TMS - THE ERICSSON OPEN

March 26, 2000

Yevgeny Kafelnikov

GREG SHARKO: Yevgeny moves into the Round of 16 for the second time. He'll take on Australian Lleyton Hewitt. First question.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Yeah. I mean, we never had anything.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Seems to me everything fine. I'm looking forward to match.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I don't think so, no.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Not at all. Not at all.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Quite difficult. All I can say. You know, we've been in those situations before. Looking forward to that one. I don't think particularly the Russian team going into the match is the favorite, but we going to try hard and hopefully we'll succeed.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: No, no. I like to do stuff what I like. I found Nike very comfortable outfit, so that's why I'm wearing.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: No.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I'm not a businessman. I don't know how the things are going in that respect. All I can say, like I just told you, I'm wearing the stuff because I like it. It's comfortable for me. Very classic white color. That's the color I love most to play in. That's why I've chosen to have such a clothe.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I don't know. It's hard. If you look at the tournament which was last week in Indian Wells, nobody expected Corretja to win the tournament. I think this week is going to be quite a same tournament in the way that we're not going -- it's hard to pinpoint any favorite, who is going to win the tournament. I don't think Agassi is quite the favorite to win the tournament. I don't think Sampras is quite the favorite to win the tournament. I don't think myself even favored to win. There are at least ten guys who can win the tournament.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: About what?

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: No, never had the pleasure.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: My family did. I know that Putin won the election. He's the next president.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: No, I didn't vote. I never had a chance to vote. I was not at the time in the place. Basically when it was election for president, when Yeltsin became, I never voted. This time I never had a chance. Everybody expected that he was going to win.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I'm living months away from my country. When I do go back, the thing seems to me quite different. I can see the country's developing in the right way. Seems to me that the people are much more happy than ever before.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Well, I don't think those guys that you just named are quite on the same level as Medvedev was at the age of 18. I think the guys like Agassi, Sampras, the last guy who had such success, teenage, was Medvedev. I cannot explain you why so many young guys now are coming up. Just because it's a human nature. Old guys have to step down. I'm looking myself in three years from now, I won't be playing this game. I wouldn't be able to take such a punishment. My physical condition won't be good enough to compete with the young guys. That's a logical process going on.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: What a question? Of course I'm working.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: You haven't seen Larry around or what?

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Okay.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: He's a good motivator.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I got to do what I got to do, just go out and try to win. It's as simple as that.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: It would be a good match-up because I feel like I'm playing not as well as I would like to have, but probably I'm going to expect a tough match. I think the chances are quite even. I don't think he's favored going into the match. I don't think I'm favored going into the match. I'm going to expect a tough match and I'm going to prepare for a tough match.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I'm genius. That's why.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: That was unfortunate injury.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I know basically when I'm training hard when I need to slow down. Basically when I feel like my body is about to snap, I always take three, four days off, just giving my body time to recover. All I can say, I've been working physically hard on basically every part of my body just trying to make it stronger and stronger.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I think so, yeah. It has to do also with the way I'm striking the ball. Just like you said, my technique is very simple, very compact. I don't create any tension on my shoulders or my lower back. It's as simple as you can get: just turn the shoulders and follow through. That's also another reason why I'm staying so healthy for such a long period of time.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: It depends how I do here.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: It definitely favors the Spanish guys to play on a clay court. I'm looking forward to. I never had that extra week before the French Open. This year seems to me I'm going to have one week more preparation on clay than in the previous years. I think it's going to be quite important. I don't know how we're going to do in the tie, but certainly I'm looking forward to the rest of the clay court season.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Very well. Very well. I played 20 straight days golf in Palm Springs, so I'm free in my mind and I'm ready to play tennis again.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Marat is struggling lately. Hopefully he can rebound with a vengeance. Like you said, he's going to feel like playing at home. Certainly, you know, having Marat on the team, it definitely helps. I wouldn't be able to beat Spain just by myself on the clay.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I don't think I would be playing both tournaments, just like I did this year. I'm going to take two weeks off before the Indian Wells, just to have same schedule like I had this year.