TMS MONTE CARLO

April 19, 2000

Yevgeny Kafelnikov

Q. Do you believe the key of the match was at 3-1 in the third set at 30-15 when you hit the frame in the middle of the court?

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I would say yes. First of all, it was a great effort for me to come back from a set down, 5-3, to turn the match around and have total control up until that moment. Yes, I think at 30-15 when I missed the backhand to the net, I thought there was a turning point. If I would have -- if I would have won that service game I am sure I would have closed it out. But unfortunately, the circumstances had changed and, from that point on I got a little bit tight because it was a big match for me. I wanted to win. I wanted to continue to be in the tournament but that is the way it goes.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I definitely -- it's day and night, the differences, so, of course, I am playing a lot better. I feel more confident, so give me three weeks and you are going to see dramatic progress.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: He can say anything he wants, but the bottom line is that when I am playing my best nobody wants to play me. When I am a little bit struggling on the clay in the beginning of the clay court season, seems to me, everybody wanted to play me because, you know, obviously a reason. Once I am picking up my game nobody in the world wants to play me. That is the only information I can give you. Just a matter of time when I am playing good, you know, even for how bad I have played on the clay I had a chance to win. I was 3-Love up and for how unconfident I was. I turned the match around and I was that close to win the match. So that just shows I have potential on clay, just a matter of time. Just give me time, I said two, three weeks and those guys are going to be very regret for what they say.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: It is definitely the patience, yeah, because when you spend, you know, big amount of time on the fast surface, you know, I am the kind of player who I just adjust to fast surface very quickly because when I do play on the fast surface which is indoor, hard court, grass, you know, I am using the pace of the player. I can place the ball anyplace on the court I want by using the speed of the other player. But on the clay you got to generate your own pace and, you know, after a long period of time you are not used to hit the ball hard from both wings, backhand and forehand. Like I said, that is the most trouble I have by transferring from fast surface to the clay.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I will probably take next week off just to practice because I feel like I needed to practice. I needed to practice, you know, some of the aspects of the game and particularly I have got to be physically stronger. That is what I am going to do. And, of course, I am going to play Rome, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, and I am really looking forward to Dusseldorf because at least I am going to get three matches and -- like it is the same thing like in Australia, you play three matches, exhibition event, and all the time that I have played Dusseldorf I have played successful in the French Open. I went to the semis once and I won it so it is a good sign. I am looking forward to it.