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EUROCARD OPEN

October 30, 1998

Marcelo Rios

Stuttgart, Germany

Q. Could you explain to us what happened?

MARCELO RIOS: I was warming up this morning playing a little soccer, I think I pulled a muscle trying to hit the ball too hard, that is it.

Q. Where is the problem?

MARCELO RIOS: Right in my leg, like in the upper part of the leg.

Q. Back or front?

MARCELO RIOS: Front.

PATRICK HOLMGREN: Hip flexor.

Q. Is it at all connected to you being hurt last week in Lyon?

MARCELO RIOS: Nothing like that. It is a new one. Like I always say, I think if I am hurt, if I go on the court, even if I win, it is going to be worse after the match, so I prefer to rest it and try to get better next week.

Q. At the moment you still intend on playing Bercy?

MARCELO RIOS: Sure. I am going to rest these days, treat it, and after the match last week I feel much better. I am going to give it a try.

Q. Is this the first time you have a problem with this leg?

MARCELO RIOS: Yeah, first time.

Q. How bad is it? Does it hurt when you walk or --

MARCELO RIOS: When I push my leg up it hurts a lot. Maybe not when I walk. Like I said, I prefer to rest and not to get worse.

Q. Where were you actually kicking the football? Was it in the arena?

MARCELO RIOS: In the same court. We like playing mini-tennis with the tennis ball, just put my leg up.

Q. Who were you practicing with?

MARCELO RIOS: What is the matter with that?

Q. I am just asking you.

MARCELO RIOS: Some guy.

Q. Not other players?

MARCELO RIOS: Yeah, another player.

Q. Wouldn't it be better to leave the football to Salas?

MARCELO RIOS: To leave the football for what?

Q. Marcelo Salas plays football.

MARCELO RIOS: Yeah, it is a great idea.

Q. So it is also something entirely different from what you had in Munich?

MARCELO RIOS: Totally different. Munich I got my back, last week I got the same leg, the other leg, but like in the back part totally different.

Q. You are not having much luck at the moment?

MARCELO RIOS: I have been pretty unlucky these last two weeks. But it isn't bad, I am playing really good, feeling really good right now. I got to play a couple more tournaments so I prefer to rest it and try to finish the year much better.

Q. Last year you just missed out on Hannover, didn't you?

MARCELO RIOS: Yeah.

Q. Are you looking forward to that this year?

MARCELO RIOS: Sure. I think my goal at the beginning of the year was to go to the Masters and now that I am in the Masters, for sure I want to try to do the best I can, so that is one of the reasons I am trying to get fit and rest and not try to get more injuries.

Q. Does finishing the year No. 1, is that important for you?

MARCELO RIOS: I think anybody that is playing tennis, it is really important to be No. 1.

Q. Did that come into your thinking today or was it more a question of just making sure you were able to play the next couple of weeks because I mean, obviously you might have gotten some more valuable points here?

MARCELO RIOS: For sure you think about it, but I think your body is the one that talk right now. If I am not 100% to go on the court, it is no reason for me to go even if I play a couple of games I am not going to feel good. So sometimes you are better when you listen to your body. If I am not 100%, it is not a good idea to give it a chance.

Q. How does it compare like to your back or your other leg? Is it worse than your back injury?

MARCELO RIOS: It just happened two hours ago, so I can't tell you if it is worse.

Q. What treatments are they recommending?

MARCELO RIOS: I haven't talked yet. I am going to go now to the trainer and maybe he is going to give me some pills or I am going to have some treatment.

Q. Are you going to request a later start in Paris?

MARCELO RIOS: For sure. I am going to try to play as late as I can, try to get fit and try to rest as much as I can.

End of FastScripts….

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