THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 25, 1998

Marcelo Rios

MIKI SINGH: Nine straight match wins now for Marcelo Rios. He'll face Tim Henman in the semifinals. He's now two match wins away from No. 1. Take English questions first, then Spanish.

MARCELO RIOS: No, I didn't know he was injured. He told me after the match that he was injured from yesterday, when he play yesterday, after his match. I had no idea. He couldn't hit his forehand at the end, that's what he told me. But before the match, I didn't know.

MARCELO RIOS: I'm not thinking about being No. 1. I think I'm playing each match, try to do my best, not think that even if I win the match, I'll be closer to being No. 1. I'm just playing matches.

MARCELO RIOS: Well, maybe you sometimes think about it, you can become No. 1 if the win the tournament. I think during the match, you're not thinking about it.

MARCELO RIOS: I think the first two games were -- the first game I have some chances with 30-All, deuce. But he served big. I think the conditions were really tough, it was really windy. You couldn't hit the ball really clean or go for your shots. I think it was 15-30, serving, I hit a ball, a really good point. I think that was the key. After that it went 2-All and I broke him back.

MARCELO RIOS: Well, I practice a lot with him. I have never played him in a tournament. He's a great serve and volley player. He's really tough to beat if he's playing good. He's playing really good. I think it's going to be a tough match.

MARCELO RIOS: Everyone that play the Tour, everyone that do something, want to be the best in the world. If you're a soccer player, you want to be the best in the world, or if you're a tennis player. I think it's mean a lot. I'm really close, so it's going to be like really good if I'm No. 1.

MARCELO RIOS: I think I've been playing more, like more intelligent, not go so much for shots, giving free points, focus all the match, even if you losing some games or even if you sit down, try to fight, try to come back. I think that helps me, be really focused the whole match, even if you losing.

MARCELO RIOS: I think I'm making a lot of first serves, putting the first serve in. After that, you can play really relaxed your game. You have more chances to hit winners. I think the key is to put the first serve in.

MARCELO RIOS: You don't feel the same as being there. I know there's a lot of people behind me. I felt like when I was in Chile and they played Chile against Bolivia soccer World Cup, I started thinking that was maybe the same feeling like I was feeling, like going to a friend's house and see the match, everybody's going crazy to see a soccer match. Maybe the same with me. Everybody's like meeting in the house to see a tennis match.

MARCELO RIOS: Yeah, it's a good feeling.

MARCELO RIOS: Yes.

MARCELO RIOS: I don't know him that much. I've been with him, talk to him like three times. But I think it's tough to see him. He's playing soccer and I playing tennis, we don't have a chance to see each other. I saw him one time like in Chile one time. Another time I saw him maybe in Europe.

MARCELO RIOS: I don't know. Two different sports. He's doing good. I'm doing good. I think it's different.

MARCELO RIOS: I think it's part of the game. You're doing good, all the journalists or people from the media want to talk to you. I think it's fine. I think it's fine when you do it at certain times. When you got to talk to the press, talk to the press. But when journalists call you at 7:00 in the morning, I don't think it's really a good feeling.

MARCELO RIOS: When I was young, I was trying to make school. It was so tough, I wasn't thinking being a hero. I was concentrate going to school, trying to do good in school. That was it. I never thought about playing tennis, about playing the Tour. I never thought about it. I didn't even know like what was the Tour or what was playing tennis tournament. Never thought about it.

MARCELO RIOS: Yeah. Every match I play, today was I think the best crowd ever. It was really full. It was like playing Davis Cup. Indian Wells was also a lot of people in the final. It helps you a lot. I think like in tough moments, people like scream for you, even if you're losing. Make you like a big support. I think you win some matches because of the crowd.

MARCELO RIOS: I didn't know I was cool on the court (laughter). I think everybody have different personality. That's the way I am. I don't think about being cool or not being cool. That's who I am.