THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 18, 1999

Carlos Moya

ATP: We're going to do a quick press conference with Carlos. It's the first time he's No. 1. We'll do the interview first in English, then into Spanish. Here is Carlos, and whatever questions you have. I think you know him well.

CARLOS MOYA: Yes, I had for sure. I'm human. Before every match, I was a bit nervous. Also the night before. But I try to forget about that. I want to go step-by-step. But always came to my mind, you know, that I knew if I was winning a few matches, I was going to be No. 1. I had in my head. It was obvious, you know, I was thinking about that. But I tried to forget, just play my game and enjoy on the court. That's what difficult. That was the key, you know. I thought that maybe I was not going to do it this time; I would have another opportunity to make it. I'm still young, 22 years old, I was playing well. Maybe that's why I play well in those matches. They were very important for me. I was very focused. It also helped me that I knew maybe I was going to have another chance in the future.

CARLOS MOYA: From other players?

CARLOS MOYA: No.

CARLOS MOYA: No. Maybe because no Spanish player was No. 1 before. Maybe she got letters or e-mails from American players which were No. 1, you know. None of the Spaniards was No. 1. I got letters from them, from the Spanish, but not from the former No. 1.

CARLOS MOYA: He left me a message. I didn't see him yet. He left me a message saying he was very happy, that I deserve it, that he hopes to see me soon. That's what he said.

CARLOS MOYA: No, no. I think he tried to call.

CARLOS MOYA: I was missing.

CARLOS MOYA: Who, me?

CARLOS MOYA: I don't know. I didn't get back yet. I'm going to tell you when I go to Spain. But I heard is big, you know. I cannot tell you how big it is because I haven't been there since I was No. 1. I don't know how important I am there or what position I have.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, I can go, of course.

CARLOS MOYA: Yes. Sometimes it's hard for me. When I go out from home, I go to a restaurant, I go to walk on the street, whatever, I like to do what I want. I feel that they look at me. It's just not me. I have to act different that I would like to act. So sometimes it bothers me, but I understand them. They've been following me. They wish me good luck. I cannot do anything, you know. So I just try to forget and enjoy with the company. That's it. Sometimes it's kind of tough, you know.

CARLOS MOYA: Spain.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, Indian Wells is a small place. If you are at the hotel, you are 50 meters from the tournament site. I mean, some of them I watch on TV. The others, I heard they last. The people just told me or I was watching TV. After the second day, I realized that I was the only one, you know. It was kind of pressure for me because I had it in my hands. It was a good opportunity to make it for me. As I said before, I just thought about my next match, went step-by-step. I still had like three more matches to win. It was tough. I didn't know the way I was playing because the last match I did was in Dubai like three weeks ago. I didn't know how I was going to react, but I thought I did pretty well.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, many times I felt the pressure, you know. But never was as big as that semifinal, you know, in Indian Wells against Kuerten. Sometimes in Davis Cup I felt that, you know. That was the biggest one, in Indian Wells. Winning Grand Slam is great, but being No. 1 I think is the greatest thing that can happen to you, you know. There have been only 14 players for 26 years already, 27, I don't know how many. That shows how difficult is to get up there, you know. So that's why I think was the most difficult match for me, you know, the toughest, the most difficult to concentrate and not to get nervous.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, it will. If I did it last year, why can I not do it this year? That's the way I think. I think every year I'm better player than the year before. I still have few weeks where I have no points to defend, such as Hamburg and Rome. Good chance to make some points there. Both Super 9 on clay, where I play my best, I think. Why I cannot do that? Why can I not repeat what I did last year? Hopefully I'm going to do it and I'm going to make even more points and try to end the French Open as No. 1. Will be difficult, but will be my next goal.

CARLOS MOYA: Mentally.

