TMS MONTE CARLO

April 16, 2001

Cedric Pioline

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Tuesday and Wednesday.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: I started indoors, and now it's quite different outside. I arrived here last Wednesday. In the beginning, it's very different. But it's okay. It's not too bad. It's coming back.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Today I played a solid match. Not a brilliant match, but solid. This is already a good thing. Although he is not a clay court specialist, my score was very sharp, and this is always pleasing. I am happy that I won this first match. That's all.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: It's a long time ago, last year. I really don't know how I was playing after my first round here last year. But last year is last year. I have a new tournament in front of me this year, nothing else. I will think about my second round and try to improve the power of my game.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: I've been telling myself that every week. I'm happy you didn't talk about grass.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: I'm working so that my game comes together. I played a good match, but I am not overconfident either. I'm waiting to see what is going to happen in the second round, and I hope today will be the beginning of a good series.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Certainly. It's true, when you already went through this kind of period, you don't let yourself be overpowered by anger, frustration. These are feelings which make you blind, and I'm not very constructive. Of course I am like everyone else, I have some moments when I get angry or sometimes discouraged, but I think the path I have to follow is clear and I'm certain it's going to come back.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Yes and no. If you play tennis well, you can win all kinds of matches. Sampras is not the most consistent player on this surface, and Agassi either although he won the French Open and other tournaments. But those two players are not the more consistent players on this surface, especially in the beginning of the season. The dangerous players are South Americans or Spaniards, as usual. This side of the draw will be more dangerous.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: On clay, well, it's a paradox. But on one hand, the rallies are longer so it's more difficult to build up your point in order to win it. But on the other side, it gives you more time. I started my match being very cautious, playing far from the lines and from the net. He started making mistakes immediately, which allowed me to be into the match better. This is something you cannot do on other surfaces; otherwise, you get beaten easy. So maybe it's a good thing.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: It is different because I had less time this year because we had to play Davis Cup. As far as I can remember, I had a week less preparation this year. And, of course, last year when I arrived here, I had won a few matches already. I was feeling my game properly. This year it's a different feeling. I tried to develop my game, so the preparation is different.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: I'm playing Barcelona, Rome and Hamburg. I don't believe it's a good solution to say, "You have to play every week." It's a demanding surface, so if it's to be only 60 percent, it's not interesting.