PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 14, 2003

Brian Vahaly

MODERATOR: Questions.

BRIAN VAHALY: Yeah, it's been a great run. It's a tournament that I'll always look back on. It was a huge breakthrough in my career, hopefully just getting started. It was good. I ran into a guy today that he makes you beat him, very consistent, very smart player. I've grown up watching him play on TV many times. I have a lot of respect for his game. Really I think I knew some of the limitations I had out there, came out with a great strategy, much different than when we played in Adelaide. He played very well.

BRIAN VAHALY: Played him and beat him there. Much different match. He really mixed it up, changed a lot of things about his game. You know, it was unfortunate. I think my draw, having to play a guy like Rochus in the qualifying, then three straight Spanish guys, I lost my legs a little bit. Physically I was a little bit tired. Just mentally I think I was a little bit out of it. Just little things. Forget to take my Vioxx for my hand. Had bad blisters on my feet that I didn't get taken care of. Forgot to put my wristband on until midway through the set. Little things that just -- I was just a little bit run down.

BRIAN VAHALY: Yeah. Well, I really wasn't prepared. The nice part now is my ranking will go up and I can change my schedule. To give a little bit of perspective, I started seven weeks ago in a tournament in Joplin, Missouri. You know, to save money I stayed in housing. They didn't have a bed for me, so I slept on their couch. You know, I did that, lost in the quarterfinals there. Since then I have been on the road now for seven weeks. Obviously, it's not ideal. I would never expect I'd come from there to where I am now. Physically that time on the road takes its toll, going from Missouri, to San Jose, to Memphis, Copenhagen, Delray Beach, here, Miami. Obviously, I didn't expect to win this many matches, so I didn't think it would take as big of a toll as it has. Mentally and physically, hopefully as my ranking gets higher again, I'll make some schedule changes.

BRIAN VAHALY: You know, at that point I had still been through a lot in the past year. My ranking had jumped in the Top 100, which was huge. I still felt like I was on my way. Joplin there was really a warm-up tournament for me. I had ones in San Jose, Memphis and Copenhagen that I was really excited for. At that point, it was nothing new. I'd been there and done that.

BRIAN VAHALY: Memories of Aptos? What were mine specifically?

BRIAN VAHALY: I stayed with the most amazing family who still stays in touch with me, the Mayhoods (phonetic). That's a beautiful city. Yeah, I guess it was my third challenger. That's really when I started to move up in the rankings and had some great runs through DC and LA. Yeah, you can take a look at points and see how far I've come. This road trip, I haven't been home in seven weeks, I can look back to Joplin and see how far I've come.

BRIAN VAHALY: Good question. I guess maybe 105, 110,000. Could be a lie. I don't know.

BRIAN VAHALY: It's been good.

BRIAN VAHALY: Yeah, finances is fine. I've worked it out with a guy, a car dealer down in Texas, who started supporting me last March, and he covers my expenses. I've signed with some companies, adidas and Babolat. Expense-wise, I'm fine.

BRIAN VAHALY: He's friends with a guy that was on the University of Virginia tennis team. I got set up with a meeting with him last March when financially I needed some help.

BRIAN VAHALY: Allen Samuels.

BRIAN VAHALY: I have him -- we have just an agreement with regards to percentage of winnings.

BRIAN VAHALY: What kind of cars? You know, he's got about seven or eight dealerships. A little bit of everything.

BRIAN VAHALY: You know, he didn't make it. I think he's actually going to come for the weekend. It was actually a bit disappointing. I've stayed in touch with him. He's been trying to watch me on TV when he can. He heard me last night. I was speaking during Andy Roddick's match with Patrick McEnroe. He's been enjoying this run.

BRIAN VAHALY: Yeah, qualifying starts on Monday.

BRIAN VAHALY: You know, it's tough. Now I guess this is -- I think it's my eighth week. You know, you never want to start back over - this experience has already taken so much out of me - to feel like you have to go back to step one. I can't say it's hard. I mean, this is a great week. I'd much rather have one of these great weeks. If next week doesn't go well, it doesn't. I don't feel there's pressure on me. Champions Race, I've moved up a lot, points I've moved up a lot. I'm sitting in a good position. Not the same panic I had starting in Joplin when I knew I had some points to defend from last year.

BRIAN VAHALY: Yes.

BRIAN VAHALY: Yes, I would be in.

