TMS MONTE CARLO

April 15, 2002

Hicham Arazi

HICHAM ARAZI: I am satisfied because I managed to win, but I am not very pleased with my game. Maybe it was because it was the first round. And with the result I had last year, I felt some pressure. I have points to defend, especially since those I won in the beginning of the season have not been wonderful. Arnaud himself did not play a super match. He is in exactly the same situation I am - he is looking for wins and confidence. I am happy I pulled out of that match that way. I succeeded in remaining calm and playing until the last point although today my level of game was not present.

HICHAM ARAZI: It's easier to play a Frenchman than a Moroccan player, like last week in Casablanca. With Arnaud, we know each other in the tournaments. It's not as if I had played against Karim - we are always together, we spend holidays together, we are closer to each other.

HICHAM ARAZI: No, it's mainly a matter of confidence. When you go on to the court with pressure - although the day before I felt the ball well - then the match is totally different. You have heavy legs, you ask yourself 10,000 questions in one minute. After this match I'm going to feel less pressure and I will be able, I hope, to play as well as during practice.

HICHAM ARAZI: Yes, I hope I will win a few tournaments and not only a few matches. This week my first objective was to go beyond the first round and try to improve the quality of my game in order to be back to the level I had last year. It can be here in Monte-Carlo or in the later tournaments in the year. Then results will come very simply.