WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 11, 2002

Carlos Moya

THE MODERATOR: First question for Carlos Moya, please.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, 5-2, he was serving, I thought we were going to go to the third set. Then I broke his serve. He had 15-40, I saved those two set points. Is not easy to come back with two breaks down. But the fact, too, I decided to play relax, and I had nothing to lose and just to play my game, go for the winner. It work out pretty well. Then 5-all in the tiebreaker, it was, you know, to me was very exciting. And is really great feeling for me to win the tournament.

CARLOS MOYA: I had. Before the match, I had. But then when the match started, I didn't feel the ball very well. It was different conditions than I been having the last days. I been used to play with hot, sunny weather. And it did seem to me that the ball wasn't bouncing that high today. My serve was not helping that well. So it was windy, too. I think with these conditions, I took a while to adapt to those conditions. But after the break, after the rain came, I was in the locker room, I was watching the replay of the match. I mean, I realized that I wasn't hitting the ball very hard. I thought that if I'm in final, it's because I've been taking a lot of risk, I been hitting the ball hard, and that's what I had to do. I came after the rain knowing that I was going to have to hit the ball hard, and it work out pretty well.

CARLOS MOYA: Not the rain delay, but watching the replay. Yeah, I think it help me. Because I think I was putting too much spin on my forehand and it didn't bother him because the ball wasn't bouncing that high, again. And I decided to attack more, to play a little bit more flat and go for the winner and try to get to the net and try to win the points, I mean, faster.

CARLOS MOYA: I mean, winning here and being in the Top 10 again -- I mean, being in the Top 10 is something that I've been waiting for three years already, since I was injured. It took a while to recover, but looks like now I am playing pretty well. My best year I won two tournaments. The others I won just once. So this year I was having three already before I came here, so was a good year so far. But after this week is excellent. My goal was to fit into the Top 10, and now I am Top 10 already. And I will see what -- I see what can I do to improve my ranking. But I am very happy the way I been playing. I mean, I didn't expect to win the tournament because, I mean, I knew I was playing well, but I knew that so many players are doing well. Hard court is not my favorite surface, but I know I can adapt pretty well. So is a big surprise for me even that I won the tournament.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, obviously, he prefers to play on hard courts. But I realized that he struggles when he plays against a Spanish guy or South American. With the match he lost today, he has lost already nine matches this year, and seven of them were against a Spanish or Argentinian. I think our game is pretty similar, Argentinian and Spanish player. Looks like he doesn't like that game. I knew I was going to have a chance. I was playing pretty well and hitting the ball hard. I been watching his matches from the last days and I realized that he was struggling with this kind of game. Last night against Gonzalez he was -- he feels better when the ball comes flat like when he played Agassi. And so I try to put a lot of spin, try to hit the ball hard, and it work out pretty well. Sometimes I can beat him, sometimes he can beat me. It doesn't mean I'm better than him. I was lucky to beat him today. Now I have a good record against him.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, that's true, I have to be more confident with my backhand. The last couple of months it's been working very well. You know, I just feel more confident with my forehand. If I have won many matches lately, it's because my forehand is there and I can control the point. But, you know, I been feeling lately that my backhand is much better than it was before. But still, I think I am confident with my forehand.

CARLOS MOYA: I just want to think about enjoying on court. This is the most important thing for me, to be healthy, be fit. I'm healthy already, I'm fit. I know when this happens I can be dangerous player. And I didn't forget to play tennis, although I was injured for a long time. You don't forget about it. And, I mean, I didn't expect to be back at the Top 10. It was going to be a very tough and difficult way to get it. But now I'm there and I don't want to think about being No. 1 or not, because now I just have to enjoy this week, the fourth title I won this year, and try to play well at the US Open.

CARLOS MOYA: I'm going home.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah. I been five weeks in a row playing tournaments. It's been really successful period for me because I won three tournaments in this period and one semifinal, which is not bad. I mean, if you told me that a month and a half ago, I would say you crazy (smiling). But with me, anything is possible. And if I'm lucky, I can play well and I can win any tournament I think. Now it's time to rest a little bit, to rest and recover and get ready for the US Open.

CARLOS MOYA: No.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, I think the things change a little bit after this week. But as I told you, I don't know if is good to set the goal. Because what I learned this year is that you just have to enjoy on court and when you have the bad moments, you have to think that the good ones are gonna come soon. And that's it. I don't want to say I'm going to play quarters, semi, final, whatever. I just want to have a good draw, which is very important, and then I see what can I do. I'll just do my best and I'll fight and give 100%.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, there are many things I can improve. I can improve my serve, I can improve my backhand, my net game. The forehand I think is good already. But I think I improve my fitness lately. I been very fit. Endurance has been great. I mean, I've been playing five weeks in a row and I don't feel tired. I feel tired right now because I had a very tough match, but for sure tomorrow I'm going to feel fine. I been working very hard lately, and now it's paying off. I think I have many things to improve. I think that's a good sign.

CARLOS MOYA: I think it's similar. The things didn't change that much in three years. Looks like we're talking about 20 years ago, but it was just three years ago. I don't think the tennis can change that fast. I mean, there are new guys, like supposed to be. And, you know, I think not many things change.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, is great. We're not talking about a small tournament, you know, we're talking about a Masters Series. This is very important for me. I am very proud to have been -- I been the first Spanish in a few things. This is one more for me, so is a great feeling.