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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2001

Nicolas Kiefer

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions please.

Q. John Parsons, Daily Telegraph, London. For a lot of that match you were playing superbly, then you seemed to step away. Particularly what happened? Also, what's the position with your injury?

NICOLAS KIEFER: Well, first of all my injury is good, thank you.

Q. It has nothing to do with the --?

NICOLAS KIEFER: No, no. It's very good. Also from my point of view I think it was a great match today. It was a great battle for a couple hours, we had great shots. I had my chances. I knew before we had almost the same game. We have very good from the baseline, great returns. That's the reason why we had so many breaks. And in the fifth set, I just -- he played great tennis. I know that I am back in the game, and that was important for me to see that I am still playing great tennis and I'm looking forward to play good in the next tournament.

Q. So was it just a blister at the end or what?

NICOLAS KIEFER: Many. I had to run a lot.

Q. But it wasn't -- didn't restrict you too much?

NICOLAS KIEFER: No, no. Nothing at all, no.

Q. When did you think you last played as well as that in a big match?

NICOLAS KIEFER: Well, maybe against his Russian friend, Safin, at the US Open.

Q. Yeah, that was another close one, wasn't it?

NICOLAS KIEFER: Yeah.

Q. Fiona Downy (phonetic), Fox Sports. What do you take out of today's match? What did you learn?

NICOLAS KIEFER: Just as I said, I'm back on track. I didn't play so many matches and I was pleased with my game, four sets. I had my chances, but as I said we both have the same game and he had just great shots and he played some unbelievable points. And I tried to stay in, but at the end, he was better.

Q. Do you have the feeling that you've reached the point now where this could be a really good year for you; that you could develop everything?

NICOLAS KIEFER: Well, I just started the year.

Q. That's what I mean, the feeling going into it.

NICOLAS KIEFER: Well, I need more matches. So it would have been great if I would have beat him, but I'm looking forward to play good tennis. I have to keep on practicing and focus on my game and when I do this, my physical -- how do you say -- ambition, I have to focus on this. And then I'm gonna play good tennis, hopefully.

Q. Barry Wood, you had a mixed year last year. You won some tournaments -- won some titles, had a good US Open. But you had the injuries as well. Can you look back and reflect on last year?

NICOLAS KIEFER: I would prefer to look in the future.

Q. What goals have you set for yourself this year?

NICOLAS KIEFER: Just to stay healthy and no injuries. I had a lot last year, so I try to do better than last year.

Q. Is there something you've done to try to prevent that from happening again? There's certain physical gym work or anything you can do perhaps extra?

NICOLAS KIEFER: Well, I mean, I wasn't injured for the last four years. Last year everything came together and I was very unlucky. But now at the moment I feel good, and as I said, I got a lot in the gym and do a lot of gymnastics. That's what's also important for me.

Q. Has Sven brought anything to your training or to your tactics that you haven't done before?

NICOLAS KIEFER: Well, we are working for half a year now, but four months I was injured so we couldn't do so much together. But we try to work on my game and try to improve many things, and as I could see today, many things were good and I still have to continue.

Q. Are injuries across the Tour, do you think, are getting worse? Do you think they're becoming more prevalent?

NICOLAS KIEFER: Can be. Well, if you see at the end of every year, we have to play -- the ATP wants us to play all the tournaments, Super 9 tournaments, Grand Slam tournaments. Can be a reason, yeah.

Q. Yevgeny said after his match that players should be paid more. What do you think? What's your opinion on that?

NICOLAS KIEFER: That's his opinion. Everybody has his own opinion. I am on the court to play my game. I don't do it for the money; I love the game and it's a challenge for me to go out on the court and try to beat my opponent.

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