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DAVIS CUP - AUSTRALIA vs FRANCE


December 3, 1999


Sebastien Grosjean


PARIS, FRANCE

Q. Can you tell us what Eric told you in the locker room?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Well, he told me I didn't play an excellent match, but you had to see the quality of Philippoussis. He didn't let me express myself. He played a very good match. He told me to stay within the tie; it was not finished.

Q. How are you going to prepare mentally now for the next days?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Well, I'm going to see Cedric play and watch him, and I hope he will win and get a point, then the tie is not finished.

Q. With what state of mind did you come into the court? When you went onto the court, how were you?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: I was feeling good. I really wanted to play a good match, to play well. I know the atmosphere was very good. In the beginning, I was relaxed, but then he started playing very well and I felt a bit tense. It was more difficult for me to come back into the match.

Q. How did he play? Were you impressed?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No. I knew he was going to hit hard during the rallies. I knew what to expect. He was a bit lucky. He played a very good match anyway. He tried to unsettle me, and he succeeded. I didn't play a very good match.

Q. John Newcombe said during the week that the best surface for Philippoussis was clay, and Guy laughed at that. Were you surprised by his level of game on clay?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No, because I played him already in Monte-Carlo, and he played a very good match there. He hits hard; he serves well on all surfaces. I think on fast surfaces he's a bit more indoors, on grass, because he can express himself better. But he can also play good matches on slower surfaces.

Q. Did you regret you didn't try something new during the match?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No. I don't think you should have regrets about such a match. I tried to do the most I could possibly do on the court. But he played a very good match, and I didn't have the opportunity to free myself and express myself.

Q. Guy Forget was talking to you on changeovers. What did he tell you? Did he tell you to change your tactics?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: He told me to fight and make him play a lot because he doesn't like to play long rallies; he likes to play in two or three shots. But today he played very strongly, close to the lines. It was very difficult to make him play.

Q. Do you believe that the serve was a great factor in your loss today?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yes. The serve is very important. He was able to be aggressive and attack me on the second serves. I had to make sure my second serve went through in order to be able to get into the rally with him.

Q. You said that Philippoussis stopped you from feeling relaxed. Do you believe the crowd didn't help you enough, and mentally you didn't have this kind of triggering of energy?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No, that was not the case. But he pressured me all the time. Every time I was able to hit hard back to his shots, every time I made a point, the crowd was shouting for me. They were great. I think we have to congratulate Philippoussis for his high level of game today.

Q. I think it's your worst loss in the season, 3-Love. Do you believe at the end of season you are a bit tired, mentally and physically?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No, because I took a break after Moscow. I regained my energy again during that break. Anyway, during Davis Cup, you are pumped up and you feel you want to play at your maximum. So mentally and physically, I was not tired. I always had resources to fight back and to play matches like this one.

Q. And you believe you found those resources today?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Well, today it was a bit difficult because he played a very good match, so it was not obvious. I had difficulty expressing myself and using my weapons.

Q. On Sunday, you might play a live rubber against Hewitt. How are you going to forget about this disappointment and start again on Sunday evening?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: I am sure I will have to start again on Sunday evening. For the time being, I'll try to recuperate. I will try to think about something else. It's going to do me a lot of good. Tomorrow I'm going to prepare myself for a decisive match.

Q. How are you going to prepare? Like if it was any other match or something different?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: For Sunday, well, I will try to get back my feelings on the court and I will try to enjoy myself on the court. I will train and practice a lot.

End of FastScripts….

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