MONTE CARLO OPEN

April 26, 1997

Carlos Moya

Q. You had never played against him before?

CARLOS MOYA: No.

CARLOS MOYA: Very difficult to put him behind the baseline. He's all the time playing baseline. Puts pressure on you. He doesn't get to the net very often. Makes you to be concentrate all the match. I think I played a really good match, but today he's been better, so I have to congratulate him. I missed many chances. I had like four or five times Love-30 with his serve, and I didn't take advantage of it. I think it's been one of the keys of the match, that I had many chances to break him, not breakpoints, but Love-30. In the tiebreak, 5-4. It happens when you don't take advantage of the situation.

CARLOS MOYA: I think he's not a nervous player. Maybe he was, but he didn't show it. He's a very good player. He played good, in important points, important moments of the match, he played better than me. That's why he beat me because the match has been very tight. I could win, he could win. He did it.

CARLOS MOYA: This match means for me that I'm playing very good. Maybe I make mistakes in important moments, but I think I'm playing again with confidence, and it's very important for me. It's very important to play the French Open with confidence. That is my next goal this year, also to play well in Rome, Hamburg and Munich. The most important one is the French. To get there with confidence, you have to win matches before. I'm winning, I'm playing very well. I'm very happy the way I'm playing. I'm a little bit upset because I lost.

CARLOS MOYA: I think it's my best surface, but I'm improving on hard, as I showed in Australia. I played final not only in Melbourne, but in Sydney, beating Ferreira, Rafter, players who grew up on hard. I think I'm still better on clay, but I'm improving. I know maybe I'm not going to be maybe as good as I am on clay because there is Sampras, Ivanisevic, Krajicek, they have such a big serve. It's very difficult to return. But I'm trying to improve. I think I already done it.

CARLOS MOYA: I don't know. I didn't beat him, so I cannot give him advice (laughter). If I give him, maybe he's going to lose. Has to be patience, try to put him behind the baseline. It's very difficult, because he also play like this. He has to try it. If he can do it, he has a chance to because he's playing very well. Both are playing very well. For sure it's going to be a nice match.