WIMBLEDON

June 29, 2002

Michel Kratochvil

MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: You know, it's my first time I'm so far in a Grand Slam, so I cannot say I expected it. But for sure it was a goal for me to reach the second week, because I saw how the draw was and everything, and I knew I had a pretty good chance if I played good tennis, which I did. So now I'm in the second week. I have nothing to lose.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Yeah, actually, the thing maybe nobody knows, I was sick during that match. But for sure, you know, he beat me, let's say, in Switzerland. You know, I'll try to get it back. But, yeah, I mean, like I said, I have nothing to lose. To play out there on Centre Court maybe for the first time, I'm just going to enjoy it. And if I return well, like I did, I'm for sure going to give him some trouble, and that's my goal.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: I don't know. I mean, the public is fun. It's much better, much nicer to play on a good court, if the public is for you or not. You know, he's at home here. He's, you know, the (inaudible) starling. You know, that's not a problem. I'm just going to turn it around in a positive way for me.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: I have to say, it's my second Wimbledon, I played semifinals in Nottingham last week also, so it's going pretty well. For sure, it's not, you know, my favorite surface or my best surface. But being in the second week of Wimbledon, you know, that says everything, I think.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Yeah, I mean, I got pretty confident last week, like when I played the semis in Nottingham. That's where I really started to feel well on it. You know, we have no grass courts in Switzerland, so it's tough to prepare. But I played Halle before also. And I played a lot of matches on grass now. You know, every match I feel better. So, yeah, you know, I mean, my opponents, every match has to be played. I had no big names so far. That was just a goal, to reach the fourth round and have my parents come in also. So that's going to be a nice moment for me.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: No, not yet.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: About me? It's tough to say. I mean, you know, I haven't been on the tour for that long, but I think I'm getting better and everything, playing tennis. Also off the court. I'm getting more relaxed, you know, also in the Grand Slams and everything. I mean, I'm enjoying it. I think it's a pretty good life. You know, it's a hard life, you have to work. Obviously, I miss my friends. I like to get to go to get some cappuccinos, eat pizza, you know, like everybody. Just a normal guy.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: That was in Basel. That was the quarters in Basel last year. I think it was the end of the year, October or something. You know, I had a virus. I was just really, really dizzy. You know, I saved two match points the match before. I fought really hard against Clement. I just wanted to give the public a match. Somehow that hurt me even more. I even passed out after the match. I finished the match but, you know, the last few points, I just played them to get over with. I don't even know the score. It was 1-Love, Love-1, something like that. That doesn't mean anything for that match, you know, coming up. It's a different story.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Yeah, more or less. I guess everybody's the same in Switzerland. My father used to play ice hockey, as well. My parents, they own a tennis center. I used to play ice hockey till I was 16. I was also on the national team for ice hockey. I decided myself either playing tennis or not. George, you know, he played a little longer ice hockey. He's a little stronger than me, too. Yeah, I mean, I guess, you know, we all have the same story.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: That's a good question. I don't know. I mean, I got European Champion then, as well. I had a lot of success in tennis. Somehow that was the challenge for me. Probably, you know, also saw, you know, those matches here in Wimbledon or whatever Grand Slam, you know, playing Boris or whoever it was. That just inspired me, I guess, at the moment. I mean, looks like, you know, I made a good decision. You never know what would have happened if I played ice hockey.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Yeah, for sure. I mean, Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slams, has a special meaning in everybody's life. So I think, you know, that's for sure one of the reasons, yes.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Yeah, I mean, you know, it's a different thing. You know, Tim, I think, you know, it's just a different match. I mean, I played well; I won three rounds here. I'm just looking forward for that match to play Tim. I mean, of course, George did a great job against Pete, but it's just a different match. I mean, Tim, first of all, he has to win. I don't know what the score is.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Match point, okay. So I guess he's going to win. Well, you know, it's going to be a special match, for sure. It's the first time in the second week of a Grand Slam. But on the other hand I played, you know, a few big matches already, so I'm not going to go out there and be so nervous, you know, not hitting a ball in the court. I'm going to go out there to win, for sure. But I'm going to enjoy it. I'm not going to have the pressure, you know, for that match. It's he who's going to feel that pressure, and I'm going to try to make, I mean, you know, make him feel it even more.