THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 23, 1996

Nicolas Pereira

NICOLAS PEREIRA: Well, I think learning from the mistakes of the past, more practice obviously, and a lot more conscious of what it takes to win, even after you had a few discouraging losses. You know, the past three tournaments I've lost first round, so it hasn't been too encouraging, but different from other times I kept working, waiting for it to come back.

NICOLAS PEREIRA: Well, I think it goes along. That speculation that you're looking for, it's uncalled for because obviously he's there because he deserves it. I think he won most tournaments last year. He won one Grand Slam, and he's struggling at No. 1, obviously. All this talk is -- it's doing him bad. To tell you the truth, I felt that when I played Sampras or Agassi in the past, they were a lot stronger, but I played on probably their best surface, and obviously this is not Thomas' best surface. But for me it's a true No. 1 win. I think the man deserves it and he should get the credit that he's due.

NICOLAS PEREIRA: I broke the first part of the match, lost my serve. Had a breakpoint to go up 4-3 and I didn't make it. Going into the tiebreaker I felt fine because I felt I was putting more pressure on his serve than he was putting on mine. I felt comfortable all the way through. Obviously against a guy of that caliber and a fighter such as he, it would be a mistake to consider at any point in the match that you've won, except when you're shaking his hand. And then I had a few more chances at 4-3 in the second set, like four or five breakpoints, which I didn't play too well. So it was -- you know, I knew I had to go out and get it from him. So in the 4-5, I came out trying to attack him, even though I was playing against the wind, which is the toughest side to return from. I think I surprised him coming out in that game. You never know. 15-40 I had another chance. It happened in 30-40. You have to always be ready to take it whenever it's in front of you.

NICOLAS PEREIRA: Yeah, obviously. I've been working with my coach, my ex-coach Ricardo Acioly, for the past three years, and we just stopped working before this tournament unfortunately. We're still on great terms. I was just with him in the locker room. He's been trying to knock that into my head for the past years. At times it falls and at times it disappears. But I have a few other interests in my life. I think you're right, I kind of feel I have had enough of that, that part of my life, and I'm ready to start a new stage. Now, as you say, being able to see the end of my career four, five, six years from now, I am obviously ready to work a little harder. I think that is encouraging me. And it would not be fair to say that my girlfriend is not, she's been a big part of this for the past six months.

NICOLAS PEREIRA: I think when I was 17 or 18. When you put in the hours without really noticing them, with joy, knowing that it's only to get better, and you're willing to wait for them to pay off in moments such as this, and you don't feel as you are going through a grueling routine all the time. I can sincerely say that I don't remember doing so as far back as 1987, '88.

NICOLAS PEREIRA: Not in Miami, exactly. In Largo, Florida, for a couple of years. Went to Nick Bollettieri's for a couple years. I've been around Florida a lot. I am looking for a residence. In the near future I probably will live here. It's been my second home always. It's so close to Venezuela. You're not always able to practice in Venezuela. I always practice here.

NICOLAS PEREIRA: My family all lives here.

NICOLAS PEREIRA: I had to find like 18 tickets for today. Hard task. But I have to say the Lipton people were very helpful.

NICOLAS PEREIRA: Yeah, well, you know, you are a little overconfident when you come in like that through the -- breaking through the stages without much appreciation of what you've got. And I think I took it for granted that my ascent was going to keep going as fast as it did. When I started finding barriers, I think I didn't approach them with the right attitude. I took the easy way out. It's just normal for somebody that age, especially being Latin. I'm not going to blame it on that. It was all my fault. I don't regret it whatsoever.

NICOLAS PEREIRA: He asked have I improved since I won the world series in Bogota, and today's win? I think in Bogota was my first and only career title. It was a stepping stone for me. Unfortunately I didn't carry on with it as soon as I would like to. But it's good to have it under your belt, you know, at least one title. And I think I've improved my working habits basically and my attitude towards preparing to tournaments. About my win today, well, as Joe said, it's the third player I beat that was No. 1 in the world. It's always good. It's always a day in the sun for somebody that doesn't do that too often to do it. Especially doing it here in Miami for me, it's very, very important, and I'm very, very happy with the way I performed today, especially at the moment of truth, you know, there in the tiebreaker and at the end of the second set.

NICOLAS PEREIRA: That's something I never really liked to get into in the past. Let's be realistic and get into that now. I would like to be --

NICOLAS PEREIRA: If I keep going at this rate, considering the wins that I've had and the points that I didn't get last year at places where I think I should have gotten -- come again, consider?

NICOLAS PEREIRA: I should be 70 or 60 comfortably if I play the way -- if I keep the behavior that I've had the past six, seven months.

NICOLAS PEREIRA: Well, ultimately you never know because, you know, I've been around the circuit for a long time, the guys know me very well. Old habits die hard, you know. You have to go by stages. I have to keep stimulating myself. I played well against the top guys. I have problem with the intermediate guys. You know, they seem to have that disappreciation of me that they can beat me, so they do. I've got to get that out of their heads. Once I do that, you know, I think I can play with the best of them. You know, hopefully if one day I reach the top 30 I'll be very, very happy.

NICOLAS PEREIRA: Well, I was playing tennis and having a good time probably. Is that the question you are asking?

NICOLAS PEREIRA: No, night life was not the biggest problem. The biggest problem was that I didn't like to work. It was not the night life. I'm a very, you know, house guy, I like to hang around the house. It's not going to sleep late; it was not getting up to go to work day in and day out. I was not this big partner, I think. It was just I was a very lazy professional. I was content with what I had.

Q. Do you have any sponsor right now?

NICOLAS PEREIRA: Right now, yeah, can't you see?

NICOLAS PEREIRA: In my country, the national airlines is helping me now. It's the first sponsor I've had since 1988, so I'm very, very appreciative of that. Hopefully better things will come in the near future.