NASDAQ-100 OPEN

March 25, 2003

Carlos Moya

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, I'm playing very well. I'm very consistent, I would say. I been beating these three matches, guys that play completely different kind of games. Spadea, from the baseline. Verdasco, was lefty. Escude was coming to the net very often. I'm very pleased to beat a guy like Escude. He has a very hard kind of game for me. He's not easy because he doesn't give you any rhythm. So, I been very focused. I been through difficult moments in the match. You know, I just been there and working hard and he had few set points. I been serving really well. So I could say that I am on top of my game.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, it was great. I think it was 7-6 down, I serve two aces. Then he won a point, 9-8. With my serve, it was an ace. I didn't know if it was in or not, I didn't see the ball where it was landing. I was expecting the lineman to call "out," so I had to wait few seconds. I didn't know what was gonna happen. Finally, was in. Today, in important moments I serving well.

CARLOS MOYA: Not much, to be honest. I didn't see him much playing, you know. But, I mean, he was quarterfinal last week. Now he won four matches here. He beat tough guys. So that means that he must be playing well. But at least he plays from baseline. I like those guys that play from baseline. At least I can play my game. I know he has good return, good serve, very complete player. So I'll try to play my game and we'll see, I'll see what's gonna happen.

CARLOS MOYA: I don't know. I spoke to Mardy the other day, and I don't know what, if he's gonna talk to the guy. But, you know, I just lost to Mardy two times. So I don't think is a big deal. The situation was different, was the first and second tournament of the year. I mean, Mardy can beat any player on the tour the way he's playing now. I don't think he has any special tactic to beat me. But I don't know he's gonna give him some advice, but I'll just try to be all there and play my tennis.

CARLOS MOYA: I think they're very good, all of them. Here, you have Agassi, Sampras, Courier, Chang. I think this never gonna happen again. So they can be very good, but I don't think they're gonna be as good as the other guys, not as a group. Maybe one of them, like Roddick or Blake or Fish, whoever, can be as good as them, but not all together, you know. So I think they're doing a great job. There's also Taylor Dent there. For sure, a few more coming. But I don't think as a group they're gonna achieve what these guys achieved.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, I think so. This is my first tournament, so, so far I can say is working well. I am very comfortable with it. But, you know, I don't know what was the plan, Nike plan to... I mean, I don't know if they want me to wear this all the tournaments or not. But I don't think in all of them, just -- they decide what tournaments I play with.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah. I think now it looks maybe different, I would say. But for sure, in a few years, most of the players are gonna wear that because I feel very comfortable and, you know, they don't bother you at all. I think it's great. For sure, one day we'll try, they will like it.

CARLOS MOYA: I been saying lately that I feel that I'm better player than I was a few years ago. That includes when I was No. 1. I remember that match, I remember I lost, I had a few matchpoints. Then he beat me 7-6 in the third, I think. Those two weeks were great for me. But now, as I said, I'm feeling that my tennis is there, I'm playing well again, I'm healthy. Is the most important thing for me. But also, the other players have been improving a lot so, you know, even playing better than I was, I am not No. 1 yet. So that means that all the others are also improving. I think if you gonna improve at all, I mean, your ranking, you have to improve at least one percent every year to keep the same level, you know. That's what I am working on it. You know, I'll see, 26, I think is one of the best ages to play tennis. I'm more mature now. So I'll see what happens, if I can be back to No. 1.