REPUBLIC NATIONAL MONTE CARLO OPEN

April 20, 1998

Mark Philippoussis

Q. Mark, we think of you as the big serve, power off the ground. Quite often your best results have come off clay. Is it a surface you enjoy playing on?

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: To be quite honest, it should be one of my favorite surfaces, you know, there's no reason why. I'm a big guy, I move well on the court. It sets up, you know -- the ball sets up for my big forehand. I can do a lot of damage there. One of my best fitness stages of my life now. I was feeling great out there. No reason why I can't sort of grind down until I get the short one and then go for it. Earlier on, I was going for it a bit too early. Now I feel I'm physically tough. I feel great out there.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Sure. After winning Memphis, I really haven't done much. Probably a mental lapse. It's strange, you know. I'm not a moody person, but there's times when I wake up and feel like playing. A lot more times I wake up, and don't feel like going out there, which is very wrong. I'm just trying to get up for every match. You know, I just wanted to forget about the start of the year. I was happy to get a title. But I think I could do well on the clay, every tournament I play in. No reason why I can't. I'm just really looking to do well in this first tournament back.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah, the balls are flying here. The clay court's fast. It really is a nice clay court. I mean, it's good for both, serve and volleyers. You can serve and volley on here, and also you can stay back and have some great points. The ball is going to be heavy, like Hamburg. I elect never to play there. Way too cold for me. I think I can do a lot of damage on my arm because the ball is too heavy; I string my strings very tight. Injured my arm before.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah, I'm in residence here.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I got here Friday. I've been in Florida, training there.