AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 15, 2003

Peter Luczak

Q. Is this the biggest payday so far?

PETER LUCZAK: Sure, yeah. It's huge. I don't know. I'm speechless. I just sort of finished, so I don't know what to say. It's definitely my biggest payday.

PETER LUCZAK: Are you talking about my first one or the one just then?

PETER LUCZAK: Yeah, I think the first match was the toughest, especially in my first Grand Slam. Now I can just relax and just play. I think I'm a bit more relaxed today, especially in the last two sets. I'm sure I'll be a pretty big underdog in my next round. I'm just going to enjoy it.

PETER LUCZAK: Yeah. I feel like I could play all night. It was great. Having a Grand Slam in your own backyard, having all those fans out there, I've never played in front of crowds like that before, all supporting for you, it's unbelievable, yeah. Do you guys ever go to sleep? Are you here all night (laughter)?

PETER LUCZAK: Sorry about that. I don't get to do it too often, so I want to do it while I can.

PETER LUCZAK: I don't have a car, so that will be nice. Maybe a car. I don't know. May give it to my parents for moving out here to Australia. I'm sure I wouldn't be playing tennis if I was still in Poland, so I'm grateful for that. Especially being from Melbourne, having all those supporting, chanting, "We love you because you're a Victorian," it's great, gets me fired up.

PETER LUCZAK: Yeah, I like the footy.

PETER LUCZAK: No. It's a bit of a long story. I played soccer from year 7 to year 10, because my mom said footy was too dangerous. Start of year 11, I actually cracked a rib playing soccer. I said, "No, mom, I'm not playing soccer any more, I don't like it. I'm playing footy." I played footy for the last two years of high school. But I was only in the seconds. I couldn't kick with my left foot. I was stuck in the seconds.

PETER LUCZAK: I follow the Bombers.

PETER LUCZAK: Just trying to relax really. I'm sure I'll have a lot of phone calls tonight from all my mates. I'm going to have to try to relax tomorrow. I'm playing with Jaymon Crabb, he'll be playing singles in the morning, we'll be playing later. I haven't seen the schedule yet. I think all first-round doubles go on tomorrow. Hopefully Crabby can get home and he'll be pretty happy and pretty fired up for the doubles. Hopefully he can play well.

PETER LUCZAK: They're still on court. Hopefully they go 30-28 in the fifth, can't walk.

PETER LUCZAK: Thanks. What match is that, fourth or fifth?

PETER LUCZAK: What court was that?

PETER LUCZAK: Lucky 21.

PETER LUCZAK: Yeah, I think we're just lucky we got a wildcard. I don't know, I got lucky I got a wildcard in the singles and doubles. I've got to try to make the most of this opportunity. So far it's working out beautifully.

PETER LUCZAK: I don't know, mate. With a crowd like that, anything can happen, I guess. Yeah, I'm not too sure. My goal is to be Top 100 by the end of this year. So hopefully I'm on the way there.

PETER LUCZAK: I think I played a little better, yeah. I think I started thinking about money in the second set. I was 4-1 up, I started choking up a storm. The crowd, I looked at the crowd, looked at all the supporters out there, so many familiar faces, I said, "I have to relax and enjoy this. This could be my last chance." I did, played a great third set and carried over for the fourth. I think he was hurting a little bit. He had to go through the qualifying, so I'm sure he was a little tired. The crowd definitely got me home.

PETER LUCZAK: A fair few. But I love it. I'm staying at home with my parents. I'm getting a lot of calls. Not too many of them are bugging me about tickets. They're so happy for me.

PETER LUCZAK: Not too much really. I don't really get to play these guys too often. I only see them from TV. I can talk to Aussies like Scotty or Lleyton, if he's played them. I'm sure they'll give me a few tips.