	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

TMS - INDIAN WELLS

March 16, 2000

Hicham Arazi

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

MIKI SINGH: Hicham is back, another win. First quarterfinal here. Played here last year; second-round in his first appearance here. Quitee an improvement in one year. Questions.

Q. You showed marvelous touch out there with your hands. It was kind of fitting that your winning point was a topspin lob. Tell me about your tennis development of your hands, such quick hands.

HICHAM ARAZI: I don't know. I'm very happy that I won today, first of all. I was surprised about the lobs today because usually I don't make too many lobs like this. Today, I don't know, I had a great feeling. I feel very well the ball, you know. I don't know. Just a good day.

Q. As a serve and volleyer goes, where would you put Mirnyi among the top serve-and-volleyers? Would you rank him up there with some of the top serve-and-volleyers or does he have to do something more on his serve-and-volley?

HICHAM ARAZI: I think he have to change a little bit more, like to stay sometimes more in the back, to improve his game from the baseline. He have like a great serve, you know, great volley. If he can change a little bit, mix it up, I think he would -- I mean, it's going to be tougher to beat him. He's doing all the time the same, so you focus on the return and the passing shot. He's always doing this, so it's easier for us.

Q. When somebody is always coming to the net, it's easier for you?

HICHAM ARAZI: I mean, yeah. You don't have to think too much. You just have to be concentrate on the return and then try to make him play the first volley and then the passing shot. That's it. If he's staying from the baseline, you don't know when he's coming, he surprise you more.

Q. Are you capable of winning a tournament like this?

HICHAM ARAZI: I don't know. Maybe, maybe. I'm in a good way. I'm playing good. I have next round now. Yeah, depends next round. Everything can happen, I don't know.

Q. You've seen your draw, and it looks pretty wide open on the side of the draw where you are. Do you feel that way?

HICHAM ARAZI: I'm playing Lapentti next round. He just beat Escude. It's a tough game. I think Kafelnikov was in the same draw, no? He lost. There is some other seed. Rusedski also lost. It's getting more open. You know if they beat them, they're quite a good player also.

Q. In the second set, they had to treat you for what looked like a neck problem. Tell us about your problem.

HICHAM ARAZI: I don't know. It's in the return. I was returning, I don't remember which time in the second set. I don't know, I had really pain in the neck. I had many times this problem. It's the (in French). I don't know.

Q. Did the pain go away?

HICHAM ARAZI: The trainer came, he cracked me a little bit, massaged me, put some hot cream. After the manipulation, I was a little bit out. Then after, I get better.

Q. Does it hurt when they crack you like that?

HICHAM ARAZI: I mean, yeah, when your head is moving like this during the match, it's a little confused then after (indicating).

Q. This is an interesting tournament the way it's playing out. Are the serve-and-volleyers having a tougher time on the tour now because you guys are passing so well?

HICHAM ARAZI: No, I don't think so. They did well last week. Henman went to the final. He played good also indoors in Europe. Rusedski, he was injured. Now he need a little bit time to come back. Rafter also, he was injured. No, they still tough to play. They need just time to get back in the competition.

Q. Do you feel more players are starting to play from the baseline?

HICHAM ARAZI: They try to, yeah. They try to mix it up. Rafter, okay, he's playing like serve-and-volley, but not like the player I played today. He's staying sometimes on the baseline, trying things.

Q. What's keeping you out of the Top 10? Is it mental, physical? Is it problems with your game? You're obviously very talented.

HICHAM ARAZI: It's more mental, yeah. Sometimes I go nuts (laughter).

Q. Are you working on that this year? You've had pretty consistent results.

HICHAM ARAZI: Yeah, I mean -- no, I'm not really working on that. It's just me. I have to take time and try to be like more concentrate, not like to see around. When something happen on the court, just relax.

Q. Have you ever thought of consulting a psychologist who could maybe help you adjust to these problems?

HICHAM ARAZI: No. I don't have any problem (laughter). The only problem is when I miss a forehand in like a tough moment, but outside the court everything is perfect.

Q. Where did you pick up that flipping your racquet trick? Something you do often in practice?

HICHAM ARAZI: No, it was my brother. He was doing all the time this, throwing the racquet I don't know how many meters high. I take this from him.

Q. You can throw it up pretty high and catch it most of the time?

HICHAM ARAZI: Yeah, sometimes.

Q. Have you heard from the King lately? He follows your career.

HICHAM ARAZI: Yeah.

Q. Did you ever play tennis with him?

HICHAM ARAZI: No, no, no. He likes more jet ski and all these kind of things.

Q. Have the new facilities helped your game as a baseliner?

HICHAM ARAZI: I mean, it's bigger. Looks like a Grand Slam tournament. I'm doing all the time good in the Grand Slam tournaments, so maybe it's that feeling that I have.

Q. Maybe that could help your mental problem.

HICHAM ARAZI: Maybe. That's maybe the reason.

Q. How about the heat, does that bother you at all?

HICHAM ARAZI: No, it's okay. It was fine. I feel it more when I'm looking my friends playing. When I'm on the court, I'm not thinking about that. I'm more concentrate on what I'm doing, not the weather.

Q. When you go nuts on the court after you miss a shot, what do you do to calm yourself down or can you not calm yourself down?

HICHAM ARAZI: Sometimes I can't. Sometimes I can. When I'm playing good, when I have a good result, it's like I'm more calm. Even if there is a break or something like this, I stay calm, take more time before the serve, all this.

Q. The times you can't, you go nuts and say, "I have no hope, I'm so mad that I can't get back in the match, I'm playing too bad"?

HICHAM ARAZI: Sometimes I'm not playing too bad, but there is some (inaudible) shot and it makes me angry a little bit. Sometimes I can't control myself, but I'm trying now.

Q. You beat Agassi in the first round here. It's been reported that Andre and Steffi Graf are going to get married.

HICHAM ARAZI: They're getting married?

Q. Reported in a German paper. Can you imagine what it would be like playing their son 20 years from now?

HICHAM ARAZI: Me?

Q. Let's say Graf and Agassi have a child. Can you imagine how good that child might be?

HICHAM ARAZI: Yeah, if he have the talent of Agassi and the talent of Graf, mix it up. Going to be tough boy.

Q. Are you sensing you're kind of becoming a crowd favorite? Since you took out Agassi, besides Sampras, I would say you are the crowd favorite. Do you draw from that? Do you notice that?

HICHAM ARAZI: No, it's true. I mean, when I play Agassi, it's normal. Everywhere in the world when you play Agassi, everyone is for Agassi. Now I feel like the crowd, they push me, they support me. It's nice.

Q. As you're going farther, seems like they're behind you.

HICHAM ARAZI: It's true.

Q. Are you comfortable with that role?

HICHAM ARAZI: With that?

Q. Are you comfortable with being a crowd favorite?

HICHAM ARAZI: Yeah, yeah, it's nice.

Q. Better on that side than the other?

HICHAM ARAZI: Yeah.

Q. I would imagine also if you lose your temper, you have the crowd with you, it's easier to get your temper back?

HICHAM ARAZI: Sorry?

Q. If the crowd is with you, you get mad at yourself, it's easier to come back and calm yourself down because you know you have the crowd with you?

HICHAM ARAZI: Yeah, I think. But there is a lot of time the crowd is not with me.

End of FastScriptsâ€¦.

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297