TMS MONTE CARLO

April 15, 2002

Cedric Pioline

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Well, my game is there now, and it's good to put it all together point after point according to the score and according to the way things are going. Otherwise, generally speaking, it's good.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: I believe I played well. He wasted a few shots, and I pushed him to make mistakes. After that, he was able to come back in to the match well. I believe he played well to come back game after game. In fact, it was a matter of not much.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Yes. As I said, there was not much difference between us. Once again, I experimented with the fact that the line is very thin between a positive and a negative result.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: It's possible. He was playing very well. He's one of the best players since the beginning of the year. Therefore, he has more automatic shots than I have. This can play a role at a stage or at another stage in the match.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Yes, for sure. It's better than losing 1-1. Now I would like to have opportunities to play more matches. Last week I played Ferrero. This time it's Novak. Maybe with one match or two under my belt, I can start to win that kind of match - maybe.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: That's a bad idea (laughing). I don't believe so, no. It happened that I wasn't very lucky in the draw. There are many other players in the draw who don't play as well as Novak, and I believe that the way I play, I can beat those players. Winning a match, two matches, is good because after everything is underway. Things are different. But this is not a reason why I will have to refuse.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Because I'm trying to play doubles more often, and the best thing to do is to play with French players. Fabrice is playing with Henman. And Mickael had nobody, so we decided to play together.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: No, I'm going to continue with what I started and ask for wildcards and see if they want to give me one or not. Maybe I will play some qualifications. But playing lesser tournaments is not in my way of seeing things. If I had been younger, I would have done it maybe. But today it's not interesting.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Nowhere.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Yes, but I have no answer yet. For the wildcards, I'll wait to see what happens. For the time being I have no answer.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: I watched one game when I was waiting before coming up here.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: In one game it's difficult to make yourself an idea. But being able to qualify at his age in this kind of tournament, beating two good players! And he seems calm. We have the impression he has many years of experience. And the way he hits the ball, no doubt he has good potential. You don't need to ask me to see it.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Yes, it's very rare. If he keeps that maturity and develops it, he has great potential and he can go very far. Playing that way at 15 or 16 years old is a good sign for the future.