US OPEN

September 2, 2001

Tommy Robredo

MODERATOR: Questions please.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Well, when you arrive at the fifth set tiebreak, that my first time, first time that I play the fifth set, well, after lose the fourth, going 4-2 up, I know I was thinking that it's going to be really tough for me to can continue playing in the fifth. I was tired. Well, when I come to the tiebreak, I say, "Let's going to play, let's going to see what's happen." I make a great match, I'm going to enjoy that tiebreak. I don't know. I try to play my best, and I made. Finally, I can beat him. Well, for me, that's one of the best matches of my life.

TOMMY ROBREDO: No, I didn't have nervous because, I don't know, I was saying, "I'm going to enjoy that tiebreak because I play unbelievable all the fifth set, five sets. Now that's time to enjoy the tiebreak. Let's going to see what happen." After all the match, all the pressure, you arrive there and you try to do the best. On that moment, I didn't have pressure.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Yes, ever. That's my first time playing five set. In Aussie lost in three. In Paris, I won three matches in three, I lose in four. In Wimbledon I won in two because the other guy default, he retired, and then I lose in four. Now here, all the matches I play in three and four.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Yeah, sure (smiling). At 1-All on the fifth set, I start to have a little cramp. But I start to stretch a lot. I don't know. Then I know sometimes something, but it was okay to play. Well, finally, at the end of the tiebreak I was starting to be really. But then you play for your heart, no? You are going to run all the balls, for sure.

TOMMY ROBREDO: I don't know. You are really happy. After playing for hours, four sets, lose one, win one, you know it's really exciting. You say, "Finally I finish and I won." All the match was thinking to try to do. Well, at the end you can made that. It's a lot of satisfactory for me.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Well, for sure at the start of the match I was thinking to play a great match, to try to win one, two sets. You know Ferrero is 4 in the world, playing unbelievable. You never know. It's difficult for me to beat him. Then I win the first set. I say, "Come on, I'm going to continue like that, see what happen." I lose second. I win third again. I was up in the fourth, and I lose. I try to continue. I arrive to tiebreak. I don't know. When you're at there, it's unbelievable moment, no?

TOMMY ROBREDO: No. Well, I work for sure, no? But I don't know. All the people tells me that I am like this (small). I must do more on the top half. On the legs I'm okay, I run a lot, I'm really fast, no? But on the top part, I'm really bad. My physic trainer, he wants to put me like an American player. I tell him, "Don't worry, is not possible." For sure, maybe I have one year more than the last. I work a little - not so much. When I am in the tournaments, I'm never work. I run, but I never make like (weight lifting). I'm going to try a little more stronger.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Maybe a little. I don't know. When I arrive home, I'm going to ask to my mom. He's (sic) going to know (laughter), she's going to know.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Yeah, one time.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Aah.

TOMMY ROBREDO: I don't know. Right now he's 15 in the world rated. Right after the match, I'm going to arrive thinking that I'm the loser, and I'm going to try, I'm going to play my cards. Let's going to see if I can beat him. I'm going to try for sure.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Australia, the week before the Australian Open.

TOMMY ROBREDO: No, nothing. Nothing. We are friends.