TMS MONTE CARLO

April 20, 2004

Alex Corretja

ALEX CORRETJA: Yeah, of course. If you look at everyone's career right now, you pretty much expecting the other way around , you know, Ferrero beating Corretja 6-2, 6-3. But Corretja is sitting here, winning 6-2, 6-3. So for me it's a great win. I think I play pretty solid, attacking very well, and of course I took advantage of his errors, you know. He made some errors or mistakes with his forehand trying to attack. And the ball is flying pretty much. I have to say, I like the ball pretty much. So conditions were good, were fast. And I think for me, it need to be clay, but it need to be fast. If it's too hard, too wet, or too slow, I don't have that much power.

ALEX CORRETJA: Not surprised, I'm happy, you know? When you play a guy that you know is probably the best player on clay - for sure the best player on clay last season - so you always know it's gonna be tough. I knew it would be difficult for him because he got here last afternoon. He only hit, like, once. The balls are flying a little bit, and the conditions weren't easy. I came here on Saturday, you know. I had time to adjust myself to the court. I knew he would feel uncomfortable on the court. You see few upsets already on the court, you know. You see Guga yesterday playing, feeling not so good on the court. So you realize it wasn't easy for anyone. So I think I took advantage of that, and I'm glad to see that I, you know, that I am pretty much alive for the sport.

ALEX CORRETJA: Well, you know, when you see that a guy lost, you always feel like, "Oh, he can lose again," you know. But it wasn't a fact like it gave me a confidence or something, because Verdasco is a lefty, Verdasco is 20, I am 30, you know. He's just new-comer; I been on the Tour for many years. For me the main thing is winning this match is great, but it's not like, "Well, it's just a match in the second round," no. Winning Ferrero on clay and in Monte-Carlo, which he won two years in a row, it's something very special. But of course I'd like to keep on going. And the first thing I'd like to say is if I win this match, it's because they gave me a chance, they gave me a wildcard here. I'd like to thank Patrice, I'd like to thank Francis. Having so many French players, it wasn't easy for them. One day, I think I help a little bit in something with this tournament, so now they help me a lot. So I really appreciate it. That's why my first thought, it was for them. Without them, probably I would have never beat Ferrero on this court today.

ALEX CORRETJA: Well, I think I tried to attack a little bit more with my forehand and moving him and try to come into the net whenever I can. And that, with his mistakes, so it combine a score pretty easy, no.