TELECOM ITALIA MASTERS

May 8, 2003

Carlos Moya

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, the thing is I don't think I lost the match there. But, you know, I didn't play comfortable at all today. I don't know what's wrong with me when I play here in Rome because I like the conditions, I like the tournament, I really like everything here. For whatever reason, I haven't been able to play my best. This is my eighth year and I just got to the quarters once. So I think is not normal. Today, same thing happened as last years. When I was feeling I was playing really well, suddenly I got to the match and I don't think I played well at all. I think Kafelnikov had to do something with it but, still, I think I have to be able to play well and today I didn't. You know, I don't think I lost the match there, but the whole match I didn't play well.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, it's true. Until today I was playing really well. In both matches I played here I felt well. You know, there wasn't any problem. But same happened last year. I was playing perfect, then suddenly I played a bad match against Haas. And today, same thing. So I don't know what's wrong with me here. Hopefully, I'm gonna come back next year and try to play better.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, that's true. I think he played very good match. I didn't see him playing lately, but I think he played the perfect match. He wasn't missing much from baseline. I think the conditions were good for him, was heavy condition. But, still, he managed to play pretty well. He's a player, I mean, his game doesn't disturb me much, you know. The last few times I think I beat him, even indoor. Today, when supposedly I'm playing my best and he's not playing that well, he beat me. So I think he played a very good match today and he didn't let me play my game.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, Hamburg, and that's a tournament that I haven't played well either, but just one semifinal. And the other, I think I have a negative record there, I lost more matches than I won. So it's time to change it, and hopefully this year I'm gonna play well again there. But these two tournaments, Rome and Hamburg, I don't understand why I haven't been able to play well. It must be a reason, but I didn't find it yet. So hopefully I'm gonna play well there.

CARLOS MOYA: I don't know (smiling).

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, Cincinnati was one of the tournaments that I didn't play well either. I think the best I did before last year was second round. So maybe is gonna happen the same thing with Hamburg.

CARLOS MOYA: I like Monte-Carlo a lot, Barcelona, French Open. These three I think are the best for me. Buenos Aires, I didn't lose a match yet there. But I don't know, is mysterious for me.

CARLOS MOYA: I think I missed backhands, forehands, serves, so I don't think it was only my backhand. My forehand today wasn't hurt him at all and, you know, is my best shot and I wasn't able to hurt him. So I don't think I have to blame it on my backhand. My forehand didn't help me at all today. Also, my serve helped me the first four games, first service games. Then since I lost my first game with my serve, after that I haven't been able to serve well at all. So I cannot say the only reason was my backhand; it wouldn't be fair.