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TMS - THE ERICSSON OPEN

March 21, 2001

Justin Gimelstob

MIAMI, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Justin, you were in this match, you took the first set, and you were leading 2-2. What happened after that?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Right. He started playing a little bit better. My back started bothering me. I didn't feel like I really played anymore.

Q. When did it start bothering you?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: In the beginning. In the middle of the second set. It was bothering me the whole match actually, but it got to the point where I was struggling to move and didn't play the way I thought I could.

Q. What do you attribute this to?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: My back's been bothering me lately. It's been, you know, my old back problems seem to be creeping back in.

Q. You've had a lot of injuries for a very young man.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Uh-huh.

Q. Did you at any time in calmer, reflective moments --?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I can't be any calmer than I am right now.

Q. This is a good time to ask it.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: So go ahead.

Q. Maybe get out of tennis, find something else less painful and something that you would really like doing that's outside tennis?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Why, does it look like I don't like playing tennis?

Q. No, I'm asking you because you hate to see somebody injured all the time.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Todd Martin's injured all the time. Did you ask him that question?

Q. Yeah, many times. He just loves the game so much he's not going to step away from it.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I think that if I continue in this path, I probably will stop playing sooner rather than later.

Q. What kind of pain -- what's the pain like in the morning when you get up?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Well, varies. Now my back is just really stiff. It takes me a while to get my back warmed up. Today it never warmed up. It's been gradually getting worse and worse and worse, and it's just, you know, it's very stiff. I could barely, you know, touch, you know, I could barely touch my shins. It bothers me more coming to the net. That's why I couldn't come to the net at all really. It doesn't bother me as much moving in the back court because it's all, you know, pretty upright movement. When I come to the net, I have to get down and up and that stuff, it doesn't feel real good.

Q. Is it ligamental?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: No, no. A disc.

Q. Is there surgery?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I don't know. I'm not sure. It just started getting worse. It's been to the point where it hasn't really been a hindrance probably up until the last couple days.

Q. Did you feel it during the qualifiers?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Sure, yeah.

Q. Even the first round, too?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Uh-huh.

Q. Is it also -- does it get worse? You played three matches in three days.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, I mean, yeah. Probably. But I mean -- probably. But, you know, that's just the job hazard. That's going to happen. Our goal's to try to do well, we're playing a lot of tennis. My body's strong, I'm fit. I've never been fitter. I mean, I could run, you know, for a long time. But it's just the structure in my back just seems to be giving in a little bit.

Q. If you were to leave tennis, do you know what you would want to do?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I don't know. I think I could do a bunch of things. I think I could -- I would obviously finish school.

Q. At UCLA?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: At UCLA. And then I don't know. Depends what would interest me. Maybe finance or law or I've always been a good arguer. So... Maybe something like that.

Q. What would determine a job change? Would you go out and play the whole year first, or would it be when the pain just becomes too much to even bend down?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, well, you know, it hasn't always been like this. It goes through ebbs and flows and it just -- it's just -- I think I'll give it some time and I'll probably need some rest and just go back and see my doctor in New Jersey and see what he has to say.

Q. Right now you think it's going to be rest?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, I think I'll need some rest.

Q. Until when would you -- thinking ahead, when do you think you'll be playing again?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I don't know. I mean I probably will say I won't be playing -- I'd say I won't be playing in the near future. I don't think I'll probably play -- I'll try and see if I can play the doubles here. After that, I'll probably take some significant time off.

Q. Is there still ranking protection?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, for six months. I think there's six-month ranking prediction. I don't think it's to that point.

Q. So your ranking could --?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: It's already in the toilet. Can't really go much further.

Q. You have to qualify anyway, right?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Right.

Q. Is the pain worse now than it's ever been?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: No, because I feel like I'm to the point where I haven't really -- it's just the beginning stages of getting bad. Like before I've gotten to the point where I've blown my disc out, haven't been able to walk. But I think it's just kind of warning signs. This usually happens before it gets really bad. It gets really stiff, and you can't, you know, just gets worse and worse basically.

Q. So it's a good move right now to give it the rest?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I think so, yeah.

Q. What doctor would you see, do you know?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: The doctor in New Jersey, Dr. Dwyer.

Q. What's his last name?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Dwyer.

Q. Do you know his first name?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Doctor.

Q. Do you know what town?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Bridgewater.

Q. Bridgewater?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah.

Q. Are you still in Delray with your uncle?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I am.

Q. Settled in?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Settled in.

Q. Thinking about a place of your own?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Can't afford it. His place is only about 50,000 square feet, I think I got enough room there.

Q. Plus the boat. The doctor is an orthopedist?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: He's an orthopedist, yeah, back specialist.

Q. Did you feel up to 2-2 you had a chance of winning?

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, I feel like I'm playing fine. I'm playing well. I'm just, you know, just... Just been a rough year so far. So... Thanks guys.

End of FastScripts....

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