AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2004

Carlos Moya

Q. Through the day, did you try to practice? Why did you decide to pull out?

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, I tried to hit in the morning, at the Crowne. They had two courts. I wanted to try how was it. It was hurting a little bit. Then I came here, I got some treatment, and then I tried again, and I realized that it was not possible for me to play. You know -- I mean, I would have loved to have played here, but this is the way.

CARLOS MOYA: I hit like 20 minutes in the Crowne and then I came here, hit 20 more minutes. I see all the physios here, all the doctors, my own physio. They said maybe if I could have one more day, I could have chance to play. But I been unlucky because they didn't give me one more day. You know, I'm very disappointed that I'm not able to play here. I would have loved. I was playing very well. It's a bit disappointing.

CARLOS MOYA: It was still in pain. But I think, as I said, in two days it has improved so much. And yesterday I could not -- I couldn't even walk. And today I was running. It was hurting a little bit, but that's why I say one more day, maybe it would have been perfect. But, you know, I would have loved to play. You know, unfortunately I'm not able.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, it was a sprain ankle, second degree, I think, which is bad. But the way it has improved in two days, I was very optimistic that maybe I could play tomorrow. But, you know, I've been following a very good treatment. You know, I thought it was going to be much worse. When it happened, I thought maybe I broke the bone or the ligament. It was just sprained. With a few days off, it's going to be okay.

CARLOS MOYA: I had a lot of ice, all day putting my foot into the ice, then some movement. You know, these days, not much you can do. That's all. My ankle was taped all day. That's all what I did.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, they said it's not going to be any problem. That's what I hope. Now they have to see how bad it is and how many days I have to recover. But it looks okay. And hopefully I'm going to be playing Davis Cup.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, I don't know if I was going to win it. But it's true that I was playing very well. I always said this is my favorite Grand Slam tournament. I always felt very well here. You know, I'm sorry for the fans who wanted me to play. But, as I said, if I had one more day, maybe I would have been able to be there.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, is really disappointing always. But I expected this to happen as soon as I fell down on the court. But at least it's not as bad as I thought. As I said, I thought maybe something was broken. Now looks like in two or three days going to be okay. So I always optimistic, positive. That's the way I think now.