TENNIS MASTERS CUP

November 11, 2003

Rainer Schuettler

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

RAINER SCHUETTLER: Yeah, it was strange. All three sets, there was an early break. I mean, he had in the first. In the third set he had to try to come back somehow. In the second set I had to try to come back into the match. But at the end, I'm really happy that I fought through it and that I won the match.

RAINER SCHUETTLER: I didn't get that. One more time? Can you say it again?

RAINER SCHUETTLER: Ah, yeah. It feels great. I mean, for me, it's the first time. I'm proud to be there for the first time annd to play in the Masters Cup. I had a great season so far and I'm very, very happy that I won my first match. I mean, now I don't have any pressure. I won the first match. Now I can enjoy, yeah, every single point. I'm going out and trying to give my best. Of course that helps a lot. I'm very confident now and I just try to go out, give my best, and then at the end of the week I see what's happening.

RAINER SCHUETTLER: To be honest with you, when I won my first title in Doha, everybody said that. Then I won another one. Then I played final in Australian Open. Actually, I don't really care. I have to be happy. I mean, it's most important thing for me that I prove to myself that I can win against everybody. Now I'm Top 10. It really doesn't matter what everybody else thinks as long as I know that I can beat everybody. That's the most important thing for me to know.

RAINER SCHUETTLER: I think I don't have any pressure. I mean, I try to play good tennis. I try to go out there and I try to work hard every day. I think, yeah, if Dirk and me, if we work hard, like we did the last couple of years, I think we will be successful in the next years as well.

RAINER SCHUETTLER: It was very warm and humid today. I mean, when I came here on Wednesday I practiced with a sweater because it was so cold. Today, yeah, I went out there and I needed an ice towel after the first set. So it was, yeah, a little surprise for me, too. But I think he was a little bit more tired than I was and that help me, too, in the match.

RAINER SCHUETTLER: I mean, we played the last couple of weeks, everybody played indoors. Of course it's a change to play outdoors again. But that's why I came early. That's why I had, yeah, a couple of days to prepare for the tournament. And, yeah, I mean, the atmosphere was great. There were so many people. Yeah, they were cheering for both of us, so it was a great atmosphere. It was fun to play there on court.

RAINER SCHUETTLER: To be honest with you, for me, it was tough to get a rhythm today because it was a little bit windy. The sun was low. So from one side I had problems serving. It was tough to get a rhythm. But, I mean, I was fighting hard and at the end, yeah, the fighting paid off.

RAINER SCHUETTLER: There was one important shot when it was 15-30. He played a dropshot. I played a winner down the line to 15-40. That was very important in the third set.