AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 17, 2003

Juan Carlos Ferrero

MODERATOR: Questions for Juan Carlos.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You can see the score. Was very difficult for me. You know, I think Santoro, you never know which shot he going to hit. It's very difficult to play against him because, you know, he has a different shot every time, and he use every shot all the time. But, you know, all the time I won against him, always in three sets when it's the best-of-three. Right now I win in five, so always is difficult to play against Santoro, always.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Sometimes.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think I stayed very good in the match in the fourth and in the fifth. You know, in the first three set, I felt some pain in my abductor because I had a little bit problems there. You know, I was more pain in my abductor than the court. It was because of this I was a little frustrate all the time when I lose the first and the third. But right now I'm okay, and I feel better in the fourth and the fifth, I start to play very good, and also I serve unbelievable in the fifth. I think it was the key. I serve very good. I won very easy all my service in the fifth set. You know, I was very close all the time to try to break his serve.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I never play against him. I only saw him against Federer when he played in Wimbledon. I saw some part of the match of today against Luzcak. I saw that he has a very good serve, no mistakes from the base of the line, and he goes a lot of times to the net, so is going to be tough.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No. No, no, no. The match was so long, you know, I have so many times to come back, you know, to try to play good. I never feel this.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Is okay. Is okay. Is okay because I take some antiinflammatory before the match. I didn't feel the pain. I feel a little bit in the first set, but when I (inaudible), I still playing in the match, I start to feel better and better. Finally I finish the match without pain.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: After the match, in the last game against Lisnard, I felt a little bit of pain in my abductor. I tried to be better and better in these two days before. But I start the match with some pain. With the (inaudible), antiinflammatory, ultrasound and ice, I could finish the match without pain. So now I think is okay.