TMS - MADRID

October 14, 2003

Gustavo Kuerten

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish for Guga.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: During the first set, I was not very confident. I didn't think I could make the right shots. When I was able to finally break his serve, I felt the match was close to being mine. When the set was 5-4, I had the points to win, I made errors. I don't know, I felt more in the game during the second set. I thought in that set, things were going to be closer to being mine. But until the end I fought, tried to find a way to recover and win the match until the end, until he beat me.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: My right leg, I had surgery. When I play on these courts, I get tired. That's why I asked for help, to be more relaxed towards the end of the set. Tried to calm the situation to see if I had any chance of winning it.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: I don't know. Maybe the fact of going through the first round makes a difference in a tournament in general. Maybe the situation is going to be at least until next year. Next year I'll try to do it better. Well, this is a very important tournament, so I really want to come back and play well.