TELECOM ITALIA MASTERS

May 3, 2004

Paradorn Srichaphan

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, you know, always on clay it's took time, but was good for me to winning a match.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I would say real difficult. To play with the rain and a little windy, just at the same time you try and finish the match. Otherwise, this could go longer.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: It's always difficult. But it's always fun to play a home man, just to put -- his ranking is 140, but he's playing great. Especially on clay court, for me, is not really my best, so I'm really glad the way I played today.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Oh, yeah, I mean, they're great. They not just cheering for they man, but they're great, yeah.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: No, it's now finish.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, every Thai man, when they turn 20, they have to go for the selection. I'm 25, so it's been five years that I been, "Hold on, I come next year," and I been wait for five years. Finally, I have time at home, so I decided to go to do it. Finally, it got done. I didn't have to be in the Army.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, because you go there and then (inaudible) see how tall are you, just like military service. They just try to get the people to go to the Army, but it's already full. They already have somebody, you know, get ready for Army. So I go there just to show up that, you know, I'm registered, just go to show up that I'm doing it.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I don't have to do it. Just show up and just do it in the right way.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I would say no, because I didn't practice on clay before I coming to Europe because there's no clay practice in Thailand. I come to tournaments to practice in the tournaments and just get ready for the French Open. I didn't expect too much from the clay court tournaments because I already use the season to practice and play good on hard court.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Oh, yes, of course. I mean, I say I didn't expect too much, but in some point, I also expecting to do well, too. But it's more difficult for me to play well on clay because compared to the guy who was born on clay and, you know, they have more experience and they know how to play on clay more than me, so I always have difficult time.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, I would say...

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, the way I play, I could play on clay court, no problem. But the thing is, if I can't get more practice, I mean, I start to play on clay when I was 15. So it's kind of really late compared to other players in Europe.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah, I have to get -- try to improve myself and try to get the ball more on the court with spin, because on clay it's really difficult to go hit one winner.