TMS - STUTTGART

October 18, 2001

Thomas Enqvist

MODERATOR: Questions for Thomas.

THOMAS ENQVIST: Yeah, it was a great match, I think, for everybody except for my coach and my girlfriend, I think (laughter). I think I played almost two perfect sets. I was playing really, really well, had a few match points, missed by a few millimeters, gave him a chance to come back. Roddick is obviously a very good player. If you give him a little bit, he's going to take the advantage. That's what happened. It was opposite in the third set. He was the one who had the chances. Me, I came up with the good shots in the right times. It was close and a good match, I think.

THOMAS ENQVIST: It's always a relief when you win the match, I think. But I don't think you should analyze it and think about it too much. I mean, it's tennis. Even if you're up, it's not like football, you have to continue to play and win even the last points. These kind of matches, it's so tight. It's just one or two balls here, there a break, the match can totally turn around. The only thing you can try to tell yourself is to try to play as good as you can. Obviously when you're winning, like I did, don't change anything. That's what I'm trying to do. Sometimes maybe you get those matches with you, and sometimes you don't.

THOMAS ENQVIST: I think the last two, three weeks I've been playing great tennis. I think I've been playing the best tennis this two, three weeks what I done this year. Obviously, I feel that I'm slowly getting back there, playing that level I should do. Hopefully I can end up the year okay.

THOMAS ENQVIST: Not so much really. Every match is a new match, new situations. Those things happens every week for all the players. I mean, a few people yesterday had match points yesterday and lost. Like I said, that's tennis. That's the beauty about it, but frustrating for us players, one point here and there can really turn everything around. That has to be great for the spectators, but tougher on us.

THOMAS ENQVIST: No, I just actually knew that we going to play them in the first round. Feels far away to start to speak about it now. Just like this, of course it's a tough, tough match. Two good teams. The World Group I think this year looks maybe tougher than ever. I think a lot of good teams are back in the World Group. It looks very interesting.

THOMAS ENQVIST: I think they're going to cancel the Australian trip and only go there (laughter).

THOMAS ENQVIST: Well, they don't even show it on TV, so I don't know what it means anymore (laughter). For us players, it's always been a nice tradition to play and represent your country. Everybody has been playing most of the times when they get asked to do it. That's like Borg and Wilander and Edberg showed great example, maybe sometimes doing some sacrifices to play Davis Cup. That travels on and we try to do the best.

THOMAS ENQVIST: Obviously it's fun to be part of a team. I guess it should be an honor to represent your country. Personally, I was maybe thinking should maybe be played every other year. It's very tough to make a good schedule. Maybe you have two away matches in Argentina, one in Australia, maybe one year. If you're going to compete also on the highest level on the tour, that's obviously not going to be so good for you. I mean, I understand also players that maybe sometimes take a year off from Davis Cup. I mean, it's tough to play every single year and maybe doing a hundred percent to become No. 1 or Top 5. Maybe something we have to think about it.

THOMAS ENQVIST: I hope so.