WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 12, 2003

Gustavo Kuerten

MODERATOR: Questions for Guga.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, I think he start to play really well after winning the first set, and then hit a lot of balls on the run with power and placement in the same time. So I think he loosened up pretty much after winning the first set, and just keep rolling today. So it was tough for me to come up with some answer.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: No. I think by the second set really I didn't feel any chance to came back. Maybe I had a bigger chance in the first set, but after that, I think the match went all the way to his side.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, I feeling okay. So now I probably playing doubles tomorrow, and see what's gonna happen.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: It's fine. I didn't win as many match as I would like, but I'm feeling much better than last year. My health, it's great, so that's the most important thing. And then I see what I can come up with in the US Open. Hopefully, I can manage to turn the things around a little bit.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, especially the second set, he played great. And I think was amazing how hard he played sometimes and with, you know, with good percentage of making the shots. So was pretty much a perfect set from him in the second set.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, I think it's always tough to lose a match, so I wish I could have stay in the tournament for more days. So this, these hours just after the match, are always very sad.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, that's for sure. I mean, it's -- it was like maybe great years I could have, still having, and I have to put myself in a better condition during almost one year, you know, preparing myself to playing in a good level again. So it's very sad for me, but, you know, it's something that happened, you cannot change, so it's the way it goes. Right now, just have to looking forward, you know, seeing my improvements from the last year to this year, and then see if I can still getting a little bit better for the next years that will come.