TMS MONTE CARLO

April 15, 2005

Guillermo Coria

GUILLERMO CORIA: Well, Ferrer is a very dangerous player. He was able to take the initiative every time I played a short point. He was running very well, and he had good inspiration. So during the second set I was lucky to be able to manage the situation, but it was a tough match. He was playing very solid.

GUILLERMO CORIA: Well, reaching the semifinals is a very important thing for me. When I came here I was not very confident, but Monte-Carlo is a place where I feel good and it suits me well. So this result is good for my confidence. I really hope that I will be able to repeat what I did last year here and during the whole season up to the French Open. I am going to continue to work very hard, and I hope I will continue to win matches. It will be good for my confidence. It's good for me.

GUILLERMO CORIA: I worked very hard on this point because last year I had several injuries, and especially the injury on my shoulder. I had to have surgery because of that. So I changed my physical trainer, and I'm very happy because I became stronger. I put on three kilos in three months, and I changed my way of eating also. Of course it costs me a little bit when I try to run fast. The speed, it costs me because I'm heavier. But I think with the matches after matches, it will become better.

GUILLERMO CORIA: Well, you should ask my physical trainer. Anyway, I stopped eating anything with sugar. I stopped drinking or eating anything that has bubbles, Coca-Cola. Also I eat a lot of proteins, and I really stopped the sugar. I don't eat chocolate anymore.

GUILLERMO CORIA: Javier Capitaina (phonetic).

GUILLERMO CORIA: I should have won more matches before coming into this tournament if I wanted to play on center court. But anyway, it doesn't bother me at all. I played maybe better matches on that court than I would have anyway. I must say those two courts are completely different, one from the other. But anyway, you must do what you are told.

GUILLERMO CORIA: Yes, I enjoy when people treat me well, and I like that other court because it's smaller and you can feel the crowd around you much more than on center court, which is bigger. I feel good in this tournament, really. Whatever I do, whether I practice, whether I play, or even if I go for a walk, I feel good.

GUILLERMO CORIA: In fact, in Argentina they like all the players. There's also Puerta, Canas. The Argentinian public is not looking after one single player, the public is watching all the tennis in Argentina. In February we had a Davis Cup tie, and it was very impressive, the way the crowd encouraged every single one of us. I'm very pleased with the kindness and the liking of the public for us. In Argentina, each one has his own favorite. It can be Canas, Puerta, Nalbandian or whatever. It's like in soccer, in football. But when the country Argentina is playing, they're all behind us, all of us.

GUILLERMO CORIA: Davis Cup is very important to me. In February, for me, it was the first time I played in Davis Cup in Argentina, and it was really incredible what happened there. I never lived something similar to that. I really would like to win the Davis Cup one year.

GUILLERMO CORIA: No, the important thing is to be united the way we are, all together, and to be able to achieve this dream we all have to win the Davis Cup one day because Argentina never won, never got to win it. You will not become rich or poor with the Davis Cup anyway. Everything is settled. You should not mistrust anybody. The main thing you have to do is go and play.

GUILLERMO CORIA: Yes, as I said, we are all united because we are all aiming at the same objective all together, which is to win the Davis Cup. We really want to win. We have many players who have tennis that is good enough for us to win this event. So the most important thing is to be united and to go and play.

GUILLERMO CORIA: No, this year nothing. No ties in Argentina this year.

GUILLERMO CORIA: Australia. Then Slovakia, Holland.

GUILLERMO CORIA: I see him very little because I am in Barcelona and he mainly lives in Monte-Carlo or Buenos Aires. I see him here in Monte-Carlo or sometimes in Paris, but I don't see him very much. Anyway, the relationship is still very good.

GUILLERMO CORIA: Since I started with my new coach, Perlas, since December.