EUTELSAT MONTE CARLO OPEN

April 24, 1996

Goran Ivanisevic

GORAN IVANISEVIC: No, I didn't have any problems. I just had a problem that I'm not well prepared yet on the clay. I'm not able to play long points. I have to finish the points earlier. If everything goes in, I can win. If I want to win tough matches, I have to run more, which I'm unable to do it at the moment. Hopefully with more practice and a couple more matches, that will come.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: That was bad because I started physically to work after Davis Cup. Everything went fine, then I got food poisoning, three days, put me back even worse than I was before. Since then I didn't -- I came here not well prepared, just a couple of practice, a couple of matches of practice on the high level, and this is different tennis. Still at the moment my legs are not ready to run a hundred percent. With him, you know, I have to run. I have to put a couple of balls in. Plus today when I could come back, a couple of breakpoints went long, a couple of centimeters. But to beat him, I am still not ready. The first match, still I'm not physically a hundred percent.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I mean, I don't like to lose, but I'm -- I didn't -- I mean, I didn't knew I was going to play like this. It just comes. I'm not going to put myself down now because there's still a lot of tournaments. Last year I played this part good and then Roland Garros I lost first round. I'd rather opposite.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah. Still a lot of tournaments, still time for me to practice, just switch. Because this is clay, I have to work for every point.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I don't know. I have to decide with my coach to practice here or to try to play next week in Munich. I just need a couple of days' practice, then I need a couple more matches, need to win a few matches on clay. I'm not going to do it only with practice, like five hours practice. Still I have to put this practice into the match. But still, I mean, I need a little more physical work on clay to run more.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I have to be fit. I'm not fit at the moment. That's the biggest key, in my case. If I'm fit, I know I can run, I can get winners. I just have to hit the winners to win the point. To play long rallies, I'm not ready yet. So for me that at the moment is to get fit, like I was on the hard court, to stay back, try to rally, then I'm not afraid.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Sure.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I'm not used this year, but what can you do? It had to come. Better to come now than on the big tournaments. That's life. He's a good player anyway. When I'm playing good, a hundred percent, I would have a tough time to beat him, so. It's just time to practice, practice, and go on.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: No. I have enough confidence. Only if I put myself down. It's not the end of the world I lost first round. Claycourt season just started. Those guys already a couple of weeks on the clay, playing, practicing. I just have a couple of days here with the good players. It's a different thing.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I don't know. I think it's the same. If you play good, doesn't matter where you coming from.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Even if you are European on the clay, you have to play good on clay, so it's same thing, doesn't matter. You can be from Japan, doesn't matter. European, Asian, Americans, the same.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Of course I have to get fit, and when I'm fit, even in the match I get more confident and I can run more. It's important to run, to be fit on the clay. You let the other opponent to see you fit, and you can stay with him. That's a problem at the moment with me, so as soon as I get fitter, better for me.