WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 7, 2004

Tommy Robredo

THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions for Tommy Robredo.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Well, I think that Lleyton, he played great match, no. He serve unbelievable, and I didn't thought about that serve from him. And he didn't let me return one point. Also, I was serving really good. I was serving pretty fast with a lot of aces, a lot of free points. But anyway every time I miss a first serve, he was putting me a lot of pressure because he's a great returner. I don't know, I played in the center court twice in this tournament. But I played with the guys, they don't give me so much rhythm, you know. They was just Dent, chip and charge and points really easy. Santoro, well, was going rallies also but the ball was going slower. With Hewitt, the ball was coming so fast and it was hard for me to get used to this level of ball. Well, I think he was very superior than me and that's why he's in the final.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Well, I was expecting that his serve was going a little bit worse and then maybe I would have a chance. Because if not, there was no chance for me. Because I don't know if I arrive to one 40 in his games, his serve games. I think that was the only chance for me to come back to the match, no. But anyway he was putting a lot of first serve, and also the second serve was so fast. And it was no chance to make rallies with his second serve. It was a return winner or miss because he was really close to the lines and changing every time the side - forehand, backhand, volley. It was tough. And I was expected maybe few double-faults or -- maybe because he was going for it. But he didn't make not one double. I think he did a great match, and nothing to say.

TOMMY ROBREDO: Well, you always believe that the other guy wanted to go home and say bye-bye, no. But it was tough, because 5-2 with two breaks, with his serve, new balls. It was really tough. I knew that, well, maybe I had a little bit of chance if I close my eyes and I hit everything and the ball was going inside, no. But it was a lot of difference in the score and also in the game. And if there is a lot of difference in the score and the game is really close, maybe you can hope on this. But it was not close with his serve, and it was two break for him. It was tough.