US OPEN

September 4, 2003

Younes El Aynaoui

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yeah, I didn't feel like playing the fourth-round matches at the beginning, you know. Was a little bit strange to play out there today. Was a lot noise at the beginning. But at the end was good atmosphere, a lot of people came, and was better.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: No, I think I rather play on a big court. I mean, we all looking for these moments to play on the big courts. So I rather play on a big one than 7 (smiling).

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yeah, today it was close in the second set, huh? Was down 6-4 in the tiebreak.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Managed to win that one, little bit of luck again. So, yeah, I mean, I'm serving well. Not returning that well, so that's why the tiebreaks arrive. But it's good for me, I guess, for my confidence.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: No, I played Carlos before. He have the similar game as mine. You know, he likes to go around his backhand to hit the big forehand. So I try to touch his backhand most of the time. I knew it before the match that was the key if I could get his backhand, and then get a short ball and come in.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: For me, I think was pretty good. Because after the Novak match, I was little bit stiff. Two days off rest made me fresh again, and today when I start the match, I was completely fresh. So I think that was good. Of course, for the rest of the tournament, now it's -- we gonna pay for it. Maybe I'm gonna have to play tomorrow. So that's the bad part.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yes, a little bit. I wasn't cramping. I think I could play a fifth set. But I was already thinking on recovery for tomorrow, so that's why I tried to eat during the match, to get my body recover a little bit faster for tomorrow.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yeah, I know, everybody's following, I'm sure. It's another quarterfinal. This is the fourth time I am here in the quarterfinals. So I'm really looking forward to make a breakthrough and for the first time to reach the last four would be great for me.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: A lot. I think I'm a fortunate 32-year-old. I'm thinking this match is like I'm a 20-year-old. I was really excited. I almost got the break in the last game after four matchpoints, I couldn't convert. I have to watch out not to get too excited, just try to focus on the game more than what can happen if I reach the semis. So I'm gonna try more to focus on the ball and try to play good as I did in the previous rounds.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: I will (smiling). If it could help me to win the tournament, we sign a deal right now (laughter). I'm ready.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Maybe it's, like I said, I'm 32. I should have that experience behind me. But these moments are pretty new for me. I've been reaching the quarterfinals just the last two, three years of my career. So I think I'm still a bit too excited about the wins, you know. I was talking to my coach a few minutes before and he also told me that I have to be more calm at the end of the match and take it as a game, not 5-4 serving for the match, but 1-love or 2-love, that I played the other games. It was a bit of excitement going on. I have to be more calm, I think.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Well, the danger is to think that I'm gonna win the match, you know. Maybe already think I won the match or something like this. It goes through my mind sometimes. I'm telling to myself, "He broke me only once in the whole match. So I have good chances to finish the match right now." And sometimes I see myself already celebrating and that's pretty dangerous. I have to play one point after the other and be even more aggressive in that moment.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Well, first of all, I had 40-love or 40-15?

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: So I was pretty confident, you know. You lose the first point, you say, "Okay, you still have two." Then you lose the second one and the third one, then you are deuce. You know you cannot make an error now. You lose that point, so he was a breakpoint up. And then, like most of the time today, in those tough matches, it's a matter of one point, you know. I guess I'm giving everything on that last one and it worked for me. But it could went the other way, too, very easily.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yes, yes. Well, most of the time. Touch wood, you know, I play well the big points. But they are the most important ones, and like against Novak, you know, I had a few ones on the line and something is missing really short, then the match is turning. Guess it's all of preparation and the workout and you're compensated by having those points on your side.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yes, yes.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yes, matchpoint.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yes.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yeah. Hicham just told me that. He said, "You see, when you want to hit your backhand, it can work." So as I said the other day, must be mentally now that I'm afraid to hit my backhand. Today, I had a couple of good backhands and it helped me also, not to try to win only with my forehand. Maybe when I get little bit more tired, I cannot run that far, you know, from the court to hit the forehand, so I start to hit some backhands.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yes, I'm trying to improve, you know, every year. Every time I step on the court, I try to get better. This year, I think I'm in better position going into the quarterfinal than I was last year when I finish my match at 3 o'clock in the morning, the fourth round against Wayne Ferreira. Against Lleyton I wasn't that fresh. So this year again I'm gonna have to play tomorrow, so I hope my body will handle this.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yeah, they came last year, too. You know, all my moves in Morocco are making big stories. More and more I have people coming to push me during the matches. They were definitely very helpful. There's not many player that has a crowd like this, enthusiastic. Can be -- I apologize to Carlos at the end of the match if the crowd had disturbed him. He told me that that was fine, they were okay. I can imagine that it's not easy for the Open and to support such a crowd.

YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yeah, every time I am trying to speak out, I try to think about, first of all of course, all the youngsters in my country, in Morocco. I try to give them hopes and show them that I born there, raised there, and I'm now playing tennis around. So maybe they have more faith to do it. Of course the Williams are a great example for all -- everybody all around the world. I'm just trying to give them, you know, the best I can. At 32, trying, still trying and succeeding as better as I can do.