XXVI OLYMPIC GAMES

July 23, 1996

Marc Rosset

MARC ROSSET: Yeah. I mean, I thought two weeks ago that maybe it was not the best solution to come here for me. And it was pretty tough decision to take because the Olympics is a great event and something that only happens once every four years. But on the other side, you have to play for your ranking, you have to play for your own career, and it is never easy to decide which is the best for you.

MARC ROSSET: That I won the gold in Barcelona and for sure I am not going to be in Sydney because it is going to be in four more years, and maybe I think I am going to be too old for that, and so I just wanted to have that feeling one more time.

MARC ROSSET: I mean, the Olympics feeling is just -- for me, it is just when you stay in the village with the other athletes. But this year I don't stay in the village, so I don't have that feeling too much. But it is nice because you play for your country, you don't play for yourself. And even if I don't stay in the village, I go there for treatment and see the other athletes. And it is nice that you can speak to the other Swiss guys, and it is a very nice feeling.

MARC ROSSET: It was really hot. I mean, couple of guys in the locker room, they all told me they never played in these conditions, even if you have to play five set match on clay. And physically, it is more difficult to play maybe two sets here. I mean, even when I play the U.S. Open and the other tournaments, I mean, I never had that feeling. Today, after one set, I was almost dead, and I thought that he could be really difficult if I have to play three sets.

MARC ROSSET: It is tough to -- it is tough to say. I mean, for sure maybe it make me a little bit more known by the people and maybe help me a little bit for the reputation and for myself. It give me a lot of confidence and a lot of -- it was a very nice feeling. It is like something great that I will keep all my life.

MARC ROSSET: I don't know. It is the first day of the tournament and it is tough conditions out there, and a lot of things can happen. Only thing I can tell you is like when I won, I play a guy from Morocco also in the first round (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)