TMS MONTE CARLO

April 21, 2001

Sebastien Grosjean

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No, there were many changes of rhythm. The balls were heavier also today, and I had problems hitting the ball. He was not giving any rhythm, and he was accelerating when it was necessary. He made me play poorly.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No, not particularly. I didn't start bad in the beginning of the match. Then I didn't serve very well, so I wasn't dominating the rally. I believe it was an important point for today. I had to serve well in order to dominate during the rally.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yeah, it was not obvious to move on the court because he was running very well. He was hitting the ball well. And every time I was over-running him, he was playing deep. So it was not obvious to make winners given the conditions.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: In the semis you are always a bit disappointed when you lose. I didn't serve very good, I made many unforced errors, but he played a solid match. I should have played like he did - try not to miss, to be more patient. Sometimes I was hitting the ball too early instead of waiting for the right one. I believe his game made me play bad.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Playing deep and heavy, to try to wait for the good opportunity to attack. In fact, he was not giving any rhythm, so I had to hit my shots harder to out-run him, and I missed more than usual.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Well, my serve already could improve as far as consistency is concerned. It's very important. I served well in the beginning of the tournament with very high percentages, but today it was not so good. He was taking the advantage during the rally. For a first tournament, it's still positive. I will need to work on my game on clay and on my sliding, hitting harder, trying to have a better margin of safety.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Yes, specifically when he wrong-footed me. Sometimes I was slipping forward. I need to find my instincts. Normally, it's going to come back quickly. Today, it was heavier so it was more difficult.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: He didn't give any rhythm. It was not obvious to out-run him on heavy and hard balls. He was moving very well. He was playing good passing shots, and I was out-run. It's not obvious to make winners with low shots, with no rhythm rather than when the ball is flat.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No, not at all.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Mentally, no. I made quite a lot of unforced errors, but many times those mistakes were caused by his game. He made me play bad. I believe he was better than I was today.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: No, because since the beginning of the tournament he didn't make many mistakes. He has a good feel for the ball, he changes the rhythm, he mixes it up. He makes the opponent play bad. It is not obvious to accelerate on the shot which is very slow, especially with today's conditions. And also, he has a high capacity of moving around.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: A little bit, but not more than that. We felt there was a little wind, but it was not bothering at all.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: It was humid today. There was not much sun. It was slower. It was not obvious to play winners, but it was the same for both of us. But it was more difficult for me to out-run him in such conditions.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Well, I did go to the net pretty much.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: In fact, it was not obvious. When you go to the net, you try to have a margin of safety above the net or length-wise, but you get past. If you go to the net, you have to hit the ball hard, try to out-run the opponent. It was not obvious. Today I should have hit harder than I did, and I should have had a better margin of safety as far as deepness was concerned. But it was not obvious because he was moving very well.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: I don't look to who is No. 1 or No. 2 in France. For the time being, the No. 1 is Cedric. I try to play well to finish in the Top 10 at the end of the year, that's my objective. And after that, we'll see. Having played a semifinals here is really a good thing to continue my season on clay and to get well prepared, specifically for the French Open.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: Well, still... A little bit. No, it's not a particular pressure. I want to play well, like all the other French players in this tournament. I will try to prepare my best to be efficient.

SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN: I thought you were going to say the same thing again. Of course a semis in a Masters Series gives you confidence, but I will have to keep a good level of game to reach the semis in Rome and Hamburg.