DAVIS CUP - ITALY vs USA

September 26, 1998

Andrea Gaudenzi

Q. How can you change a match like this from two sets to Love, two matchpoints and then you won in five sets, what happened?

ANDREA GAUDENZI: What happened is difficult to explain. I think we explained pretty consistent until 5-4. I think it there is nothing to do. Diego played two great returns and the matchpoint and they were -- it is just the way it is. I think we only had drop down in the fourth set, one set, that is the only bad thing because the third set we fought all the way through. We had a very good reaction in the fifth set. That is very, very important, I think. We always stayed calm and everything.

DIEGO NARGISO: Well, I prepared this match as good as I could. It wasn't that good because I was, for a month, completely off before these ten days of practice and of course I had a little bit of problem dealing with when the match was going on, let's say on and on, one was longer. So I started --

DIEGO NARGISO: No, I didn't have an injury. I had problems with my electrolytes and I had to stay off for a month so when in the fourth set I felt physical breakdown and of course my mental went down as well. Then thanks to Paolo and Andrea I reacted, I was a little bit in a -- because you had -- the world was kind of falling on my shoulder because we went to matchpoints and everything was okay and then there was this problems with me. So I tried to on the -- only react as good as I could and I guess it was pretty good reaction.

ANDREA GAUDENZI: The dive? Yeah, I think it is very important. When I served it was a little bit of a struggle because I mean, I don't serve as good as Diego and the others so my serve is not so fast; it was very important because if you get a break there it is -- you get in trouble in the fifth set. So I thought this is the fifth set. I give it everything. I saw the ball flying. I said: It doesn't matter. I was a little bit afraid because I did the same thing in France in 1996 and I got injured and I couldn't play the two days after, so, but this time it went better.

CAPTAIN BERTOLUCCI: Yes, normal that is -- I am really happy about that. We come in the States and we know that it was very tough match. We had a few chances, but we try and I think the players play very, very good matches. They fight a lot and we know without Sampras and Agassi, it is another team, but they still they -- it is US team so we are very, very happy because we didn't win match outside since a long time and against the States it is much better.

ANDREA GAUDENZI: Well, I mean, it is something we -- I think for a country like Italy where tennis is not so much followed because it is not the main sport because soccer is very big and Italians, they don't follow us too much when we play around on the Tour. When it gets to Davis Cup, Italy is a very -- when there is a flag involved Italy is very emotional. So I hope this can help a little bit the tennis movement in Italy all the people get to like tennis a little bit. That is what I hope. For us it is very important. I mean, it is the final of a world champion and we are going to play a final at home and it is a very big result for us. No matter even if we didn't beat the best US team, for us it is still a very good result. I mean, we know that USA with Sampras and Agassi, it is a different story, but I mean, we still happy with our result. It is not our fault if they didn't come.

DAVIDE SANGUINETTI: Well, I think he says so many good things, what can I say more than that? For us it is really, really important. Playing a final -- this is my first year I play so playing in the final is really good. Even I say if we beat the-- it is not the best team of USA, but still proud of what we did in USA.

ANDREA GAUDENZI: Plus getting to the semi final we always had a good draw because we play India and Zimbabwe; now we beat USA in the States --

DAVIDE SANGUINETTI: Which is big, I think we deserve a little bit more cheering.

DIEGO NARGISO: Credit.

ANDREA GAUDENZI: Noisy on the 10th floor of the Pfister hotel.

DAVIDE SANGUINETTI: Our floor tonight.

ANDREA GAUDENZI: Don't count on the results tomorrow.

ANDREA GAUDENZI: Fifth you mean?

ANDREA GAUDENZI: We got the break back when he didn't doublefault.

ANDREA GAUDENZI: Well, I mean, when you play doubles, by the experience we had, you never -- you cannot really feel you have the match in your hand or you are losing it. It can turn around any minute, just a point or something, like we lost two sets in one hour and then all of a sudden we got back, so you just try to concentrate and play point by point. Even you get a break you can always get a break back so you always have to be very, very careful.

DIEGO NARGISO: Appreciate it, Bud. Well, I didn't. But well -- I think, you know, we are taught and we just -- we had to find the alley a lot because they close in very good and in doubles, especially, I think most of the players close down the center a lot. Of course it is the toughest shot to hit, but you have to try to make them move on the alley like this you are going to have also than the opening down the center.

DIEGO NARGISO: Thank you.

ANDREA GAUDENZI: They are probably going to do it. You never know.