adidas International

January 11, 2003

Juan Carlos Ferrero

THE MODERATOR: First question for Juan Carlos, please.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, it was like Shanghai. I finish very sad, you know, and I start very sad, you know. Sometimes the tennis is very tough, you know. You feel when you lost the final like in Shanghai, 6-4 in the fifth after two sets down, and here having matchpoint, you know, 3-0 in the third, you know. I have a lot of chances to win. But finally, sometimes the tennis is very tough and right now it is.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It's very difficult to play against him because he plays like with no spin, and it's very difficult to hit the ball so down, he hit the ball very aggressive. I have to hit the ball with spin and it's not easy to play like this with him. But, you know, I try all the time to put my forehand in, aggressive, and I did it when I could.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: In the match? During the match?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Not really. Sometimes I felt little bit, you know, unhappy because I show that he came up step by step, you know, after 3-love and then 3-all and then in the two tiebreaks. Sometimes you have to be frustrated. Is not easy to stay the whole match at the same level.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think he has very talent. He played very easy, you know, because his shots are very short, you know? His preparation is very short. Maybe in clay is not easy for him, but in hard court he plays very fast. But, you know, two years ago he had a matchpoint and I won. Today was...

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, exactly.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, maybe in one hour I will be happy - not happy, but normal. Normal. So tomorrow I will be good, because tomorrow I will not play tennis. After tomorrow I will be okay.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think we play a great match. He won a match and I didn't lose because I play on my level, I put everything in the court, you know, and I try all the time, I give my best. Only I needed one more point to win. So I think he won in the tiebreak of the third set. That's it.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, I feel great. I don't feel tired. If right now I don't feel tired, tomorrow I will be okay, and for the Australian Open I will be all right. I don't worry about this.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It is, it is, it is.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, it is. I have to play Tuesday, so I will be okay for that time.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I feel strong, yeah. I feel strong because I feeling that I am playing very good, you know? So the player that wants to win me, you know, he has to play very good. So when you are thinking of this, you feel so big, you know, with a lot of confidence. So I go to Australian Open with a good feeling.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It's so long, Australian Open. You have to win seven matches and you never know who's going to. But for sure Hewitt is gonna be. Last year he lost in the first round. Kuerten, if he's playing good, is going to be up, you know. Agassi. There is a lot of players. So it's very tough to say who's gonna be in the final, who is gonna be in the semifinals. It's more tough to say who is gonna win.