TMS - ROME

May 7, 2001

Magnus Norman

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Magnus Norman, please.

MAGNUS NORMAN: No, it was me. I mean, I played probably one of my worst matches in my career, and I'm going through one of my worst moments in my career. So it's pretty tough for me for the moment.

MAGNUS NORMAN: No. I mean, it's more in the head I think. I lost all my confidence, and I've struggled a lot with an injury throughout the clay court season. But I think it's more of a self-confidence thing.

MAGNUS NORMAN: I haven't really played well the whole year, I think. Even though I made some good results, my game hasn't really been there the whole year. I'm just struggling with my confidence, and, you know, it's really tough and I don't know really how to come out of this situation, you know.

MAGNUS NORMAN: No. I mean, it's not the reason. I mean, even though, you know, nothing seems to go my way, it's still, you know, I'm -- you know, some bad calls, but didn't change the match. I mean, I would have lost anyway. It's just tough when you don't have the confidence, nothing is really on your side, you know. It's really tough.

MAGNUS NORMAN: I really hoped so. I'm playing very, very good in practice. It's the matter of when I step on the court, the umpire's there, I get so tight, I don't really move my feet. You know, I've been practicing as hard as I ever had the last couple of weeks, but, you know, seems like, you know, as soon as I get on the court, I get like -- I don't know what to do. It feels like it's the first time I play a match. It's just a matter of getting a lot of matches under my belt. But, you know, it's not easy in these tournaments because everybody expects you to do well and you sort of -- it's tough tournaments, Rome, Hamburg, Paris, you face tough opponents so it's very difficult.

MAGNUS NORMAN: No, I was expecting this kind of game, you know, he played very solid. But at the same time, you know, I didn't put any pressure on him. And, you know, I'm devastated. I don't know what to do. I try to forget about this tournament, but it's not easy, you know. Tennis is a big part of my life. And when you go through such a tough moment that I do, you really, you know, you really know who your friends are. The mobile phone doesn't call as much as before, and, you know, my family's there and my coach is there, but that's about it, you know. It's really tough.

MAGNUS NORMAN: No, I mean, I'm going to stick with my -- with the thing that worked for me last year, and that's working hard and rely on my coach and rely on my family, you know, they support me. And sooner or later, I hope I can find a way of digging myself out of this hard time, you know, and I hope it's sooner rather than later.

MAGNUS NORMAN: I already answered that question.