TMS MONTE CARLO

April 20, 2001

Sebastien Grosjean

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Not really. I came here to put my game together to try to have a good tournament, but I didn't expect to go very far. But I was trying to have good matches. It's true that now that I'm in the semis this is something I didn't envision in the beginning. Plus, I'm playing better and better since the first match. Therefore, it's encouraging for the rest of the tournament.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No. It's totally different on a very fast surface. It has nothing to do with here. He's a very good player. We are starting to know each other, I'm starting to know how he plays. Neuchatel is not really a reference because the surface was very fast. But I saw him play yesterday against Arnaud, and I saw he was playing very well; that he liked to finish the points in two or three shots. Therefore, I tried to force him to play a long time to try to make him miss.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: It was a solid match. I tried to make him play the most possible, to have a high percentage, to break him today. As soon as I had an opening to go up to the net, I tried to hit the ball so that he wouldn't impose his game on me and come to the net.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: On clay it's quite important to have a good percentage, to try to be inside the court at the first shot, and to dominate the rally. Because when you are behind the baseline, it's difficult physically. You run more and you cannot stop the traveling of the ball. Therefore, you have to run further. Today, I served well so I was able to put my game together after my serve.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: In the semis you can always hope to win the tournament. I will try to prepare well for the match tomorrow against Hicham. It's going to be a very difficult match. Physically, it's going to be very tough. After tomorrow evening, if I won, maybe I will think about the final.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: I didn't discuss it with Eric yet. We will talk about it tonight. He doesn't give a lot of rhythm, but he accelerates the ball when it's needed and he also goes to the net. He mixes it up pretty much on the court. He knows how to do everything. Therefore, it's difficult to put him off balance.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No, it doesn't bother me anymore. I have treatment every day, and it's better and better. Since yesterday and today I have no more pain.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: I was not serving very hard, but it was okay. My shoulder is holding up.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: The beginning of the match was determining against him. He likes to be dominating, to be immediately ahead in the score. And as soon as it becomes difficult, sometimes he gives up or he fights less than other players. Therefore, I had to be up from the beginning to try to keep my advance.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: I don't know if he was nervous, but he was rushing a little bit on his shots when he was trying to make a winner too fast. On clay, you must be patient.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: I also want to play well in those tournaments. I try to prepare myself for those events because for the ranking, these tournaments are the ones which count. You have to play the Masters Series and the Grand Slams to hope to be among the Top 10 at the end of the year, so you must take those tournaments very seriously and play well.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yes, because it's more difficult physically. I don't like that very much. When there's the French Open, you want to make an effort to play well on clay, but I prefer to play on faster surfaces. I enjoy it more.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No. Since the beginning I played well. My level of game is present; therefore, I'm not very much aware of the players who retired in the beginning of the tournament, thinking maybe if they had been there I wouldn't be where I am. I don't look at the other players.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yes, and I'm trying not to make mistakes. As soon as I warm up, I try not to make mistakes. It's important on clay because to face the opponent, you have to try to be patient to try to play deep balls, to hit well in order to avoid that the opponent be ahead of you.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Before the tournament I hit once with him. Otherwise, no, I rarely practiced with him.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yes, we get along very well.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: When I was in Marseille, I was rather thinking about the French Open. But of course Monte-Carlo also was making me dream.