US OPEN

September 2, 2004

Paradorn Srichaphan

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah, I feel like I'm playing well today and moving well. But, you know, to play Paul Goldstein, he's quite (inaudible), he's won a round, he's already played four matches. It's a lot of confidence, but he's already play more matches than me. Yeah, he's trying hard, but, you know, I go out there and just try to play my game and, you know, and I do it pretty well in the beginning. He fight hard in the second set, and I was up two set to love and just finish it off in the third.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I think it's good to be after I winning the second set, then it make it more easier. It could go either way. If I lost the tiebreak in the second, is to go one set all. So, you know, the game's gonna be more difficult in the third.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, it's great to have another Thai player through qualifying and get into the main draw. So it's good to have another, you know, another Thai player in the draw.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, I would think so. As soon as they have more tournaments in Asia, it's always great for the Asian tennis. I'm really look forward to have another -- a couple more tournaments in Asia because now I think we have about five to six tournaments a year. If Asia would have more tournaments in Asia, it's gonna be good for Asian, young Asian kids, to come to watch and to be like -- wants to play in the tournaments.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, to win the gold medal in the Olympics is big, especially for Chinese player. And, yeah, I'm sure -- those two girls still young, I guess. You know, it's gonna be inspiration for other young kids in China. Last year I been to Beijing to promoting the tournament for the China Open which is I am going to play after this. We been to the tennis center of Beijing. It's like a hundred of kids playing in the nice center - a lot of court, indoor, outdoor, like 50 boy, 50 girl, hitting the ball well. You know, they're like 12 or 13 and 14. I think, you know, a lot of them gonna break through.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, the culture, of course it's different. But, I mean, to play in New York, just like you said, is very busy city, plus a lot of things going on this week so it's kind of walk up the street, and a lot of traffic, a lot of try to get on your car to get here, you know, take about half an hour, 40 minutes. Well, every player have to try to focus what they doing. Just, you know, I'm trying to put, you know, my iPod and put my glasses on and put my hat on and focus on what you doing. In the big tournaments, you saw a lot of people and you know a lot of people. So you always stop to say hi to this people, those people. It's always tough to say hi. You just want to focus.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Is that right?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I'm not sure about that. I mean, especially this week, you know. It's, you know, a lot of street closed, a lot of try to get to the restaurant, and sometime you have to get off the cab and then walk. But, yeah, I haven't been home much so, you know, I don't know how busy it is. But every time I go home, well, downtown, every city is busy, but I know the place around Bangkok so I know how to get around.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Prime minister dinner? I don't think I had one, yeah. But I met the King twice.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yes.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah, he's a great King. Thai people love him.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: The dog? Yeah, I saw a lot of them, yeah, yeah. Yeah, he love dog, yeah.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, I haven't read that book. I didn't see the movie, so... you know...