DAVIS CUP FINALS, USA vs. SPAIN

December 5, 2004

Carlos Moya

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Carlos.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, is unbelievable feeling. It's great. I mean, I cannot ask for more. I have no words to describe what I felt today. Since I was not in that team, this was my biggest goal and my dream. Today it came true.

CARLOS MOYA: (Translated from Spanish) Yes, of course. As I said before, when we managed to get in this tie almost two months ago, I started dreaming about this tie. All my efforts since then have been focused on today. And many, many times I woke up in the middle of the night dreaming about today. So today was it. It was absolutely incredible. As I said, all my efforts were focused in the match. People have told me many times before that I was becoming completely obsessed with this tie, but I think it's good because it's my way of dealing with things. I get obsessed with things to reach the goals that I set myself to attain.

CARLOS MOYA: (Translated from Spanish) Yes, you are absolutely correct. Today was a big moment for me. I had all my expectations for many years set in a moment like today. I was mentally prepared for it. I told myself that I could not fail. I had told myself that if I didn't take this opportunity and win, I would not be a good player. So there was a lot of pressure on my shoulders. But it's part of the Davis Cup, as well. All that pressure is part of the game. I also want to congratulate what Nadal did on Friday because it was very good for the team because he did not only win, but also that victory had an impact on Roddick, a major impact on Roddick, psychological impact on him. Last night I woke up many times thinking about today. I was prepared, mentally prepared. Of course, I was nervous. I was nervous because there were so many people out there. The victory was needed and it was very important for me. But in my head, I was ready for it and I thought I would survive, and I did.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, what I think about Andy is that he's a great champion. Although he lost both matches, I think he proved that he's a great player. I cannot tell you today because I didn't pay attention to him. But the other day I was watching him. Rafael was playing unbelievable. Worst conditions for Roddick, and he was still there, you know, fighting for every point, trying to change tactic. He was there the whole match. I have a lot of respect for that. And today I tried to be very focused on my return. I tried to make him play as many shots as I could, move him around. I think I did a great job on that. Also I wasn't afraid to play to his forehand. Obviously, it's not his best surface, clay. But, as I said, he's a great champion and he can play very well here.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, I think these things happen in tennis. Obviously, Ferrero didn't have his best year. But he's also a great champion. As soon as he's healthy, he's going to be where he belongs, which is the Top 10, Top 5, whatever. In that time when I was injured, in 2000. I was coming back. I was starting to come back. It's a similar situation now. The difference is that I wasn't on the team, and he's been on the team. So he's going to lift the trophy out there in a few minutes. I couldn't in 2000. That shows you that in tennis you have to be a hundred percent every single week. Otherwise, in a country like Spain it's even more. He's No. 3 in the world, and I think he's 3 or 4 Spanish in the rankings. Anywhere else, he would have been the first or second of the country. But that's also great for the Spanish tennis because that shows that there are many players coming. Whoever takes the responsibility to play is going to do a great job. About what you said about the small island, well, I think the whole country beat the States, not just the island.

CARLOS MOYA: (Translated from Spanish) Well, my ambition will be to get better and better. Therefore, I shall continue practicing, I shall continue traveling, and I shall continue playing tennis because it's all I like to do and all I know how to do well, so I will continue there. I know I will be there for a while.

CARLOS MOYA: (Translated from Spanish) Well, I do not know. I do not know how to explain it to you. I have been waiting and hoping that this would happen for such a long time. Now that it has happened, I do not know how to explain how one feels. I can tell you that I was not nervous, that I can tell you. I can tell you that before when I thought about in which situation I would be in when I would have that final match point, I could even hit the racquet. But today I did it. Now maybe somebody will wake me up and tell me it was all a dream, it all has been a dream, and it hasn't happened. But I hope not because this dream has been with me for such a long time and I'm so happy it has come true. I believe if you persevere, if you're there, you're constant, you end up making your dreams come true.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, I think that obviously I was nervous when I was getting to the court, when we were warming up. That was it. Since the first point, I forgot about the nervous -- about the nerves, and then I tried to play tennis, to play well, hit the ball well, clean, do what I know to do. And I think I did it pretty well. The crowd I think were great. Well, it's not great to have 26,000 people against you like Roddick had, but I think they were very respectful to him. The only thing that maybe wasn't that good is that when he was missing the first serve, they were screaming. But, well, this is Davis Cup and it's going to happen wherever you go. I think, as I said, they had a lot of respect for the US team, and I hope they felt comfortable with that, I mean, the US team, they felt okay. Because we've been in many places playing Davis Cup, and we have to accept that. It's part of the game. It's part of the charm of the Davis Cup, you know. That makes it special. It's one of the things that makes the Davis Cup special, all the crowd supporting their team. Sometimes I understand it can be annoying, but when we go to play to any other country, we feel like probably you felt today.