ATP Tour World Championship

November 29, 1998

Alex Corretja

Q. Where do you get the energy from?

ALEX CORRETJA: Well, I think it's from the years that I've been working so hard. So I was just trusting in myself. Even if I was losing two sets to love down, I was still thinking that I could win this match. It sounds strange, but I was thinking about Lendl-McEnroe Roland Garros final like '84 or something. At that time Lendl was my idol. He just came back after two sets to Love down, and he was beating McEnroe. Today I was thinking like, "Come on, try to do like your idol. You're losing against a really talented player, Moya." At that time it was McEnroe. "Try to find some energy from somewhere and try to think about your tennis and try to push him to see if he's going to be able to finish in straight sets." I think I had a couple of good chances. I took it. Even if I was losing 3-1 in the fifth, I still think that I could win. And even if I was serving for the match, I had match point, I couldn't make it, I still thinking, "Okay, come on, you can win it." That's why I think I win, because otherwise I would have lose easily.

ALEX CORRETJA: Well, I think I learned a lot from that loss, especially because I was playing against Carlos. It was the first really big final for me in my whole career. I didn't know how to focus it. I was playing against him. He is my friend. As I said afterwards, I said, "If I would play another big final, I will try to play in a different way." I think today, even if I was losing two sets to Love down, I think I was playing different. I was not playing really good tennis, but mentally I was still on the court. On that time, when I was two sets to Love down, I was just waiting to finish and to lose, and to embrace to him. Today was not the story. I was just thinking, "Come on, I want to win, I want to win." That power, I took it from my heart, and from my work, and also from the family who die like a couple of weeks and a couple of months ago. I was just like maybe talking to them and telling them like, "Come on, give me power to finish this match and win it," because I wanted to celebrate it, and I wanted to be the big champion; I don't want to be considered as a loser. I wanted to realize that I can also be a big champion. I don't know if I am, but I feel like a big winner today.

ALEX CORRETJA: Yes, like three weeks ago.

ALEX CORRETJA: Like an uncle. Two months ago, during the US Open, an aunt. It was kind of like tough time for us. Also, last Monday, my trainer's father also passed away, so it was again a tough situation. He left from here, he went to the funeral, and he came back again. It was a great effort also for him to be here with me.

ALEX CORRETJA: I think mentally I was really strong, or I am really strong. And through all my life, I consider myself as a winner. Since I was really young, I was winning many titles. I wanted to be in the nice part of the final. Even if I lost a couple, it's obvious you cannot always win. There are many, many good players in this ATP Tour, so you have to realize and you have to know that everybody works, so everybody deserves to win. But today, I think it was my ambition who make me win, because otherwise I wouldn't win it. I mean, it was the first time ever in my life where I came back after losing first two sets. And I think it's a great emotion to do it in the finals of this event.

ALEX CORRETJA: Maybe, but he retired. Still, it was a good win. But this is special, I guess. That was first round in Wimbledon, after I lost. I think it's like a little bit of a difference winning the championships here in Hannover, against Moya who beat me this year like three times. It seems amazing but I couldn't beat him a set. Today when I beat him the third set, I said, "Come on, this is the first set you win this year to Carlos, so try to push him and see if he can play better than you." I think it was really close, he was trying hard, but I think I deserved to win because I was trying to find the win. That's why I was so happy at the end. Yesterday if I didn't do anything, it's because I said that I wanted to save some energies for today. That's what I did. If yesterday maybe I would have make a big celebration, today after losing first two sets, I would say, "Okay, that's big enough, it's finals, beat Pete yesterday, don't put too much pressure to you." I didn't meant to finish with a small trophy. I wanted to finish with this one.

ALEX CORRETJA: My brothers and my friends from Barcelona. That was fun, you know (laughter). I have to see the doctor tomorrow to see how is my knee. But, still, I think it's worth it. If you allow me, I have a special call from Spain, from the King to Spain. If you allow me, it's a great moment for me. I want to share with you. It's the president. (laughter). (Telephone call taken.) Sorry, guys, I think it's special. It doesn't happen many days.

ALEX CORRETJA: Well, his daughter called me this morning to give me good luck. He said that he would call, but maybe he didn't find the time. He will do it for sure. He did it many times for sure already.

ALEX CORRETJA: Well, I didn't know if I would win I would go to No. 3 in the ranking. It's a great feeling just thinking that it's my highest ranking ever. Finishing like this, it's great. Of course, I think I will try to still working hard, and try to see if I can make the No. 1. I know it's going to be really tough and really difficult. But still if I'm No. 3, it's because I can be No. 1. Maybe I will have to improve much more things on my tennis, like be more consistent with my serve, or have maybe a big weapon, like as big a weapon as my forehand could work maybe better. But still I'm happy what I've been doing. I'm not going to ask to myself to be No. 1. I'm just going to try to do what I've been doing, working hard, and try to see if I can make No. 1. It will not be an obsession for me. Already I think I did a lot. I will try to stay as I am. I don't want to change anything just to be No. 1.

ALEX CORRETJA: Well, for sure it would be perfect for us, no? If you play in Barcelona, it's always great. I think this tournament is just unbelievable. I mean, there are just like eight players playing here, the best eight from the year. Maybe even if there were a couple of injuries, doesn't matter, it's a big event anyway. At the same time, I want to thank the people, because they were treating me so well here, especially during the final. I was losing, and they still were like thinking that maybe I could make a comeback. They were like supporting me so much. So maybe I forgot to say that on the court because I was a little nervous and I wanted to mention all my family, all these people. But still I think they were really important for me today. Of course, everybody from my part of the world supporting me, but the people were just trying to make me see as a winner. I think I wanted to thank them.

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