TMS - CINCINNATI

August 7, 2000

Gustavo Kuerten

Q. Explain the match.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: I think I was up a break already in the first game; he got a little bit frustrated and I think he should be a little bit tired from last week. He played a lot. (inaudible). I take advantage there already in the beginning, and then the second set I start tried to be (inaudible) I was sure that he can play better than that. But then I think I played the right shots the way I needed.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Everyday I wake up different - older. Unbelievable. (laughter).

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Can't make it stop, right. No, I think -- it has been interesting because we are so close, we are, some guys there, in the top that maybe can change for each week. So I think it is nice every match you win can change the position. I will try to hang in that position - only one point I am ahead, but trying to enjoy this moving forward.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Well, I think it is good. It is not really (inaudible) I think it didn't have any trouble for the players to play. I think -- I like change. I am always changing my hair, my clothes, everything, so I like to change; try what is best maybe for (inaudible) if it is okay for the players, then it is best for the tournament too. It is all right. (inaudible).

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: I don't know. I cannot think about these things too much. I have to enough things to worry about than this. I think -- we hope tennis players, we just have to be honored to be here, we are playing a great event against the best guys, so it is nice to be here trying to have prestige (inaudible).

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: If I one or the other? Both. No, I don't care. I think the race, it is nice so far. I mean, it is different than the other ranking, for sure. It is not that I am ranked right now the best player in the world, but so far I am the one who is playing the best tennis this year. So next player, you can only see the result and they just show (inaudible) that is already good and I try to compare myself to other guys, the results of them, and try to do my best.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, people say (inaudible) nice to get this happen for Brazil and they really are very impressed -- (inaudible) the emotion that it was, I imagine that is how it was when I was playing there and I think every time I have success, they really going to enjoy that and going to make some people cry.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Not for me.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: I think to play in one week event, maybe it's a lot of tennis; sometimes can be too much. But it is the way it is, so we are going to try to do my best. Hopefully (inaudible) I think that is the perfect for me, perfect time to do a tournament like this (inaudible).

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: No, not really. I think since 1997/1998 I had great results; then I start to build my image. Sometimes I came here before, I always had very good treatment from the guys in the tournament, the fans, and everything (inaudible) so I always had some nice tournaments for me and help me out (inaudible).

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: No, I think it is going to be tough for me to do the same as I am doing on clay on hard, but I think I am getting closer and closer from everybody else, every other top players, so that is my goal. I am really feeling that as time goes I have more chance to beat the best guys on hard, so looking forward to fulfill that experience to win a tournament on hard court.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Well, I am really not going to be able to do the same results as I did on clay. Growing the way I like more, I have no problem to go from today to tomorrow playing on clay, no problem, and to other surface to have a little bit of trouble at the beginning. I think my game, it's more easy to play on clay. I am going to have my best matches on clay. (inaudible).

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: I think for sure it was the main thing with the match today was I start -- I didn't give him any hopes at the beginning, I mean, the first set, so that changed a lot of things. I could play more relaxed. (inaudible) that is the way I try to do it for the next round too.