.