AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2001

Carlos Moya

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, has been a great match not only today but the last three matches I've been playing very well. And I know after the match I won today is unbelievable. I have no words to describe it. I never gave up. I was two sets to one down and I knew was gonna be complicated to come back. And, you know, as I said, I never gave up. I kept fighting. And at the end, I've got paid off. You know, it's unbelievable, the feeling of being the winner of this match. And, you know, I'm not -- I just won three matches. Still many matches left to win the tournament, and, you know, that's why I came here. And I want to be focus on the next match because I didn't win anything yet, so I have to go step by step and, you know, but I have to say that is gonna give a lot of confidence, the victory, for sure.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, I played very well, very aggressive. I knew that if I was playing from the baseline the whole match it was gonna be really tough. I had to go to the net very often. I think I volleyed very well today, I served very well. My forehand work very well, and, you know, maybe my backhand was at the beginning a little bit not working that well. I saw the thing that was indoor at the beginning, I didn't feel the ball the same way as I was feeling on the last days. But, you know, I have to be very proud of the way I've been playing, and great victory for me.

CARLOS MOYA: The match was tough because it was last 16, US Open, and I had the matchpoint. I was very close to beat him and then he beat me. But you just try to forget the bad memories you have been having lately and just focus on the next match and never came to my mind that I was gonna lose the same way I lost against Martin. And, you know, just kept fighting. I could not show my feelings on court, but everything was going inside my body, and, you know, after I won the last point, it was great. But, no, I wouldn't say that those memories came to my mind.

CARLOS MOYA: He's very difficult. He runs like crazy, and all the balls are coming back and, you know, I've been lucky that I got many free points with my serve. And my feeling was very good, but he's a very tough player, and mentally he's the No. 1. And as I said, maybe he doesn't have the talent of Safin or Kuerten, but mentally he's the No. 1 in the world I would say. He never gives up, and he's always there.

CARLOS MOYA: No. No, because I don't have any problem with him. I respect him. We're just different. I don't used to show my feelings and he used to show his feelings. He gets a lot of support from the crowd because he's playing here and he needs to motivated. I think that's why he's doing that. But he is not doing that just to bother me or he has respect for me, I think, and for the Open. And, you know, was a moment when, I think it was a bad call for him that he kind of complained to the referee. But with me, he didn't have any problem. And, you know, we just had a great match and we are just different. You know, I don't used to show my feelings.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, I knew I was hitting the ball well. My feeling was great because I've been practicing very hard the whole winter. But I didn't do well in Sydney. I lost first round, but my tennis was still there. And I came here, I saw the draw and I thought, "Okay, maybe this is not my Australian Open. Maybe next year will be a better one." But inside of me I was thinking if I'm able to play good tennis, I was gonna get through it. And that's what happen now. I am fourth round and I didn't expect to be there at the beginning. But after I beat Rios, I got so much confidence. And now, you know, I know I'm playing well. I'm hitting the ball well, and I beat these guys who are great tennis players. And my draw was so difficult that now being fourth round is a great feeling for me.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, it's great to beat any player on the Tour. And if it's Hewitt, better because he's a Top 10 player and everybody wants to beat a Top 10 player because you get so much confidence after beating them. But it didn't come to my mind that I was beating a New Balls player. I just was very happy to be in fourth round and I fought a lot and, you know, that's why I was very happy.