TMS - MADRID

October 16, 2003

Feliciano Lopez

FELICIANO LOPEZ: If you take into account we're in the tennis Madrid, this is the best one. Without mentioning Philippoussis' loss the other day. But this means quarterfinals, I defeated Moya. I think this is the most important of my career.

FELICIANO LOPEZ: Yes. Despite me defeating Moya, they are the best we have in Spain. Not because I've defeated Moya today, they're not going to change their minds regarding Davis Cup. They are favorites for the team. I'll be ready for whatever captains want of me, both doubles and singles. But I understand they're higher in the rankings, but I'll be ready for anything.

FELICIANO LOPEZ: No. I also played well in Vienna. I won three important matches here. I think I'm doing really well to have a place in the Davis Cup. But we'll have to wait until the end of the year, until the captains' decision. I don't want to take things for granted. I think I'm working hard. This week's work is going to help me to get a place on that team. Maybe if I wasn't playing well right now, the decision would change.

FELICIANO LOPEZ: I've defeated very important players. Tomorrow I'm facing another one. So now I'm realizing what level I can play. If I have a very important chance, maybe I can take advantage of it.

FELICIANO LOPEZ: I think so. There was big crowds during these matches. The more you play, the more you get used to very difficult moments. For instance, in the last set, you know how to react in the crucial moments. Of course, I'm human. I get nervous sometimes. But I think when we were 5-5, I was able to be brave, to break his serve, and then I took advantage of my serve. I knew I could win the match. So the more matches you play, the more prepared you are.

FELICIANO LOPEZ: I think last year was a very good year for me, Top 100 for the first time. But you set some goals for the next year. In talking to my coaches, we thought about making a plan for my game, different aspects. The other day they told me I now have a very good return. I've improved that. It helps me put pressure on my opponent. Serves are easy for me to win. If I pay attention to the return, that's going to help me win, be sure of myself.

FELICIANO LOPEZ: I served to win the first set, but then I wasn't able to make the overhead. He had a few good points. I think he was a little better. I wasn't able to win the third set either. I felt I didn't win, but I felt I had a few chances I could have taken advantage of. That's my lesson, to take advantage of situations.

FELICIANO LOPEZ: It's the same question. Again, I'm telling you, those results are helping me to get a place on the team. This tournament is very important. The captains told us that Alex and I could try doubles together to see how we felt with each other. But despite that, they told me also that singles were going to be very important, to see if I was sure and confident. I think Vienna and this tournament are helping me a lot. I'm proud of having beaten Philippoussis. Today I defeated one of the second best players in Spain. I cannot tell you I'm going to have a place on the team or not, but right now I think it's not polite to talk about that if they haven't announced it yet.

FELICIANO LOPEZ: Yeah, I think the betting subject is over. I'm concentrating on my game. I think we all need to forget the betting subject. But besides, we're now in the moment where everyone is talking about me being on the team or not. I think I'm putting up with it and playing a good tournament. I didn't expect to play at this level at the beginning of the tournament.

FELICIANO LOPEZ: I think the fact of having a grass court before going to the final in Australia is going to help us all, me being on the team or not, because the surface is very different to the rest of the surfaces. It's very important to play many hours before a tournament like Wimbledon or a Davis Cup. I think it would be good to have a court in Spain permanently for Spaniards to prepare for Wimbledon better than we usually prepare. I think it's going to help us a lot because Spanish mentality is changing a lot. I think there's players that are willing to play on grass. If we had a fixed court all year to train, especially if there's a Davis Cup on grass, or even for the Wimbledon tournament, that would help us a lot. Grass is very different to the rest of the surfaces. The more you play, the more prepared you're going to be to face a tournament, or the Davis Cup in this case. It's going to help us all.

FELICIANO LOPEZ: I feel proud of hearing that comment because he was a very good player. I'm proud he can speak of me like this. But right now, to win Wimbledon, is very far from my mind. Besides, I have the quarterfinals in my mind that I lost. Right now I only want to progress. It's true it's my dream to win Wimbledon, but I don't want to think about that right now. I think that's still far away. I have to look day to day. To think that I could go beyond the fourth round, then I might achieve something more important.