US OPEN

August 30, 2003

Paradorn Srichaphan

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Paradorn.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah. It's great to win another matches, especially straight set. So at least it's good for next match that, you know, I'm not really using a lot of energy today. So it's great.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I think is going to be good match. I'm really looking forward to play. It's going to be tough match for me. You know, I would think for him, too. I think it's going to be good match (smiling).

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: He been doing well, except for the last couple tournaments he not doing really well. He been playing well for the whole two years. You know, nobody can just hold that up all the time. But he still tough out there, especially in this Grand Slam. You know, his mind is really into it. I mean, for me, too, I'm really into it now.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Which one?

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I beat him in Tokyo. I mean, that much just playing the way I'm playing, holding my serve, you know, good hitting, moving well, just ready for the next shot, to go for it. Then I lost to him in Madrid -- no, Paris, two sets to one. Actually, I was up that match like 3-All in the third, Love-40 on his serve. You know, he come back and win it. You know, he's always tough.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I would say Andy and me is really good friends. You know, I'm friendly with Ivan Ljubicic. I'm friendly with everybody on tour. Everybody to me, they great to me. Well, in this case I would say is my good friends. He's all right. You know, everybody, most of the people, like him.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I play him a couple times, maybe four times. You know, we playing tennis on court.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I would say it's great for Thai tennis. We both reaching the last 16. Big win for her. She look really strong for this tournament. You know, the Thai people is proud for us that, you know, we both doing well now. So they been following that. Been watching television every day.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Oh, yeah, sure. This is happen since I'm doing well last year. You know, all the equipment at the store, the sale, they getting really good.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: In New York, they're a lot of Thai restaurant here. I been to many of them. Most of them are great because I walk in, you know, they cook like Thai, you know, a little kick (laughter).

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I can't pick one. In Washington, DC, my friends own like 10 Thai restaurant in DC. The name is Tara Thai. The owner is coming here to watch my match every day.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Like four years ago when I played tournaments in DC, he came up. You know, he used to play tennis. He live in Thailand before. He know my father like long time ago.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Actually, most of the time dish is really spicy. I mean, is not really spicy, but is kick when you take it. Most restaurant, they try to cook it smooth for foreigner. If they see Thai people, "All right, here we go."

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: You have a yellow curry.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Try green curry or the red curry. Try the noodles, pad-thai.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Not really. Even eat something spicy, you feel it. I mean, I grew up with it. That's why I can take it.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Oh, he's great golfer. I mean, he doing great. He's half Thai.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah, I'm really, really happy that I'm doing well. You know, my representing, I'm Asian, I'm from Thailand. I hope is going to be more and more younger junior player coming up. When I was a kid, I'm looking up to Michael Chang, which, you know, he's Asian. That's why I'm really thinking that I can do this.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: No. Every match, I just walk on court, if I going to win, if I going to loss, it just the game. I try to go out there and having fun, you know, try to perform.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Is huge, I mean, Grand Slam. Especially this one. I mean, because is hard court, which is my best surface. I grow up on hard court at home. Is the last Grand Slam of the year. You know, the conditioning is heat, just like home. I enjoy play tournaments in the US.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: No. I mean, my personality on court is, you know, look calm down, not really see I'm get mad or getting angry. I could control myself easier if I just go out there and enjoy the match, you know, keep it calm.