TENNIS MASTERS SERIES - ROMA

May 10, 2002

Tommy Haas

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

TOMMY HAAS: Yeah.

TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, I'm very satisfied. Obviously, when you come as a winner from the court, you're always satisfied no matter what happened. But I think the big points were the key today, you know. He had a breakpoint early on in the first set. If he uses that chance, I think the whole match would have been different also for him. Then I use my break chances right away to get the early break. I served well enough to hold up for the first set. Then the second set was pretty much the same until 5-3, you know. I had one pretty good opportunity on the second matchpoint there, and he made a great get. And the crowd started getting into it. Then he had a few break points to go 5-all in the second. If he makes that point, maybe we still be playing out there right now.

TOMMY HAAS: I don't think "afraid" is the right word. I mean, you know, every match, a big match like that, you want to get in to the next round. You know, you always push harder. You want to win the game even more. And you know the opponent is going to pick up the game because, you know, it's his last chance to stay in the match. I don't think I was afraid. I knew he was going to pick it up and play well. So I'm very lucky to get through that game and through the match.

TOMMY HAAS: Well, we now know his game, you know. He plays a big game. He has a very big serve, big second serve, big forehand. So, you know, he goes for it a lot. I think he likes the surface here because, you know, it plays quite fast on center court. We played a couple times now, so I'm just going to have to try to play tough and play my game. And I think the big points are going to be the key for tomorrow as well.

TOMMY HAAS: The French Open?

TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, I think every time you start the clay court season, you kind of look ahead towards the French Open and try to get as many matches as possible and fitness and everything towards that tournament. But, you know, when you come here and play the big Masters Series and Monte-Carlo and, you know, the other tournaments, you want to do as well just as much. So, you know, now it's more important the tournament here. And that I'm in the semifinals helps me obviously for my confidence towards the French Open. But mostly I'm actually just always looking at the point where I'm at right now.

TOMMY HAAS: No. He lives on the east coast, I live on the west coast. So it's too far away.

TOMMY HAAS: So far, it's great. I mean, I never really played my best tennis here. I think one time - or twice - I went to the third round here before. And, you know, it's a really nice event. It's, you know, no time for shopping yet for me, but... Maybe over the weekend. But it's very nice to be here in the semis, and it's good for me to play a lot of matches through the clay court season.