Vasek Pospisil is the second player that secured his place in the quarter-finals of 2020 Sofia Open. In the last match on Tuesday, the Canadian won against the fourth-seeded Jan-Lennard Struff 6:3, 6:4 in 80 minutes. Pospisil showed great serving efficiency and scored five aces and won 90 per cent of points with his serve.
“I think I return well. I was pretty calm. I had some really tough moments, but that really helped me. There were a few moments that mattered a few points. It is been a tough match, but I it is nice that I won in straight sets.
I think in the beginning I have been really grooved down with returns, and he misfired a few balls early in the match. He was going super aggressive and missed a couple of balls. And I was trying to be solid. Then he started to play better. I was locked in the return. I stayed focused on. And I was serving well for most of the match. Definitely, the serve and the return are the most important shots in indoor tennis. Especially on a court like this”, Pospisil said after the match.
He confessed that playing tennis during pandemic and COVID-19 is a hard task.
“It is not easy for nobody. Just travelling every week, and going through the protocol and being in the hotel room in a bubble. It’s been a long, long few months. Very toxic, draining mentally for sure. Everybody is in the same boat. I will try to relax and keep my head off from tennis a little bit.”
Next Pospisil will meet the winner in the match between Australian John Millman and the qualifier Gilles Simon.
“I will definitely watch the match. The biggest charge is physical fatigue at the end of the year. I think it will be one of those matches when you have to play aggressive and not get in long rallies because both of those guys like this. I have to keep the points short and try not to play their game. Playing my strengths.”
Pospisil didn’t miss to compliment the local organization: “I feel great here, I like the balls, I like the court. I like my time here. It’s been an enjoyable week so far. My aim is to go just as deep as possible. I don’t have a goal. Of course, I would love to win the tournament, but everybody loves to win the tournament. That is obviously something that would be amazing. But I want to go match by match. It would be great if I can go through the next, so my focus is on my next match. It will be a tough one with a tough opponent, whether Simon or Millman.”
