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US OPEN


August 30, 2002


Paradorn Srichaphan





THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk about the fifth set, I guess stemming from the tiebreak in the fourth, how you felt going in, then kind of the roller coaster getting down and coming back.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, the fourth set is if he lost that set, I could finish the match. I just try to win one tiebreak. Second and third I lost in the tiebreaker. Then finally I won the fourth. And, I mean, after that, really tight. I was -- let it go too far in the fifth because I was down double break.

Q. Were you physically hurt? Were you okay? Were you tired? A couple points, you looked like you were exhausted.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I'm okay. But, you know, it's gonna be better if I can just put everything together. Because in the fifth, he's still strong. He's good player. His serve's too big from the beginning to the end. It's tough to read his serve. It's pretty kick on his serve.

Q. I've seen a lot of players win and come off less ecstatic than you were. You looked very happy. Is that just because of the performance that stems back throughout this American summer?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, yeah. I mean, I have great summer. You know, second round US Open, play Rusedski in second round. It's just, I mean, it's tough draw. I was playing my best today. I just enjoy it. It was fun. I mean, it was fun out there to play one of the best player Rusedski, and took it five sets. And close, I mean, 6-4 in the fifth. I was trying my best to come back. Almost get back, he's tough.

Q. Is that the approach you take to Davis Cup as well, that kind of, "Just play to enjoy it, have fun"?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah. We going to play in England on September. We play in England. I think I gonna play great again. This is like good practice for Davis Cup, too, you know.

Q. Did you learn anything today?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah. I learn a lot of thing today from him. I mean, because this is like second meeting, but last year was two years ago.

Q. Do you think you can beat him next time then?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: It's still gonna be tough, you know. I have to put everything together and I have to play really well to, I mean, to win over Greg.

Q. What about Tim Henman? Have you played Henman?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I play him three times. I lost to him three times: Twice on grass, and one on hard court.

Q. Is there anything you can take from that, though? Is there anything, you feel like you're getting closer to beating him?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah, you know, just like I'm saying, I have to like, you know, make little mistake and then playing the right shot at the right time. So just mean that I have to put everything together and keep holding my serve. Then especially my physical, gonna be stronger. Have to be stronger, too.

Q. Will you play all three days in Birmingham? Will you play the doubles as well?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I might play doubles, too, but I'm not sure yet.

Q. What other options does your country have?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, for sure I gonna play two singles. I'm sure that I want to keep myself fresh for two singles. So I might not play doubles.

Q. Who would your doubles team be then?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Actually my brother's playing doubles, too.

Q. Tell us a bit about your teammates, because we know about you, of course. We don't know a lot about the other players on the Thai team.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Is second single, ranking like 220. Playing like challenger level. He's not a bad player, he's 21 years old. He's upcoming player. But compared to Greg and Tim, he's still far to go from them. You know, we just gonna go there and enjoy our first time to play qualifying for the World Group. That's it.

Q. What about your brother?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: My brother, I think he gonna play doubles. I always practicing with him when I'm going back home. So I think he keep practicing hard.

Q. How old is he?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: He's 28.

Q. So he's older than you?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah. I'm the youngest.

Q. Did he try to make it on the tour?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah. He was Top 10 when he was junior. Then he decided to go to school. So, you know, he can't do two things the same time. So he just quit -- not really quit, but he go to school and just keep playing same time. So he just play for Davis Cup now.

Q. What's his name?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Naratorn.

Q. And is it true that you almost taught yourself to play from watching videos of great players, great matches?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: That is how it started. My father was watching a lot of tape, videotape of match. You know, the teacher from -- the videotape, just, you know, the match.

Q. And you watch it?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah, my father have experience for like 30 years, over 30 years, because I have two older brothers and they both Top 10 in junior, too. I have to say that. And, you know, they both do the same thing. Because they want still to go to school same time. Then for finally, when I finish the Juniors, I just stop school and I'll go this way. So doesn't make difference.

Q. You pulled on the red shirt in the final set.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah.

Q. Did you hope it would have some...?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, you know, is winning color, you know. I try everything (smiling). Just kind of believe. But I'm not believe that if I put it I'm gonna win it. "Okay, let's finish with the red one."

Q. Are you going to bring the red one to Britain?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I think so, yeah. I think so (smiling).

Q. You won't start in it?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Not really. I gonna finish it (smiling).

Q. Can you give us some idea of how big a sport tennis is in Thailand.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: It used to be -- it's getting bigger and bigger, especially right now. Especially when I'm doing well. That match was live back to Thailand, too. Every match for the last two weeks - I play semifinal in Washington and final in Long Island - the match, it was live on TV. People was following and exciting about it. So a lot of Juniors starting to play, and there's a lot of good junior but they just making the decision when they finish the junior that they're going to go to school or they're going to go to this way. I think, you know, I might give them some idea that, "Try this way first, then try it for a couple years, two or three years. If not work, come back to school."

Q. A big win in Davis Cup would be a huge national event?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I would say so, yeah. But still tough.

Q. Sorry to come back to the shirt, just one last thing. Tiger Woods obviously has Thai blood in him. He wears the red on the final day. You wear it for the same reason?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I just know that last week in the press room Tiger was wearing the red on Sunday or the last match Sunday. But, I mean, for Thai people, the red color, actually wearing it on Sunday -- because Sunday is for red and then Monday is for yellow and Tuesday I'm not sure (smiling). But I'm sure Sunday is red, you know.

Q. How do you like the support you got today from the crowd?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I always enjoy it so much. You know, after third set, the people start to coming more after the Grandstand finish. I hope they enjoy it. Is looks so. Is lot of Thai people out there, too.

Q. Will there be many coming to Birmingham for the Davis Cup, Thai people?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah. They have, you know, a lot of Thai people in England. So I think maybe make some announcements, they should come.

End of FastScripts….

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