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DAVIS CUP - RUSSIA vs USAApril 4, 1998Marat SafinATLANTA, GEORGIA Q. Marat, how nervous were you today? Did you feel comfortable out there? MARAT SAFIN: No, I didn't feel comfortable, because first of all, most of the spectators are Americans, and of course Agassi got the greatest support. Second of all, just I've been playing for my first time. The third concern of mine is, it was too cold. PAGE CROSLAND: Another question?  Q. What did he think of Agassi's game? MARAT SAFIN: I'm impressed, and I would say he is like in the Top 10 ranking.  Q. He said on Thursday he didn't think he would be nervous. Once he got out there, in a match, did he feel a little nervous against Agassi? Was there a little pressure on him once he got out there? MARAT SAFIN: Generally, I was afraid too much. Just the Davis Cup itself, that sounds pretty important to me. Actually, everyone on my team supported me on this, we're trying to explain that it's not so scared. That's why I wasn't too nervous. But still, as I said, the Davis Cup is very important for me. I'm glad I participated in it.  Q. How long has he been staying in Spain? Why does he practice in Spain? MARAT SAFIN: I'm living in Spain, Valencia, since 1994. It's almost four years. The same period of time, I'm practicing there.  Q. Who does he think will play doubles? With the score at 1-1, who does he think should play doubles? MARAT SAFIN: Olhovskiy, Kafelnikov.  Q. Does he know that Kafelnikov has said he doesn't plan to play doubles? MARAT SAFIN: No, I didn't know that. I didn't hear about it.  Q. How does he think Kafelnikov will do against Agassi? MARAT SAFIN: I'll be on Kafelnikov's side. I think Kafelnikov will beat him.  Q. Can he look ahead a little bit, if it comes down to 2-2, with him against Courier in the fifth match, can he look ahead to that match? MARAT SAFIN: I don't think I'll be able to work it out if I'll play the same way as I played today. But I will try to do my best. I will try to beat him.  Q. Do you think Agassi has any weaknesses? Are there any chances to beat him? MARAT SAFIN: I just need to gain some more experience, first of all. If I'll play to the players from the Top 50, I would say I will be able to beat some of them. I just do not have enough experience to play at this level.  Q. Did your captain give you some advice before you started playing? MARAT SAFIN: Yes. He was trying to calm me down.  Q. Did he tell you any tactics to follow? MARAT SAFIN: It's nothing to do with the tactics at this moment. I was just probably kind of nervous, and I couldn't even just hit the ball to the other side.  Q. Can you give us just an exact time when you will be able to beat Agassi? MARAT SAFIN: As soon as possible, I would say.  Q. Do you know who is going to play the doubles? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: Not yet.  Q. And why the confusion over who will play the doubles? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: Because the doubles are scheduled tomorrow for 10 o'clock, and then we have to play singles. The main concern is that the American team has different players to play doubles. Our team has Kafelnikov, who is I would say the best one. That's why we are just trying to think what we can do in this case, put Kafelnikov on the doubles tomorrow or just give him a rest in the morning and let him play on the singles in the afternoon.  Q. By this arrangement, it seems to be saying that you've agreed to play the singles tomorrow afternoon. There was some possibility that if the doubles went 30 games, the singles could be pushed to Monday. How does that arrangement stand? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: I'm just trying to decide at this moment, what should I do, to put those players to the doubles and gain 30 games, then play singles, or just decide the other way, just play singles on Monday. I know that we can change the doubles players like in one hour before the game. That means I still have time to think about it.  Q. Has Kafelnikov told you that he will do whatever you decide? Does he want to make the decision of whether he plays both himself? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: We will discuss that and we are planning to come to the right answer as soon as we can. Actually, Kafelnikov said, "I will do whatever you say me to do."  Q. Presumably Kafelnikov in doubles is your best doubles chance. Your best doubles team is the team that has Kafelnikov on it. That could put you up 2-1. If you don't use Kafelnikov, then you could go down 2-1. Who would you use? How comfortable are you with your Plan B if there's no Kafelnikov in doubles? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: There are two options. We can put Safin and Olhovskiy or Olhovskiy and Volkov.  Q. Does he feel like, based on the way Safin played today, obviously struggled and was overmatched, does he feel they almost have to win the doubles tomorrow to have a chance to win this tie? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: I think if Safin will play doubles, he will definitely play his best on the third day. That means he'll gain much more experience to play doubles tomorrow, if he will play singles on Monday. That will help him a lot.  Q. If Kafelnikov does play, will he play with Olhovskiy or Safin? MARAT SAFIN: Supposedly looks like with Safin.  Q. Why would you switch from Safin instead of Olhovskiy, as you originally planned? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: My opinion, the American team, in any case, has an advantage in the doubles tomorrow. I just would like to save my best players for the singles games. PAGE CROSLAND: Any other questions?  Q. They definitely decided they will hold to the 30-game rule tomorrow, if it goes 30 games or more, this they won't play till Monday? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: Yes. PAGE CROSLAND: This has been interesting. Any other questions?  Q. Without Kafelnikov playing the doubles, do you think you have as good a chance of winning this as with him? If Kafelnikov does not play the doubles, do you think you really can win this? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: Obviously, if the player will lose in the doubles, they will not let him feel comfortable in a singles game. So that's why I'm trying to save his energy and his good attitude to the singles.  Q. Can I clarify one thing? If Kafelnikov or Safin play doubles, then that means we're playing singles on Monday? There's no way that he will have a player play doubles and singles in the same day? Is that right? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: If I will put Safin and Kafelnikov tomorrow in doubles, and we will gain 30 games, that means we'll play singles on Monday. PAGE CROSLAND: Any more clarifications?  Q. I'm understanding that you feel that putting Safin in there is more able to give him experience playing doubles than it would be to play Olhovskiy, who has a better record in doubles historically? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: There is another option. In this case, Safin will need to play singles tomorrow after the doubles. If Safin will not play doubles tomorrow morning, that means he will need to play singles. He will not get 30 games tomorrow.  Q. But in Kafelnikov plays doubles and it goes 30 games, then nobody plays until Monday? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: If I will put Kafelnikov and Safin in doubles, and they will get 30 games, then everybody will play singles on Monday.  Q. Kafelnikov and anybody in doubles has to play 30 games? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: If Kafelnikov will not play tomorrow, the doubles, that means he will play singles in the afternoon. That's the same option.  Q. Even if Safin plays doubles? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: If Kafelnikov will not play doubles in the morning, that means he definitely will play in singles. And if Safin and Olhovskiy play in doubles in the morning, they will get 30 games, and that means the fifth point will be needed to play on Monday anyway, Safin.  Q. You have to play four and five either Sunday or four and five Monday. You can't just play the fifth match on Monday. PAGE CROSLAND: That's correct. RANDY WALKER: Alan Mills would have to answer that.  Q. When you came here, were you planning to use Kafelnikov in three matches? Your plan was to use him that way? CAPTAIN TARPICHEV: Yes, of course.  End of FastScripts.... |
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