CARLOS MOYA: Maybe. Maybe it was, you know. After that moment, I was so down. Mentally it was so tough for me to lose that match the way I lost it. The week before, somebody told me I was going to be runner-up, I would be so happy. Once you are get there, you see how many chances I got, losing that was really tough, even if it was against Alex. But I think I got some motivation there, you know. Just I still have to work. I was very close to No. 1, like 500, 600 points, which is nothing. With a Grand Slam coming, like one later. I didn't make any holidays, you know. Right after The Masters, I went to Spanish Masters, and after that I start practice again. I didn't have like two or three days off. I work so hard. It was a pity because I got injured. Then when I got to Australia, I got the flu. I was a little bit sad, you know. But I knew that I did the right work. Maybe losing that match, I mean it help me. It was a bad thing in one point, but was good in the other one, that I got extra motivation, that I have to fight, I have to be No. 1 as soon as possible. That's what I did.

CARLOS MOYA: I always thought about that. That mentality you're telling about is like the players that they used to play before. They just concentrate on clay. Since I was 12 until I was 17, I practice on hard. I think in that time I develop my game on hard courts, too. Clay court, of course, was my natural surface, where I move better. I don't have to think at all to hit the ball, whatever. On hard court, I think I did pretty well at the beginning. Even not playing as many tournaments as I could on hard, I knew that my game was already good. I could improve much more. What I want to tell you is that mentally I was always clear in my mind that I want to be a good player on hard. That's why it wasn't that hard for me, that tough for me to play well, because I played for so many years. Maybe that's why.

CARLOS MOYA: Grass, I used to play soccer on grass (laughter). Grass is tougher, you know. Just two tournaments in a year. I going to try to do my best, you know. I don't think I have to change any of my work or practice, just to concentrate on grass. As I said before, only two, three tournaments. Of course, one of them is Grand Slam, which is very important. But I'm not going to miss French Open just to play well at Wimbledon. I think I can play much better on clay so far. It will be difficult, but hopefully one day I'm going to play well. I want to do it, you know. I like Wimbledon. I would like to play well there and show the people that I'm able to play there.

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah. I have always played tournament before Wimbledon, Nottingham, Halle. This year I'm playing Halle. You have to play a few tournaments before a Grand Slam on the same surface, so that's what I'm doing.

CARLOS MOYA: Others?

CARLOS MOYA: No. The people close to me, they didn't change at all. Maybe I got some more fans now or people know me better right now. But from my closest friends or people around me, they didn't change at all.

CARLOS MOYA: No. They just congratulate me more than they did before. But most of the players, they've been really nice to me. They congratulate me. They said I deserve it, that I played well. I'm not going to say they were happy, but they congratulate me, most of them.

CARLOS MOYA: He was very happy I did something great, you know, that I deserve it.

CARLOS MOYA: Well, in Mallorca, let's say that you have no rules. In Barcelona, everything is much more professional. Some way I like Mallorca much more than any other place because I can do whatever I want, I have my family there and my closest friends. That's the place where I grew up. One of the most beautiful places in the world, I would say, because my hometown. But talking about tennis, I would say that Barcelona is better. All the players are there. That's why I moved to become a good player because I knew in Mallorca I was going to dedicate to have a good life, have fun. To be good player, you can have fun, but not all the time.

CARLOS MOYA: Excuse me?

CARLOS MOYA: If you change? What do you mean?

CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, for sure it is for me. I like Mallorca very much. I cannot compare it to any other place. Of course, I love the sea. I have a house 50 meters from the sea. I have a boat. I couldn't live without the sea.

CARLOS MOYA: I'm going to try to forget about that, to think that it is another match. I'm going to have to fight a lot if I want to win because now all the players want to beat me. It will be difficult to win every match, because they're going to be extra motivated. As every time, I just want to enjoy on the court, feel well, play my best, do my best. That's what I'm doing every time. That's what I will do. I don't know the way I'm going to feel. The world, they going to see me, the crowd, what are they going to do. I'm going to try to forget and do my best.

CARLOS MOYA: Yes.

CARLOS MOYA: It will be really important for me to play I wouldn't say my hometown, but the place where I grew up as a tennis player, where I build up my game. It will be great to be in front of my crowd being No. 1. To be No. 1 after this week, after Lipton, hopefully I'm going to do it.