TMS MONTE CARLO

April 17, 2003

Carlos Moya

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, I'm playing very well, as I been doing lately, so I'm very confident. I always used to play well here in Monte-Carlo. I feel very comfortable. I feel like home, you know (smiling). Is a good pleasure for me to be here. So far, I am playing this week, as you said, I didn't drop any set. I'm looking forward to the match tomorrow and feeling hungry to win.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, against Malisse, the first three serves, I lost them. Three first day, and I think two yesterday.

CARLOS MOYA: It is not. There's still many dangerous player, dangerous players in the draw. You know, I just want to play well. Probably the people think that there's a chance that we both get to the final, but still two more matches to get there. Dangerous players, as I said. It's gonna be still difficult.

CARLOS MOYA: I don't know if I am playing better, but I've been saying lately that I feel I am better player than I was like five years ago - more complete, I would say, more mature. I have also said that 26 years old is a very good age to keep improving and is one of the best age for playing tennis. So now here I am, and to be honest, I think I am better player than I was.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah. Today has been much better than the last two days. I was serving hard, but the percentage was not very good. Today, my serve, it was one of the keys of the match. He had many, many breakpoints, but he didn't convert any of them. So it was important because he has a good return, and I was putting a lot of pressure with my serve. It worked out very well today.

CARLOS MOYA: Oh, really (smiling)?

CARLOS MOYA: Well, I'm impressed (laughing). I think he's a great player also, and very powerful. He has a huge serve. It's tough to play him. His game is really uncomfortable for me. But I'll try to be focus on my return and, you know, play my game. I think I have more experience on clay than he has, and I hope this is gonna be an important factor. But he's playing like home here. He's gonna have the support from the crowd. I just try to play my game and play well and enjoy.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, he didn't expect to win is what he thought. To be honest, I didn't think he could beat Albert. I thought it was gonna be a close match, but Albert is playing well, very solid, with more experience. I thought that he would be able to beat him. But he's impressing me every day, Rafael. I know him since he was 10 years old. But day after day he keeps impressing me. Today, I wouldn't be surprise if he's able to beat Coria, but is gonna be a tough match for him. Because after he beat Albert, maybe he's little bit relaxed today. It was a great victory for him. But he keeps working hard, and for sure he's gonna be a top player in the future.

CARLOS MOYA: I mean, would be great (smiling). Two guys from Mallorca playing each other in semifinal in Masters Series event, it would be a great experience. But if I don't play him this week, for sure in the future I will.