Florian Mayer

an interview with Mayer after he won the tourney in Bucharest:

It was your fifth final. Did you go into this one differently than in the past? Is it finally a relief to get your first title?
No, I didn’t [go differently into] this final, but of course I’m really, really happy right now. I knew I had a chance to win. I started so nervous and of course he helped me a little bit with some mistakes. First set was very close until 3-all, and then I really played a little better and could get over him.

Did you feel any extra pressure today?
Yes, of course I felt pressure. I really wanted to win and it was so much pressure for me, I was so nervous I couldn’t sleep the night before. I’m turning 28 years next week, so finally I did it.

What did you do well this week? Why did you have this big success now?
I think I feel comfortable on clay. All year I’ve made nearly all my points on clay. I move very good on clay. I had a good touch with my racquet and everything. I felt really good. My serve was working really good. Everything was perfect.

You had a great season this year, breaking into the Top 20 for the first time and becoming the No. 1 in Germany. Was this one of the goals you still had to reach, winning a title?
Yeah, my goal for this year was for sure to win my first title. I knew here probably was the last chance of the year because the next tournaments are only [ATP World Tour] 500 and Masters 1000s; it would be very tough. Here, I knew everyone would be tough to beat on clay, but if I play my game, I could beat anybody and that’s what I did.

You are the second German to win a title this year, together with Philipp Kohlschreiber. How would you describe the current state of tennis in Germany?
I think it’s not so bad. We had some good results, unfortunately not on the big tournaments like Grand Slams, that’s our problem. We need to get more success in Davis Cup maybe or in the Grand Slam tournaments.

You’re pretty consistent on most surfaces. Is there one you would consider your favourite surface. Maybe clay?
It’s tough to say. Right now it’s clay probably, but before I would’ve said it was grass. It’s tough to say for me. It changes sometimes.

Now that you have won your first ATP World Tour title, what are your goals for the rest of the season and for the future of your career?
For the rest of the season I would say it’s a realistic chance to finish the year in the Top 20. Therefore I need to play good in Shanghai and Paris, two big tournaments. That’s a goal I have.
http://bit.ly/p0kC4J

Florian Mayer caused an upset in the first match of the day as he ousted 10th-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. After 12 breaks had been exchanged, Youzhny double-faulted to hand Mayer the decisive break in the eighth game of the third set and the German closed out victory on serve in just over two hours. The loss marked Youzhny’s third successive opening-round defeat in the main draw of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.

The No. 35-ranked Mayer next will, who is coming off a fourth-round showing at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami (l. to Berdych), next will face either Portuguese qualifier Frederico Gil, who defeated Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-1, 6-3.

Mayer is out of Casablanca.

Mayer, it has been reported, will be off the tour for a couple of weeks after straining his hamstring in the tiebreaker of his Miami match with compatriot Kohlschreiber.

His name still appears on the Casablanca entry list, but barring a miracle, he should be withdrawing anytime soon.

Those who are looking to have a punt on the Sofia challenger, Florian Mayer takes on Ricardo Hocevar just days after coming down with a bout of gastro. Not a nice illness to try and recover from and put in 100% on a tennis court.