PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 11, 2003

Carlos Moya

MODERATOR: Questions for Carlos.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, I didn't enjoy that, but I enjoy the way I play today. I think it was a great match for me. Even playing at 10:00 in the morning, I think I played pretty well. I don't like to play that early. But I think, you know, I play very solid game - hitting winners, serving well, returning well. So I think everything worked out pretty well today.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah. I still have very good memories from Indian Wells because four years ago is where I got to No. 1, so every time I come here is special for me. The conditions were good. Is not too fast, the court. I think I can play my game pretty well.

CARLOS MOYA: We played each other a few times, yeah. I don't know how many, like four or five. He beat me once. The last one in the US Open, I think. So is going to be a tough match because he has a type of game that I don't like to play against. But, you know, even the times when I beat him, I felt like, you know, I wasn't playing that comfortable. But he's been injured for a while. I don't know if he's playing his best or not, but I'll have to be very focused and try to win that match.

CARLOS MOYA: Can you repeat again, please?

CARLOS MOYA: Well, depends on what time I day. Let's see, today I had to wake up at 7. I had to have breakfast. Last night I went to bed at 11. Usually I go really late. So usually when I don't have matches, I go straight to the practice court. I mean, I have a banana or something, then I eat after practice. Today I had the breakfast. Things are different. Mentally you go to bed different way than when you don't have a match. You have your mind set on the match the next day. I mean, I slept perfect. It's always that kind of pressure, that you know you have a match that day. Is a different feeling than when you don't have that match.

CARLOS MOYA: I think it's crazy. There is not any other sport I know that they are playing so early, where you need to be a hundred percent fit. I mean, the body, doesn't matter you wake up three hours earlier, it's not ready at that time to be ready to fight hundred percent. I don't think that's right. But I guess television is going. I mean, that's what they want. We have to accept that. But I don't think it's the best thing to do.

CARLOS MOYA: I think the year I played final here. I don't remember what time was that, but maybe 11. I don't know. 11 is the earliest I play in a final, I think. But I would like to have that feeling to play 9:30.

CARLOS MOYA: That's true. You have to accept that, get ready for anything. Even if I have to play 9:30, I'll try to. I don't know, maybe I don't go to sleep, go direct to the final.

CARLOS MOYA: No, I'm not saying that. I mean, it's tough for the Spanish because our habits are different. Like last night, I had dinner at 10:00. I don't know what time you guys had dinner last night, but for sure earlier than that. So is totally different. If I had dinner at 6:30, 7:00 in the afternoon, I go to bed at 9:00, be ready to play at 9:30, give everything. But that's what I've been doing for my whole life, so it's not easy to change for one week.

CARLOS MOYA: I think so.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, television, I mean, if we get the money, prize money, contract, all these other things, are because of television. So we have to be thankful to television. This doesn't happen too often, to play final at 9:30, or to change the schedule for the TV. It's something that we have to accept because it is the way it is. You know, if it happens the whole year, every single week, okay, maybe you have to see what we're going to do. But it just happens here, so it's not a big deal.

CARLOS MOYA: No, it was the year before. It was two years ago. I don't have very good memories. I remember I won the first set tiebreaker, then he won 6-4, 6-4, 6-Love. I mean, it was not a good way to finish that match. You know, every match I think is different. Till that time, he never beat me before. He beat me that time. Now we see what's going to happen. As I said before, he's not the kind of guy that I like to play. But now I'm playing well, I'll see what I can do.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, I don't know. For some moments it came to my mind, you know, it could happen, because I was 6-Love, 1-Love, Love-30, playing really well. Besides the first few games, he had chances to win a game. If I won that game, he was 2-Love serving, maybe 3-Love. When you see nothing but Love, the pressure is for him, you know, he has to win that game. But he's a great fighter. I knew it was going to be difficult that to happen. I mean, if I could, I would have done it because I think he would have done the same thing.

CARLOS MOYA: No.

CARLOS MOYA: I don't remember that, but I don't think so.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, I don't really know what's going on there. When I find out what are they asking, what are they saying and all these things -- but now I have not information enough to respond to that question. As soon as I get all the information, I will be able to answer the question.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, as I said, that's something is not comfortable to talk about. Probably I made more money than I ever thought in my whole life. I can't complain about that, to be honest. But it's something that we have to talk about. I mean, you have to earn what you generate. If the percentage that you get is really low, then you have to talk about something. We have to see that. As I said before, I made more money than I ever thought.

CARLOS MOYA: Thank you. Well, I think he deserved it. I didn't know what to do. I knew that he was going to be -- he had to be alone there to get this ovation. I didn't know if I had to leave before him or wait for him. I didn't know really what to do. I think he deserved that ovation. You know, I think he's been great for sport. He has given always 200% of what he had. What he achieved is really unbelievable. So I think he deserve this ovation and even more.

CARLOS MOYA: Thanks. I tried.

CARLOS MOYA: Not really. It was a long time ago, even for me. I was 12 years old. But I think was a big surprise for everybody, not maybe the final, but before the tournament began, for sure nobody thought that he could win the tournament. What he did was unbelievable. I don't know the reason that he didn't win more Grand Slams. He was able to do it at 17, why not do it at 25, 28, when you are at your best? Probably he didn't have Sampras in the same period, he could have won more Grand Slams, he be No. 1.

CARLOS MOYA: I think his last chance is next week, Miami. I don't think he's going to go to Europe.

CARLOS MOYA: He's not playing Miami?

CARLOS MOYA: I think it would be smart, very smart. I'm not the right person to say what he has to do. The way he finish his career, the way he did it, it is the best he can do. I don't think he's going to go to tournament and win it again because is tough when you have the rhythm. He's very talented, he's very good. He's been the best ever. But still the tour is very tough today. Since the first round, you have tough matches. Doesn't matter how good you are, he's going to have tough matches. I think it would be great for him if he does it now. He did it in a good way. Being in the top, that's something difficult that not many people can do.