NASDAQ-100 OPEN

March 28, 2003

Albert Costa

ALBERT COSTA: Yeah, it was possible because I slept really, really good. So, I was not thinking. I was trying to not think and saying to me that I would think tomorrow. Since I wake up this morning, I was doing everything step by step and I think everything was pretty good.

ALBERT COSTA: Not -- maybe not in this special result. But I think in the French Open with Hewitt once, it was like one-set-all and 5-all or something. So it's not the situation that you have to go and play only one tiebreak or maybe two points and you never know. But we had many times this similar situation, so...

ALBERT COSTA: Well, I think I'm not always playing good, but last year I played Round of 16 in the Australian Open, and I lost five sets, 8-6 in the third or 9-7 in the fifth against Ferrero. So I could be again in the quarters. So I think I'm not playing constantly or regularly good, but I think I can go -- I can be a good player on hard courts also.

ALBERT COSTA: I'm trying to go more to the net and hit faster my first serve. I'm playing my game and put pressure on the other guys. That's what I'm trying.

ALBERT COSTA: Well, I'm playing doubles now. I'm playing doubles and it makes me improve a lot.

ALBERT COSTA: I'm feeling comfortable, yes. I'm not going to play all of the time serve and volley because it's not my way but I'm trying to play more in the net, going to the net and returning inside of the court. So I'm trying to improve my game every day.

ALBERT COSTA: No.

ALBERT COSTA: No, it was really slippery. Ten seconds later, it was raining hard. So it was a good decision.

ALBERT COSTA: Well, at the beginning, I was maybe thinking that we can finish the match last night. But after, when we saw it was raining like this and the weather channel was saying no, no way.

ALBERT COSTA: One hour and a half.

ALBERT COSTA: Yes, and closer from the match. Normally, I'm practicing like one hour, one hour and a half before. Today, I was just practice -- I start practice at 11:15 to quarter to 12, took a quick shower and then I went to the match.

ALBERT COSTA: No, my ball I thought -- I didn't really think my ball was so good, so I made like a little stop, dropshot. But it wasn't so good. You know, we are nervous and I made like this, and Roger tried to hit down the line and he hit the net. You never know. Maybe he hit the net and it goes like this. Today it was like heads or tails.

ALBERT COSTA: Well, I was really, really happy because it was a tough situation. It was like a 24-hour match. So it's tough. You are all the time thinking and you are all the time like trying to -- it's a special situation. You are not used to live this kind of situations. So to play one match in two days is not easy for us.

ALBERT COSTA: Well, no, nothing special. I've been in the States many times and I've been warned like 15 times. Never, nothing happens. So it's like a thunderstorm, but it's okay, you know...

ALBERT COSTA: It means a lot, because this is a great tournament. I think this is like the fifth Grand Slam. So, for me, it's a great result. But I'm playing good. I know I have a very tough opponent now. But I will try to reach the finals.

ALBERT COSTA: I know them very much. I see Andre playing like 1,000 times and I see Younes playing over thousand. So maybe I stay here to have lunch or something, but I'm going to go to the hotel to rest.

ALBERT COSTA: I was many times thinking maybe this way before I won the Grand Slam. Like, well, I am a good player because I was four years in a row being Top 20 and I was Top 10 and I've won many, many tournaments - or 12 tournaments. But I was -- my obsession was to win a Grand Slam. So now I have the Grand Slam and I still think I'm gonna be a regular player. Now I think I'm a very good player. So nobody, if somebody want to think that, for me it's okay. But at least I have one Grand Slam. So maybe some other good players, they don't have it. For one player to have a Grand Slam, it's -- I think it's one of the goals, most important goals. Of course I want another one, but at least I have one (smiling)...