AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 24, 2001

Sebastien Grosjean

MODERATOR: Questions for Sebastien.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yes, a little bit. I think I played a very great first set. You know, I had many winners. I didn't miss a shot, so I was very, very fine on the court. And then second set was very close. I had a chance to break him at 4-All. I was surprised, yes, to win easily.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: I don't know. But for sure it change everything because we starting to play, you know, our first round outdoor, it was windy, so condition was completely different. Yes, for me it's nice to play indoor because there is no wind. It's easily for me to play indoor. But Carlos make final at the Master indoor also. I don't know if it was good for me. I don't know.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No, is the same. There is no wind, but I think the court is the same, same speed on serve. Everything is same.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: I'm very happy to be in semis. The end of my last against Norman was more exciting today because I was only one break. Today I was two breaks. I was serving very well. I was comfortable at the end.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: I like soccer, football. You can write that. No, I don't know. I grew up close to Marseille in mountain, so I used to skiing. I don't know. I love Olympique de Marseille.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: I don't know. Because my father used to play a little bit soccer and tennis, not really doing skiing. I starting to play after tennis. I like much better.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Why (smiling)?

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No (laughter). No, I have a wife and a baby, so it's easier in Florida. Life, it's easier. I don't know. I don't really like the weather in Paris. In Florida it's much better.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: I hope so. I don't know. Yes, today maybe I play my best tennis of the week, for sure. I don't know if I can play better because on the first set, you know, I did not miss a shot, I make many winners. I going to try to keep this level on semis and maybe in final.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Oh, I played well in Stuttgart.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yeah, Masters Series. I played two great matches there also.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Kuerten, yeah, Kuerten and also against Haas.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: If I play Arnaud, it's going to be tough for sure because we know each other very well. We used to practice together. If I play Kafelnikov, I played him twice, and I lost twice. No, it will be a different game for sure.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yeah.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yeah.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No, I had already reaction when I won the junior championship in France. But now I forgot it.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yeah (smiling).

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Seven years ago. I was 15, yeah.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No. He wasn't really in sports school, tennis school. He was home. He's doing his school and tennis after. He wasn't, you know, in a good level under 18. He was really good after 18, yeah.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No. I think it's maybe 2-All or 3-All. One time I beat him, and the other time it's him. If we play semis, it's going to be fun.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yeah, I had to invite him at a restaurant. No, it was fun because we were playing very well at the beginning of the week, not losing a set, so we make a bet like this just for fun.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Make a quarters at a Grand Slam. It was my goal. I played well in Masters Series, other tournaments, but not really in the Grand Slam. I just play one last 16 in Wimbledon, '98. It was my main goal this year, you know, to be in quarters in the Slam.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Oh, I don't know.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Exactly.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yeah, yeah, because when I was younger, I was always long hair, so it was easier like this. When I serve with the cap like this (indicating forward) with the sun, I don't really like. It's much easier.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yes.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No, no, no (laughter). No, no, no, it's not him. You can keep it.