TMS - CINCINNATI

August 8, 2000

Harel Levy

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Harel.

HAREL LEVY: I mean we were all right. I was saying good shot, and he was saying good shot to me during the match. Everything was fine. We are good friends. And at the end, he came to me and he said, "I'm not going to shake my hand -- I'm not going to shake your hand because of your friend." So I said, "You're not going to shake my hand?" And then I just walk. And then I didn't wait to hear what he was gonna say. I mean not -- I think he's -- I mean he's wrong. I mean, nothing to have to do with me. You know, he wasn't complaining against me. He was complaining about all the spectators outside. Not shaking hand, I mean first time in my life someone doesn't shake my hand.

HAREL LEVY: I know these people, yeah.

HAREL LEVY: About them doing it?

HAREL LEVY: Yeah. But nothing to do about it.

HAREL LEVY: No.

HAREL LEVY: I heard, but I didn't -- tell me. I didn't hear what he said.

HAREL LEVY: Not hang out. But we are all right. Not going out with him, but...

HAREL LEVY: No, I think he left. I think he left. I'm not sure, but I didn't see him.

HAREL LEVY: Well, I think every player is exploding one week, then it's like getting into the top 100 and then probably I'll have some letdowns and have some bad weeks. But, I mean it's not just like that. I've been working hard for a lot of years on my tennis and on my physics. And I'm happy. I'm happy I'm playing well. I mean I've been playing well during this year and had some good results before, not like Toronto, but some good results. I qualified in the French Open, then I qualified in Wimbledon, went around. So I've been doing all right. I'm happy Toronto came. I think it was a good time for me. I mean I'm already 22. I'm still young, but actually I didn't expect it to come in such a boom, but I'm happy it did. I mean it's a good way to break the top 100.

HAREL LEVY: Well, not really. Not really.

HAREL LEVY: It's a little embarrassing, but...

HAREL LEVY: I played him like four years ago in a Satellite in Israel.

HAREL LEVY: No, I think tomorrow he is going to come and apologize. That's what I think. I mean but I think he wasn't thinking straight after the match.

HAREL LEVY: Maybe a little bit. But that's not a reason not to shake hand.

HAREL LEVY: No, it wasn't that bad being on the court. At the end, they were clapping a little bit. They were getting too enthusiastic about me winning the match. But nothing I can do about it.

HAREL LEVY: I mean I have some friends here who live here. So they have some friends and they brought their friends, you know, it's all together. I don't know all the people.

HAREL LEVY: Well in the States there are a lot of Jewish people and they are always looking for the Israeli guys, so it's not so strange in the States. We've got a couple of people who come to you and say, "I heard about you," and before I did well in Toronto.

HAREL LEVY: -- They had some good players, right. They were waiting for a top 100 player for six years, since Amos quit.

HAREL LEVY: I think that was a big thing in Israel. I heard the media is really going crazy. I mean announcing on the radio, TV, newspapers, full of pictures. I mean that's what I heard. But I'm trying to stay calm, you know, relaxed, stay the same as I was before. Nothing has changed.

HAREL LEVY: In Toronto?

HAREL LEVY: Since Toronto, it's only two days. So I've been trying to really prepare myself for the match today. I didn't have a lot of time. I flew in Sunday night and I played today, so I just try to take good care of my body because I'm tired, and my body is tired and just try to give it a little -- I mean a little push, you know, just keep on going. Use the confidence that I have from last week.

HAREL LEVY: Probably, probably. I mean because people were waiting so long for a good player, I think it will be a big thing in Israel when I go back there.

HAREL LEVY: About Al Gore's --.

HAREL LEVY: I just heard about it in the papers today. I mean I didn't read it, I just -- somebody told me or I read it; I don't remember.

HAREL LEVY: There's so many Jewish people, I think you have like more than Israel, maybe 10 or 15 million Jewish people. I'm not sure how many. So I'm a little surprised, but not... I don't think it makes such a big difference, I mean, if you're Jewish or Christian. For me, at least.