BRIAN VAHALY: Yeah, I think so. I'm not sure. I don't know. I don't know. All I really know is what the challenger schedule is like because that's all I've ever really played. I don't know what tour level events I should be playing now. Masters Series wasn't even in my frame of reference. I never even thought to go to Rome or Hamburg. It just kind of seemed -- I didn't really put myself in that league yet. After this tournament, I have to sit down with my coach and start reevaluating what events I want to play.

BRIAN VAHALY: No. I just got in the qualifying Thursday night at 10. I've tried to get in Masters Series before. I've never gotten into any of them. Never been to any of them. This is really my first taste of it. I'm excited to go down to the Nasdaq. Never seen that before. I got a wildcard into the qualifying there. Unfortunately, I caught the flu in Memphis that lasted through Copenhagen, so I was unable to enter, which is pretty much my fault.

BRIAN VAHALY: It went to Robby Ginepri.

BRIAN VAHALY: My dad is a creative consultant, for lack of a better word. He writes speeches and puts on meetings for large companies. My mom is a travel agent.

BRIAN VAHALY: Yeah, yeah. She helps me out. She's kind of feels like my manager at times. There's so many details out there, it's nice when you have coaches and parents that are supportive on things.

BRIAN VAHALY: Yeah, a few free tickets here and there.

BRIAN VAHALY: Karen.

BRIAN VAHALY: K-a-r-e-n.

BRIAN VAHALY: Barry, B-a-r-r-y.

BRIAN VAHALY: They're in Atlanta.

BRIAN VAHALY: No. I mean, I came out there, I was expecting more backhand to backhand. That's both of our strengths. I kind of beat him with that last time. I probably should have expected more of a change there. I was expecting for him to be much more aggressive. Instead he kind of tried to pick at my forehand a little bit. The shots were there. I moved him around. I played the way I wanted to. The legs weren't really there. It's hard. It's kind of like when you're sitting on the couch and you're telling yourself to move and you know you need to get up, you know you have to start doing the chores, and you just can't get yourself to do it. Your mind wants to, but your legs won't. It's a frustrating feeling, especially in that kind of environment when you worked so hard to get there. You want adrenaline to take over, and it did against Ferrero and Robredo. But three Spanish guys in a row, I mean, I don't think you realize how tough that is until you play them. But the thing I love about Vince, the thing that I admire about him, he just changes his game based on who he's playing. He can play at so many different levels, frustrates so many different players. I used to watch him frustrate the heck out of Agassi, I can't remember how long ago it was. I watched him on TV and loved it. It's inspiring for me, to figure out a way how to beat guys. I try to use my mind the same way. He came out with a better strategy today. He deserves it. He's playing really well. I ran him the best I could. I didn't have anything left.

BRIAN VAHALY: Vince is not my hero by any means. There's a lot of other people that I look up to before Vince. I'm excited for him. I think it's awesome. I think it's very hard to be where he's been, drop all the way out. I saw him at challenger events. To fight back to be where he is, similar to a guy like Scott Draper, I think that's incredible. I think that takes a lot of guts. A lot of guys would much prefer to give up. For him, he's got his own story. He's come a long way. I think that's all the more reason why he must feel great right now. I think that's awesome.

BRIAN VAHALY: You know, I really only have one mentor. He's a Presbyterian minister back in Charlottesville, VA. I have met with him since I was third year in college. I'd like to be like him when I grow up. I'm not looking to be like any of these guys on the tour. There's going to be life after tennis. You know, when that time comes, I'd like to grow up to be someone like him more than I would, you know, any specific guy that I've met out here.

BRIAN VAHALY: No. At the time I thought about some of the people doing things with seminary, a lot of my friends did mission work, which I greatly respect. I thought about it and I had a lot of conversations with my mentor, his name is Greg Thompson. I've spoken to him every day this week. No, I really felt like this is where I needed to be. I wanted to give this a fair opportunity. What I do after tennis, you know, I'm not sure. This is what feels right right now.

BRIAN VAHALY: You know, I don't know. I don't know with regards to what Robby said. I feel like I have a strong faith. I try to keep it with me from tournament to tournament, try and stay under control when I'm out there, represent myself. I tend to keep that side of me to myself. It's very important. It's ultimately I think what gives me good perspective on tennis. It's frustrating to lose a match like today, but in the end in about five or 10 years, nobody's going to really remember. I think it's more what kind of person you're building yourself into that for me, in my whole game of life, that's really what I'm concerned with.