TMS MONTE CARLO

April 15, 2002

Michael Llorda

MICKAEL LLODRA: Yes.

MICKAEL LLODRA: I don't know. In all cases, it's the first time I'm beating a player who is as strong as that on clay. Maybe since the Davis Cup tie I became more confident. I felt that on the court today.

MICKAEL LLODRA: I knew it was going to be difficult, but I had nothing to lose in that match. So I thought I didn't need to put pressure on me or anything else. I felt relaxed from the start. I played with my own weapons, with what I knew how to do, and it bothered him a lot. That was rather positive. The fact that I was aggressive bothered him a lot, specifically in the second set where things went pretty fast.

MICKAEL LLODRA: It's only one match, but in this particular match it was good. But I don't have to stop there. I beat Lapentti, it's my first victory at this level on clay. Why not continue that way?

MICKAEL LLODRA: Of course it's good, specifically for the French Open which is the objective of all French players - and specifically the best ones. The fact of winning a match at this level gives you a lot of confidence and gives you the desire to play on clay. Last year, that's where I didn't do that well. I had the preparation of 15 days, but in the end I didn't really want to play on clay. I was so negative that it was a bother rather than anything else. This year I took the opposite approach. I tried to be positive. And just as a coincidence, I succeeded in winning a match. So that's good.

MICKAEL LLODRA: Yes. We played each other three times, and it's 2-1 for him. I'm going to try to come back to an equal score, but it's not going to be easy. It's the first time we are going to play each other on clay. I am not the favorite. He has a lot more experience than I have. But I will have nothing to lose. I will approach the match with the same eagerness, the same determination as today, and we will see what happens.

MICKAEL LLODRA: It's a good improvement. I don't believe it's a match I could have won in the beginning of the year. But the fact of having become more confident, of having been selected last week in Davis Cup helped me to play a positive match. Finally, I would have come only to play the main draw here. I wouldn't have come if I had to be in the quallies. I was supposed to rest, but in the end there was less rest than scheduled. And the fact that I was positive and that I wanted to do well and that I didn't put pressure on myself worked out well. Today is one of my best victories as far as the will power is concerned.

MICKAEL LLODRA: Yes. I had a big match in Wimbledon last year, and that match was one of my best victories. But I didn't play many matches at that level, so...

MICKAEL LLODRA: Since the finals in Australia in Melbourne last year we wanted to play together. We were having fun together, and this is the reason why we wanted to try it. After the fact that Fabrice was playing with Henman - which was scheduled for a long time - I suggested to Cedric that we play together and he immediately agreed. This is good. If we play well, you never know what can happen.

MICKAEL LLODRA: I never signed as many autographs than yesterday and today in all my life. That's maybe because I was on TV for two hours. But anyway, it was a funny feeling. When I went back to Paris, I went to my club to practice for the first time on Wednesday and I had the impression that the Prime Minister was arriving. Finally, it's not unpleasant. It makes me laugh more than anything else. It doesn't change things much.

MICKAEL LLODRA: Yes and no, because I am able to give a hard time to many players on clay because they are not used to playing people who play serve and volley and disturb them with short shots. But you have to be aware of that. I knew I could play well. But between that and winning, it's different. For this match I didn't try to play well, but I tried to win. There's a great difference between wanting and being able to. I'm really doing literature today (smiling). I am expressing so many things.

MICKAEL LLODRA: The young little one over there? He plays well. He's impressive. It's one of the first times I've seen him play, but it's very impressive. Especially - he's very calm, and he's playing as if he had been on the tour for eight years. I know he won the first set. It's not going to be easy, but the start is good. Congratulations to him.