NEWSWEEK CHAMPIONS CUP

March 15, 1996

Marcelo Rios

JOE LYNCH: First question for Marcelo Rios who has moved to approximately number 15 on Monday's ATP Tour rankings which again would be a new career high from his current career 20. First question.

Q. Are you a little bit angered because you missed a lot of chances? You dominated a lot of the rallies and in the end you just missed it.

MARCELO RIOS: Yeah, I think I dominated the match. There was only one point that I have set point in the tiebreak, also served at 6-5 and I think I played a bad game, but I think Michael is a tough guy and you can't give up those points because if you do, you lose the match.

Q. Can you comment on Michael Chang when he overruled the referee to your advantage in the first set?

MARCELO RIOS: Yeah, I think the referee, he was sleeping, he was like all over the match, I don't know what he was doing. I think it is not first time he do it. And I think Michael is a nice guy and he is going to give you that ball, and I think it was a good play.

Q. Was it the ball hitting the racket of Chang?

MARCELO RIOS: Yeah, I think, yes.

Q. What would you take away from today's match as far as what you might learn from it?

MARCELO RIOS: Well, I think I am playing that level that makes me happy. I think I am playing the same as Michael. I think maybe a little bit of bad luck, but I am happy that I made the semis. I played really good and I am very happy.

Q. In the second set, did he begin to play better, or did you just begin to have more problems?

MARCELO RIOS: Well, I think I concentrate a little bit. I was thinking about the set point and I couldn't hang until 3-All; then I think he made that break and I just concentrated and I didn't come back.

Q. How do you feel being No. 15 in the world? Is it a surprise for you? Was it something you were expecting?

MARCELO RIOS: Well, I have been playing very good. I have been only two years on the Tour and I think I have been playing very good, so it is something I am expecting to go higher, but I didn't expect to be 15 this week, but I have been playing pretty good and I deserve.

Q. The last two service games of the match you tried the drop shot each time; maybe at moments when you wouldn't expect to try a shot that difficult. Do you think about that as being maybe not a very good percentage --

MARCELO RIOS: Yeah, sure, I think I made a lot of mistakes making drop-shots. I didn't have confidence, so I think it was a bad play.

Q. Is that something would you change then if you get your --

MARCELO RIOS: Well, I think drop-shots are part of the game. What happened if I couldn't make it, so you make it would be a good try, but I think I didn't have that shot today and that was --

Q. Do you like trying risky shots at big points?

MARCELO RIOS: Well, it is not that. I think all players try not to take risky points on important points, but I don't know what it was.

Q. Speak about your relationship with the other guys on the Tour, you got up very fast. Do you see any difference in them treating you now with more respect, maybe?

MARCELO RIOS: I don't know. I see all players the same. I don't have respect for any players - I respect them, but I see one is one, one is 100 and I see them the same. I don't have respect because one is No. 1 or No. 20. I think you have to have the same respect for all.

Q. Do they start respecting you more?

MARCELO RIOS: I don't know. Ask them. I don't know if they respect me.

End of FastScripts........