TELECOM ITALIA MASTERS

May 9, 2003

Yevgeny Kafelnikov

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Yeah, it feels like this.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: It feels like this - at least for one week. Hopefully, it's not the last. That's what I'm really hoping for.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Absolutely, 0-5 in the finals, it would have been nice to have at least one Masters Series event. But it's still long way to go, two matches. But I'll definitely try.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Uh-hmm.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Yes, I was quite happy, you know, to have a good start, especially in the beginning of the match to be able to break him right away to let him know that, you know, he's gonna struggle on his own serve. For example, as the score was showing, 6-0, 6-3, he beat Nieminen. He didn't have much trouble in his service department. But today I was able to read his serve perfectly, maybe just because it was a clay court, different game than I had couple months ago in indoor when I played him in Milan. But, you know, he came out firing and, you know, I was surprised how well he played from the baseline, too. So overall, I think generally I was able to keep him on the baseline and defend myself as well as I could, play a defense game.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I think yes. Especially one game, sure, when I broke him, he made three straight double-faults. He knew he had to do something special on his serve to be able to win points quickly. And instead, like I said, I was reading his serve perfectly. I think that was the key, you know. Who knows if he would have been serving aces like he did in Milan - I don't know how many he had, 36, 37 - you know, would have been different story. But like I said, today I played very good defensive tennis and was happy with all the aspects of my game.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I started to feel much more healthier than I was. That's the main reason why I'm still here.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I think it's a combination of everything. I'm physically much more stronger, that's one thing. The other thing is I have been winning consistently few matches in a row; that's second. Third, you know, it's belief. You know, I have won, you know, the toughest probably Grand Slam of all four - French Open. Belief is still in me. I can do it again, sure.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: No, it had nothing to do with the noise. I was just so into the match, I felt like at that stage it was a crucial moment in the match and I made unforced errors and kind of let my emotions go out. And then, you know, I did not thought that he was gonna give me a warning right away. I got upset with the umpire that time. That's why I fire him back again. So he give me another warning.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Of course they do, of course. But at least from his side, he should have, you know, tell me something instead of give me a warning right away. Because, like I said, I was so into the match and just kind of let my emotions go.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Absolutely, absolutely. If he's confident in his service department, he can be as good as Henman, Rusedski, Roddick, Ivanisevic. You know, honestly, I have played many guys who had tremendous serve, and he probably stands with many other guys at least in the Top 10. And on the grass, it would be basically impossible to touch him if he's confident.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Absolutely. I think it's a question of always keeping yourself in shape. And, of course, for us, we are not 20 or 21 years old players, we are in the 30s. It's always difficult to maintain yourself in the best possible shape. Once you're out of shape, you have to work three or four times harder at that age than when you are 20. So, like I said, I had a very difficult period of time throughout middle of last season. For me, was very, very difficult to come back at least to the shape where I am right now, and I'm probably only halfway where I once was.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Yes, yes, there was a reason why I said that, because I didn't know if I was gonna recover well and feeling that well.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: What brought me back is just, again, that I started to feel much more healthier, you know. I was saying yesterday, you were not here, that throughout halfway of the last season I wasn't able to practice at all because I was getting very tired physically throughout each practice. But right now, at least I can go longer. That's the reason why I'm winning the matches.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: You know, I don't want to put myself in a position where I even can think that I can go and win it or even be perhaps one of the guys who are favorite, you know. It's not in my mind at the moment. You know, I'm gonna slowly go there as I used to go when I was, you know, 19 and 20 years old and nobody knew who I was. And to be honest, it's the best position for me because I can come out and win one or two matches, get my confidence back and who knows...