TMS MONTE CARLO

April 19, 2001

Arnaud DiPasquale

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

ARNAUD DI PASQUALE: I think I'm allergic to something, I don't know. Already last year I had gastroenteritis, and this time also I have a small one. It is not very pleasant.

ARNAUD DI PASQUALE: It was not obvious. I had the impression that it could come at any moment.

ARNAUD DI PASQUALE: In fact, I don't know if I ate something in Casa maybe, because I'm coming from there where I spent ten days. The day before yesterday I was already feeling not quite well. And yesterday, since my stomach was not hurting at all, I relaxed a little bit. Maybe I should have continued to eat white rice with bread.

ARNAUD DI PASQUALE: Yes, I should have done it, but that's the way it is. I can't do anything about it.

ARNAUD DI PASQUALE: I run a little bit before going on to the court. I was obliged to do that. The problem is that I didn't know what to do - to stay on the court or to leave. It was frustrating to find myself in a weekend of a finals in a Masters Series without being able to fight for your chances.

ARNAUD DI PASQUALE: Stop?

ARNAUD DI PASQUALE: In those cases I have no clue. I didn't know what to do. On one hand, the public was waiting. On the other hand, I knew that I couldn't do anything and that it wouldn't be better afterwards. So I asked for the help of the doctor so he could give me something, but it's not just like that, that you can cure gastroenteritis. You need two or three days of long treatment, so I didn't know what to do. No, I didn't consider stopping.

ARNAUD DI PASQUALE: I don't know. In fact, I have no idea about that.

ARNAUD DI PASQUALE: Yes, it's a pity. It was good, I won two matches. I said everywhere that finally, I won two matches in a draw, and that's the main thing.

ARNAUD DI PASQUALE: No. I don't think I can do that anymore. I will not think about the next tournament right now; it's too far away. I will remain quiet. I will continue, as I said yesterday and the day before and as every day, with the same state of mind. This doesn't mean I'm not serious, beware. This doesn't mean that I will go on to the court and I wouldn't care less whatever the result is, that I stay a quarter of an hour and I don't even warm up.

ARNAUD DI PASQUALE: I'm in Barcelona.

ARNAUD DI PASQUALE: After, it will be Munich and the qualifications for Rome and Hamburg. Before, I am going to practice. I need it.