AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2001

Andrew Ilie

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

ANDREW ILIE: Yeah, you know, he just kept up a really high level of tennis. You know, I played well. He just played steady all the way through, you know, that's why he won the Australian Open. And, you know, I thought I gave it my best shot out there. I ran out of steam a little bit, you know, sort of hung in there. When I saw that he had a good start in the third, I sort of took it a little bit easier and, you know, tried again in the fourth, tough, you know, couple of tough points there. Might have been a little bit different, you know, might have got into the fifth if could have got those break points I had early in the -- early in the fourth. But, you know, I was -- all the way through I was happy. I played some really good tennis. I hung in there and, you know, he played better on the day and I wish him good luck.

ANDREW ILIE: By all means. I've reached a new level, a new high on my tennis. Any other player out there or, you know, except a couple, Pete and any other player, that would have been around 20, Top 20 I would have been able to give it more than, you know, they're worth on the day. But, you know, it's tough. It's tough. That's why, you know, he's won the Grand Slams and, you know, I'm just happy that I gave it a good shot.

ANDREW ILIE: It's not only Top 20. They're really beyond that. For me to actually start sort of beating those guys, you know, I'm getting close. Of course it didn't look -- it didn't really look that way in the sort of -- after, you know, sort of half-way, second and in the third. But, you know, I was still in there in the fourth. I was quite close. And, you know, if I keep at it, I think I really got a good shot at, you know, start knocking off these guys during the year.

ANDREW ILIE: Well, really that was about as conservative as it gets for me today. (Laughter.) Of course I'm going to go out, you know, go for it if I'm really, really out there, you know, in the court and if I'm moving really wide and, you know, that's really my last option, I'm going to go for it. Sometimes I'm going to make it. But, you know, I thought I played quite conservative and, you know, kept myself under control quite well. You know, he's -- he just stepped up, you know, in the court and moved me around well. So, you know, I just ran out of steam.

ANDREW ILIE: Yeah, it's tough, though. Andre, you know, passes well and I could have been in the same predicament at the net, I could have been watching the balls go past me a little bit more than I'm used to. But, you know, it's -- he didn't really give me that many openings to come in. He gave me a couple. Unless I'm prepared to go out there and serve and volley, half of the points on my serve, it's not really -- couldn't really say that, you know, I would have made it at the net more. If there was a less aggressive player out there, I would have probably gone to the net a bit more.

ANDREW ILIE: Well, this is the result today. I played -- I always can get better. Things can always get better, I can improve. I'm really happy that during the Australian Open and during today, you know, I actually played twice as steady as I would have other years. It shows that I'm maturing and, you know, as I said, hopefully if I keep that sort of style of play up, I'll be able to achieve my goals. Not only achieve my goals, but start knocking off some top players during the year.

ANDREW ILIE: Well, you know, some of my shots that I made today, you know, they're really good shots. That's why I say I'm not disappointed. You know, with a player of Andre's capacity and talent, you know, he's achieved so much, you know, to actually save that many break points and be out there and, you know, holding my ground, even though, you know, I didn't hold my ground for a long time but holding my ground and, you know, coming up with some good shots, you know, it's really great and that's why I'm pleased. But, you know, I can't really remember all my shots. I hit some really good ones; that's for sure.

ANDREW ILIE: No, you never take anything for granted. That's what I've learned. I just try to focus game by game and worry about that later.

ANDREW ILIE: Wasn't really between my legs, was sort of -- I'm trying to get it out of the way. But, no, it's, you know, I was just happy. I got a break early in the second. I really worked hard for it. You know, it's not many times that you actually get that satisfaction, you work hard in the game and you actually win it and you break. You know, I was just really happy. You know, as I said before, I'm sorry I didn't, you know, didn't actually imagine there was anybody in front of me or, you know, anything like that, you know, didn't mean that it as a disrespect to Andre. But, you know, it's just a little celebration that actually got that break. It was a long point, as you remember, long point scrambled, got that lob, landed on the line. So, you know, I was just really happy.

ANDREW ILIE: Yeah, I really feel it, but it's not really that it was a slump. Andre played so good for -- he held that level. You know, I just got a little, you know, down because, you know, I was physically down. I was actually -- played so many good points I was a little bit out of breath and I was trying to catch up with myself. It wasn't really that I, you know, intentionally dropped my level. It's something that happens when, you know, you're puffed up a little bit, oxygen levels go down. It's basically not really seeing things clear. You're trying to get a bit more time to actually catch up.

ANDREW ILIE: I think it's more physical. And, you know, as I said, you know, just a couple things that I could do a little bit better. He gave me a couple of openings, you know, in a match against such a good player, such a great player, you don't get a lot of openings. If I learn to, you know, it's basically down to my new skill, like really small things that you got to change, you know. And it's, you know, I'm just, you know, talk to Craig, my coach and, you know, it's just little things, you know, that if I could change I'll have a much better chance.

ANDREW ILIE: Oh, of course. There's no limits to what you can achieve if you put your mind to it and if you really try hard. And as I said, you know, I need a little bit more work and I think I'm up for, you know, much bigger things.

ANDREW ILIE: Once in LA and it was a good match but it wasn't such a good match like today.

ANDREW ILIE: It was like 4 and 3.