DAVIS CUP - SPAIN vs USA

April 5, 2002

Tommy Robredo

TIM CURRY: First question for Tommy.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Not exactly that, no. It's not uncomfortable because of the grass. It's real uncomfortable because Andy has a really good serve. And, well, he's serving every time with more power than 115 miles. And that's a lot of speed, no, and it's not easy to put the return inside. But, well, the grass, we played great baseline points. And, well, I think that it was a good match, no?

TOMMY ROBREDO: Well, at the start of the match I didn't come to the net a lot, no? But then I was going a lot more to the net and trying to win more points, no. But when I was on the baseline, I wasn't uncomfortable. Maybe 80 percent of my points I was winning. (Inaudible). That way, he broke me, no. It was not for great shots than him. I think that was the reason of the win for him. Then the third, really close set in the tiebreak. And, well, that's it.

TOMMY ROBREDO: No, it's on 7-6 that I run a lot and I fell down to the court. I lose one nail. And, well, I continue playing another point because losing 7-6 and serve for him, I think that it's not fair to stop the match and going to a trainer. But then I break him 7-all. And I was thinking that the nail was like this, up, and I couldn't -- I didn't want it to continue like this, because like two months ago I have the same on the other foot. I know that it's not easy to continue like that. And I ask for trainer to cover the finger. But now it's okay.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Sorry?

TOMMY ROBREDO: Well, he does that point and nearly lost the set, no. I think that it's -- I know if it was on breakpoint for me, he would did that, no. But he plays like this, and I'm not gonna say nothing. He's like this. For me, I am not gonna do that because I think that it will be impossible to play like forehand or backhand. But, well, he made and he won the match. So that's good for him.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Mine or...?

TOMMY ROBREDO: I know you can watch the statistics and see the fastest serve, no? I think there is a lot of difference between 142 that he serve and 120 that I could serve my fastest serve, no? And also the second serve. My average of second serve was maybe 90, and him is 110. I think that that's a good difference. But, well, he had that great serve. And, well, that's one of the things that why he beat me today, no.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Well, not a lot, no. I was nervous because I know -- I got nervous because you wanted to try to do your best. And that's what I wanted to do, no. I play a really good match except two games. Well, I think that for me is a great experience - a really new experience. And I hope to continue playing like this, to playing more Davis Cup. And, well, I think that it's good to watch the grass (inaudible). I wanted to play another surface and, well, enjoy, no. That's what I was doing at the court. And, no, I think that every match is one that you experience, is one that you must learn. And, well, every match I'm learning a lot. And also here, no, that's a good experience for me.

TOMMY ROBREDO: No, I think that it's same, no. He serve always with a lot of power. And maybe he's not serving always to the lines, but it's not necessary, no, because when you serve at that speed, I know it's -- sometimes it's impossible to see where is the ball. And then if you put the racquet at the same way, you must touch really good the ball. Because if not, the ball go out. I know it is like when you go with a car and you go in one speed that you never did that, no? You go a little uncomfortable. And that's a little bit, no. We are not -- normally we don't play with a serve like that. And, well, Andy serve too fast, and I serve with a lot of percentage, no. That's the root of his serve. Because maybe I can serve like 130 also, but for sure I am not gonna put the ball inside. And he can serve fast and also with a lot of (inaudible).

TOMMY ROBREDO: Sorry?

TOMMY ROBREDO: I don't know if they play - they practice a lot between us -- between them, no. I think that they never practice together, or maybe one time. But I know today, he doesn't return a serve really, really good, no. When I was serving okay, I was winning the serve easy. And also him. And, well, I think that the only difference is in two games I was serving I make four or five mistakes. It was the reason that two breaks, no, not because he make a really good shot in that game and really good returns. It was in one game that he break me, it was three forehand mistakes and maybe one shot from him. And then it's not on that games -- it's not really good for him, but game for me.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Well, I think that the match, it was close all the sets, no? Except that two games. It's true that in the third it was more close, but maybe because I didn't make that mistakes on my serve, no. But you never know what will happen if maybe I won the third. Maybe I will win the match, or maybe he's gonna win the fourth. But you never know. I think that the match, it was closer. And, well...that's it.