REPUBLIC NATIONAL MONTE CARLO OPEN

April 24, 1998

Cedric Pioline

Q. Given the way you waved at the public at the end of the match and you answered the questions on TV, we felt you were very happy and we felt you were relieved at the end of that match. Was there a particular pressure during that match?

CEDRIC PIOLINE: There was the tension in the match. It's difficult to play against Fabrice because he's someone who brings back many shots and makes you many times hit an extra shot. You are all the time under pressure thinking, "I have to be precise, I have to finish the point," because he returns those shots. We are very much under pressure.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Yes, of course. But going up to the net when not expected, it's rather me that did it today. He is a player who is not particularly powerful and he does not fast accelerations. If you take away this mixed game, you take away something important from his game.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Yes. You can always say this or that, but he played a perfect set, not one mistake. As soon as I was going up to the net, he was passing me along the line or lobbing me. When I accelerated, it was just out. Maybe I tried to do too much. He played very deep. He played a very good first set.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: It is not easy. On top of that, he runs very well. Things are not over with only one acceleration. You need many things. It's all the more difficult. It's a chain of different things.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: I know him well. I know how he plays. He surprised me a little bit during the first set because he had never played such a good game against me yet. But it's always the same story. If he continues that way, then I go back to the locker room. And it happened that I broke him immediately. This changes the game a lot, then you are ahead. So the first set was lost anyway. I was not going to think about it during the whole match. Finally, I was up 2-Love, and something different was starting.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Maybe I pushed him a little more and he played not as deep. Maybe he relaxed a little bit. He had 6-1. It may be the difficult moment in a match. I hit two or three good shots, I made the point and the break, then everything started up again for me.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Yes. My serve helped me a lot today. What is also true is that it's a completely different rhythm than the one I had against Kuerten yesterday. It's a completely different style of game.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: I saw they were at the end of the first set.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Their game? I don't believe they will do different things. I don't believe Berasategui will play serve and volley, and I would be surprised if Becker remains in the back of the court.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: I'm okay. I have no particular problem.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Well, I feel good because now I'm going to have a massage, and they are still running on the court. I prefer to be in my position than in theirs.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: Well, very hot. It's already 5:30.

CEDRIC PIOLINE: It's good. Whatever the player, it's prestigious to play a semifinal in Monte-Carlo. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to play such a match tomorrow. I hope the weather will still be good and that the people will be as numerous as they were today in the stands, and that there will be good tennis on the court.