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NASDAQ-100 OPEN

March 26, 2003

Robby Ginepri

KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. Robby, is there any comfort or solace in the fact that you had an unbelievable three weeks here? I know it came to an end tonight and you wanted to continue, but is there any satisfaction from just the march?

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, I can't really let this match get me upset. I just look back at my last two and a half weeks and they've been unbelievable. So it's kind of hard to let one match affect the way two weeks have gone for me. But I would have liked to have pulled this one out, of course.

Q. You come out there, up 6-5, I guess, in the third. You were calm enough to try and get the crowd into it.

ROBBY GINEPRI: Right.

Q. What was going through your mind right then?

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, I did, at 5-4 in the third set. They kind of got really noisy for that time, it kind of gave me the chills. That really kind of meant a lot to me. Then again at 6-5. I needed the crowd on my side because I was getting a little tired towards the end of the third set. But, I mean, we had a great match.

Q. The first set he obviously let you back in. You seemed nervous at the beginning, up two breaks, boom. He kind of didn't go for the jugular. Did that kind of get your teeth into the match, like he couldn't put you away early?

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, he started off playing well and I was missing a little more than I wanted to. But the first set took a lot out of me coming, fighting back, being down double break and all. But going and winning the tiebreak, I was like, "Well, you know, here's your shot at it." In the second set, I got broke right away. That kind of let me down a little. I just wanted to keep fighting throughout the whole match.

Q. It almost seemed like you were in a hurry to get that second set over with and start even in the third. Was that going through your mind?

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, I wanted to get off to a good set after I won the first set. Then when I got broke, I was kind of down. But losing the second set, one more set left, I was gonna give it all I had.

Q. Now you're going against, you got former No. 1 player in the world, all the experience over you, third set it's even, anybody's match, no breakpoints. Where do you think you lost that match?

ROBBY GINEPRI: He played a great tiebreak, 3-1. If I would have made that backhand volley, it would have made it very interesting. But a couple running forehands were key in this match, but nothing really stuck out in my mind that lost it for me.

Q. Was that the key point, though, that backhand?

ROBBY GINEPRI: I think it could have -- because, I mean, he double-faulted the next point. But who's to say he would have done that if I would have made that shot. But I think that was a big point in the tiebreak.

Q. Do you think you took your eye off it, were nervous?

ROBBY GINEPRI: Just missed it.

Q. Is that a shot you make like 99 out of 100 times?

ROBBY GINEPRI: No, I probably miss it 10 times out of 100 maybe. But in that moment, it's a tough shot.

Q. You've beaten Safin, Corretja and James and all these people in the last couple weeks. Do you now sort of go into every match feeling it's a very close match? Here, today, the No. 5 player, do you feel you're there in every match and can compete in every match, where, in the past, that wasn't the case?

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah. I always told myself that I belong up here, but I never truly believed in myself that I could win these matches. I always told myself, but it never really kind of sunk in until I got a big win like I did against Safin. Once I had one or two under the belt, it kind of motivated me and gave me a lot of confidence. So playing Moya tonight, losing to him, you know, it's okay. But I just gave it everything I had, so I'm not really too upset about it.

Q. Moya called you a complete player. He said you could hit winners off every stroke. What does that do for your confidence when a player like that gives you that kind of respect?

ROBBY GINEPRI: It means a lot to me, he's one of the most respected players on tour, his game style, won some Slams, been No. 1 in the world. Coming from him, it means a lot to me.

Q. Did you feel your dad wince in the audience when you missed that backhand?

ROBBY GINEPRI: No, I had too many things going through my mind not to think what my dad was thinking.

Q. Who was here, your dad?

ROBBY GINEPRI: My sister came down, Jenni.

Q. Older or younger?

ROBBY GINEPRI: She's 23.

Q. Grandma again?

ROBBY GINEPRI: Grandma, she was here, yep.

Q. Coach DeVries?

ROBBY GINEPRI: Steve.

Q. Andy and Mandy were up there?

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, they were watching. We got to go play doubles.

Q. What's up next for you, schedule-wise?

ROBBY GINEPRI: Not really sure. Maybe Houston. I don't know, though. Good two weeks off, hopefully.

Q. Do you find it easier playing in front of a sympathetic crowd who expects so much from you, being a local person, or is it more difficult?

ROBBY GINEPRI: I love playing out here on the Stadium Court. The crowd's always into the matches. When James and I played, they were kind of more favoritive (sic) to James, but today, they were behind me and I was happy with that. With the crowd support, it gives me extra energy and motivates me to play my best out there.

Q. It seemed like you showed no fear out there tonight. Do you feel that, that you showed no nerves?

ROBBY GINEPRI: Yeah, I had nothing to lose. I'm going to go after it. Tomorrow, when I wake up, I get to say to myself, "I gave it everything I had and I'm not going to look back on this match because I gave it my all."

Q. Did you actually have a game plan? Did you and Steve work out exactly what you were trying to do?

ROBBY GINEPRI: Not really. He told me what Moya's favorite shots were and what he likes to hit a lot, but there was never really a game plan. When I'm out there, I just like to kind of play and feel it out as the match goes along.

Q. What did Mardy tell you?

ROBBY GINEPRI: I didn't even talk to Mardy.

Q. No Fish tips, huh?

ROBBY GINEPRI: No (smiling).

End of FastScriptsâ€¦.

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