PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 12, 2002

Michel Kratochvil

MODERATOR: Michel's first career Top 10 win today. Questions.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Yeah, I would say so. Like he said, it's my first Top 10 player, actual Top 10 player who is in the Top 10 right now. He won the tournament last week. He was in the finals the week before. He's playing very well. I mean, it felt great. You know, that's one of those matches you're looking forward to play, to play Andre in the US, a tournament he won last year, on center court. I had just a lot of courage in the big points. You know, I think I went for them. I was not looking to not make the mistake. I was looking to make the point. I think when I had my chances, I took them. That's the reason why I won.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Oh, of course (laughter). Of course, there are nerves. But, you know, it's just handling them. I think for everybody, it takes time, yeah, to, you know, get that nervous side, you know, on the side, and try to play your tennis and not, you know, getting too defensive maybe playing Andre, because he's going to blow you off the court. So, you know, I played him once before. I think he knew, you know, that he had to watch himself because I play a similar game than he does, going for my shots, going for the returns. Yeah, when it was important, you know, I knew I had the ability to hit those shots. I practiced very well the last few weeks, so I was confident. I went for them. Yeah, I got the credit.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Sorry?

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: I mean, you know, it's a thing, you know, I'm working every day in my practice. It's a thing, you know, I'm going on the court believing in myself, to win that match. I know he's a great player. I mean, he achieved a lot. It's not easy to beat him. Obviously, you're a little more nervous than when you're playing on Court 6, somewhere out there, somebody who is less famous or less good. But, like I said, I was practicing well, and I played him once before. We had a pretty tight match. I knew when I was playing my game, going for my shots, that I had a good chance. You know, he gave me a couple chances. Yeah, I just took them today. Yeah, I mean, tomorrow it's a -- it's a great win, but tomorrow it's going to be tough. Second round, former No. 1, Rios, again. I have to focus on that one. So yeah.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Not yet. A good thing about playing at 12:00 here in the heat is that at home they can see it on TV. So I got a few messages already from my friends who saw the match. Obviously, they're happy for me, and I'm happy. Like I said, you know, a good dinner tonight, and tomorrow second round and we start again.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: No clue, but I think every set, every point is a new point, and you've got to play it. Doesn't matter if you played somebody you beat ten times. Okay, you have a little advantage, but still you've got to beat him on the day, you've got to win the set on the day. So I think it just shows that I stayed calm and had confidence in my shots, you know, to win the match against Andre, one of the biggest player, to beat him in two tiebreakers, when everybody says the big guys are strong when it gets tight in the tiebreakers. I beat him in those today, so that feels pretty good.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: I don't know. I'm just happy about this one. I had a good year last year reaching two finals. That was really my first year, last year, where I broke through, you know, on the ATP circuit, getting to the Top 50. I beat maybe Clement in Basel, a home tournament for me. I was three match points down. I won that match. That's a nice memory. I had a couple good matches. I just enjoy to play, yeah. I'm patient and I wait for the results.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Well, I think, you know, like last year, you know, it was a little bit learning time for me still on the circuit. I think you have to start to feel comfortable on the center courts, playing the big players, and also practice with them. So that way you get your respect the way you play, and that way you get your experience. So, of course, if I would have come out of the challengers today and be first time on center court today, first time I see Agassi from up close, probably would have been more difficult. But, you know, I feel at home now on the tour. So, you know, there was no reason why I should be over nervous. I had nothing to lose. I went for it, and it paid off.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: I hope I have the same results then. No, I mean, in my younger days, yes, I looked at his matches. I looked at Ivan Lendl's matches. I looked at Becker's matches. I tried to take -- I didn't try to copy a player really when I was a teenager. I tried to take from everybody a little bit. Agassi was one of those, for sure. You know, the returns, I'm trying to take the ball early and those kinds of things. That's something he does well, something I want to, you know, improve, go more to the net, those kinds of things, serve and volley a little bit more. But every day's a different day. You play against a different player. You have to play different.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Well, maybe I was a few years younger today, a little fresher. Yeah, I mean, it's just a great win.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Yeah, I mean, we practice at home when we're both at home once. Then we practice together. I know him for a lot of years now. He's younger than me. I know how he started. So yes.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: I think we were just two different types of persons, the way we work and the way we are. Just didn't fit together. I mean, I played well last year, but we just didn't -- everything didn't work out perfect. It was better for both of us. We separate, it was in a friendly way, so that was no problem. It was just better for both of us to go the separate ways.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Well, like I said, it's another tough match tomorrow.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: Rios, no. No, I never played him in a match. He's playing quick and flat, too. He's a lefty, so that makes it a little more difficult. I mean, he was a former No. 1. He's a great player. With him, you never know. He can play unbelievable, and he can make some mistakes. I'm just going to hang in there, you know, and I'll have a good chance.

MICHEL KRATOCHVIL: You know, like I said, everybody's nervous. I went for the first serve, which was a good decision. And the second one, I had a few double-faults today. It was a little windy sometimes. I just tried to get that in because, as I said, "Maybe you should go for the second serve, risk." But why? I just put it in, then I took the chance when I had a little higher ball to play that backhand down the line. That showed courage again. You just have to know, you know, when - that's the difficult thing - when to go for it and maybe sometimes when to be patient a little bit.