MEDIBANK INTERNATIONAL

January 10, 2006

Peter Luczak

PETER LUCZAK: Yeah, I'm pretty happy. I think last week was a much better quality match. Like I thought I played quite well and just unlucky to lose it. Had a lot of chances last week, and this week I had a lot of chances again but luckily, you know, I pulled through.

PETER LUCZAK: Yeah, because I think Malisse was hurting a little bit from last week. I knew he had blister problems and I think he had a sore ankle. It's always dangerous playing someone like that because you're mentally not 100% because you just think "just get the ball back." You start playing a bit tentative. It was a bit windy out there. He was going for his shots, he was probably playing more aggressive than what he normally does because he doesn't want to move around as much. He slapped a few winners when I was serving for it. I did a double-fault here and there. Yeah, I knew, "Oh, God, not again."

PETER LUCZAK: Yeah, that's right. You got to take a win whichever way you can. It wasn't pretty tennis out there. It was a bit windy, and I was playing tentative. It didn't look like he really wanted to be out there either, so... But I'm happy to get through.

PETER LUCZAK: You know, I guess a bit of both like. I guess when you start a tournament, you just really think about the tournament you're playing. I've done that in the past, I've just been thinking too much ahead in the future. But you just got to think about the present. When you're training, then that's fine, you can think about the future and what you want to improve. But when you're out there playing a match, you just want to be thinking about that one match. Like even when I was up, like a couple times in my head I was thinking, "How do I play Andreev?" I knew he already got through. I'm going, "Mate, just make sure you beat Xavier first. You don't normally beat guys like this, so make sure you beat him."

PETER LUCZAK: Yeah. Actually, I set a goal for myself end of last year that this year I would try to get 500 points within the calendar year. That would get me into about around 90, so hopefully. That's my goal. I'm on 20 now, I think: Five from last week and fifteen here. Long way to go.

PETER LUCZAK: Yep, I think I've got to go out there, play much more relaxed. I know Andreev is playing well. I've seen him play before. He's got a huge game. I'm definitely the underdog. I just got to go out there swinging and, you know, whatever happens, happens. But that's how I play my best tennis, when I know I'm the underdog and I can just stay relaxed, loose, and just give it my all.

PETER LUCZAK: Yeah, that's right. Gooch had a great win. Me and Gooch are good mates. Lleyton, unbelievable win yesterday. I knew he was struggling, he was a bit sick. That just shows how mentally tough he is. It's good that I, you know, waved the flag today. I don't think there was any Aussie guys playing today.

PETER LUCZAK: I don't get frustrated when they say Lleyton, because he does an unbelievable job. Me and Gooch are still a ways away. Like we're in the 150s and Lleyton has always been top 5, top 10. So, you know, until me and Gooch can sort of make it into the Top 100, like where Wayne is, then we probably shouldn't get the recognition really.

PETER LUCZAK: Uh-hmm. Yeah, about two weeks ago, two or three weeks ago, he invited me to come up to Sydney. I stayed with him and practiced with him for ten days. So me and Lleyton are great friends. Any chance you get like that, I think I improved a lot and just learned a lot from him. Yeah, he always tries to give me a bit of advice. He's really good with the Aussies. Like whenever we're overseas, he has opportunities, obviously, to practice with Agassi and all these top guys, but if there's an Aussie around, he'll always makes sure he hits with one of us guys and give us that opportunity.