DAVIS CUP - RUSSIA vs FRANCE

November 28, 2002

Shamil Tarpischev

MODERATOR: We'll start our press conference.

CAPTAIN TARPISCHEV: Well, I would say we'll see tomorrow if we're satisfied with the results of the draw. It will be clear tomorrow. I think this is absolutely normal procedure, yes.

MARAT SAFIN: Always ready.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Well, the time will show. But I have good practice on the court. Tomorrow we'll see during the match.

CAPTAIN TARPISCHEV: We were up to such a possibility. It was not our problem. It was mostly the problem of the captain of the French team. It was his decision. It was up to him to decide who will play.

CAPTAIN TARPISCHEV: I would say that it's not bad for us that Safin starts to play first.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Absolutely is because, first of all, I think that I'm really seeing that perhaps it could be my last chance to win the Davis Cup while I'm playing. Second of all, it would be a great accomplishment for me to win such a competition, not only for myself, but for the country.

MARAT SAFIN: First of all, I don't have any other options. The draw has been made already. I think anyway you have to bring the point. It doesn't matter playing first, second. Of course, I think it's better to play second if the first one brought you the point. I have to play my match, I have to win it, that's it. There is nothing else I can do. It's not easy, but I don't have any other options.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I think that the pressure will be totally on the French team's shoulder because they're defending champion and playing in their home crowd. That's first. Second of all, you know, me and Marat, we've been playing a big number of years on the tour. For us it's not unusual to play three matches in a Davis Cup tie, especially in the final. We know how to handle situations. We know how to put up with it, the physical pressure. You know, it all will come down to which team is mentally stronger. I don't think the physical factor will be playing any big role in the match.

MARAT SAFIN: Well, this is not an individual match, I would say. This is a team match. The pressure, the burden of pressure, will be on Mathieu's shoulders. So I don't think, I cannot really presume, that he will play so risky as he did in Moscow during the Kremlin Cup semifinal.

CAPTAIN TARPISCHEV: It's the first time we'll have so many fans, Russian fans, while playing abroad. I think, I presume, maybe we'll have 1500 special supporters here to Paris from Moscow. We have a very special fan, the first president of Russia, Mr. Boris Yeltsin. He will be here in Paris to support us. Besides that the Mayor of Moscow, Mr. Lushkov, will be here as well. Naturally, I will tell you that it gives us a lot of support.

CAPTAIN TARPISCHEV: I would answer you like this. The coach is never satisfied by the shape in which his guys are. But to put it frankly, I would say that our team is at the best, excellent form, taking into consideration all the things, all the obstacles, all the things that we had before us during the last two weeks.