TMS - CINCINNATI

August 9, 2000

Fernando Vicente

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

FERNANDO VICENTE: Not really. Always when you play with a top one, always it's another story, you know. I was 6-3 down, you know, he was playing well. I try to play. The balls I was hitting. I was staying up and down because he hit the ball too flat to me, you know? I don't know, 1-Love, but I don't know why he's retired. I don't know what he say, you know. I am happy, you know. I try to do my best. I don't know -- I don't know him, you know.

FERNANDO VICENTE: To me?

FERNANDO VICENTE: No, no.

FERNANDO VICENTE: No, no. But for me, you know, I was tired in the beginning of the match because it was so hot for me, and I was running too much. 6-3 for him. And I think too tired, you know. But he was -- he start to make mistakes, you know and I was coming back to the match so...

FERNANDO VICENTE: Him?

FERNANDO VICENTE: I don't know. I don't know. In the beginning was perfect, you know? He was fast. He was hitting the ball hard and deeper, you know? I try to do my best, you know? It was 6-3, but I don't know. What can I say?

FERNANDO VICENTE: I don't know. Maybe he was tired or I don't know. I don't know. Maybe he said oh, I cannot lose with a Spanish guy, I don't know. (Laughter.) I don't know. What can I say, you know?

FERNANDO VICENTE: What I think when?

FERNANDO VICENTE: I cannot believe, no. When you play a top player, you know, sometimes it's -- that's the thing, you know. Because you don't know why, but he left the court, you know. For me, I need matches because I don't play like him, you know. I need to stay in the court all the time, you know. I don't know, is different story for me and for him, you know. He is top player.

FERNANDO VICENTE: I have to be positive now, you know. It's nice draw, you know.

FERNANDO VICENTE: Hmm?

FERNANDO VICENTE: He's going to be tough.

FERNANDO VICENTE: No.

FERNANDO VICENTE: I do third round in Australian Open. I beat Todd Martin in third round. And here is good for me. I'm typical Spanish player, you know.

FERNANDO VICENTE: Yeah.

FERNANDO VICENTE: I never play with him. Is going to be tough. He destroyed the ball, right?

FERNANDO VICENTE: I don't know. I try to return, you know. My serve, I try to play the best I can.

FERNANDO VICENTE: No, no. No, I never played with him.

FERNANDO VICENTE: In the beginning of the match?

FERNANDO VICENTE: You know, when I start to play, you know, I try to absorb because I never play with Agassi. I feel lucky. I go to the court to enjoy. I will have to do, you know -- was 6-3, but I didn't really touch really the ball. It's hard because he hit the ball so flat, you know? But for me it's tough. You know, I play with him and I don't know when the ball is coming, you know. But after, I do better, you know. But that's all, you know. I got to do myself.

FERNANDO VICENTE: No, no.

FERNANDO VICENTE: Yeah, I try to play up and down, you know, balls, you know. Because if I hit it like he, it's going to be... (Whistling.)

FERNANDO VICENTE: Yes.

FERNANDO VICENTE: Yeah, I think so, yeah.

FERNANDO VICENTE: What year?

FERNANDO VICENTE: Yeah.

FERNANDO VICENTE: Yeah.

FERNANDO VICENTE: Yeah.

FERNANDO VICENTE: No.

FERNANDO VICENTE: No, no.

FERNANDO VICENTE: No, no. I never tell him.

FERNANDO VICENTE: No, no. (Laughter.)

FERNANDO VICENTE: No.

FERNANDO VICENTE: You know when I was playing in Roland Garros Junior, you know, he was playing with -- I don't know, fourth round I think. But I saw him in the, you know, in the locker room. He was with his coach, you know, same one. He goes to make massage or shower and I stay together with a friend. He was playing too in Roland Garros Junior, and Tony Saad (phonetic spelling) is the name. I said, "Look," we cannot believe, you know. I said, "Well, why cannot take the T-shirt." And we take it. Five minutes later, he had to go to the club. I don't know if he -- he has so many, you know.

FERNANDO VICENTE: No.

FERNANDO VICENTE: In the -- no, I don't know. In his locker, you know.

FERNANDO VICENTE: No, no, I don't know where.

FERNANDO VICENTE: No, I don't know where it is. We take it just to say we have it.

FERNANDO VICENTE: Yeah. I don't know where it is. I play with it.

FERNANDO VICENTE: Yeah. I was playing with.

FERNANDO VICENTE: I don't remember.

FERNANDO VICENTE: I lost in Roland Garros first round, right?

FERNANDO VICENTE: No.

FERNANDO VICENTE: No, no, no. Okay, that's all?

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