TMS - FORO ITALICO

May 11, 2000

Dominik Hrbaty

Q. First of all, very well done. Just thinking back to last year at Roland Garros, how close did you believe then that you were to beating Agassi in the semifinal? When did you think it switched for you?

DOMINIK HRBATY: On Friday, I was really close. I think he was little bit physically down on Friday, so I had a big chance that day and I was starting to believing after the third set I won that I could go and I could beat him in five. But then we stop because of the rain and next day I had a few chances, but he was playing well and was little bit different because he was so fresh and he had sleep for a few hours. He had a rest from tennis for a few hours, so it was little bit of different story. On Saturday I was thinking little bit I could beat him, but it was tough. Like I said, he was more relaxed and not tired like on Friday.

DOMINIK HRBATY: There was no new strategy. Everything was the same like last year, just I played a bit better than I did last year against him. So that's the difference.

DOMINIK HRBATY: It's tough to say because I don't think this question can anybody answer because you have some players that you like to play and you have some players you don't like to play. Everybody on the Tour has these players, and I think everybody has the players who likes and who don't like. And Andre is one of the players I like to play against him because he's playing the style, it fits in my hand. And it's like Yevgeny, I don't have to think too much and I knew quite well where he is going to play. So I don't know to answer this question, but it's like that. Maybe that's why I beat him.

DOMINIK HRBATY: My coach. No, there are some players that I don't like playing, but I don't tell. (Laughter.)

DOMINIK HRBATY: Pioline, I play only once with him and it was very close. Maybe next time I beat him.

DOMINIK HRBATY: Corretja, Corretja I beat two times and I did not two or three times, so it depends on the day when we're playing who's playing better. So it's quite different. But Santoro, he's gave me not so good. I mean, I don't see anybody likes to play against him because he's playing two hands and he's like playing like musketeer, so he's strange game and nobody is playing like him in the Tour, so he has a very good hand and he's running very well, so it's tough. But we had really nice matches with Fabrice also, last time in Indian Wells, three hours, 6-4 in the third set. And before I think I won once, 7-6 in the third set, and I lost again once in Marseille. So we had nice games. It's tough to play well against Fabrice.

DOMINIK HRBATY: Yeah, this court is little bit faster and also today we hit some rockets on the court, so the game was going to be faster. Yeah, today it's tough to compare, because today I played really well and I was just feeling the ball so well and I did not think too much about the game because Marian was telling me every changeover what the score of the ice hockey game we play in World Championships. So, I mean, I was happy that our guys won and I was fighting also for them and I was fighting on the court. I was just feeling so great, so good, and I play the great tennis today. So I don't think there is any mistake I made.

DOMINIK HRBATY: Maybe after one ball we hit in the first set really strong early, and then I start to smile, and when I start to smile on court, that means that I am relaxed and I start to play well. So when I realized I am relaxed and I am not shaking and I don't want to beat so badly, I just wanted to play nice tennis and give something good for the people. That's all I wanted to play and that's why maybe I was so relaxed. I know that's why I played well today. Sometimes if you are concentrating so much, then it's not good because you are like very stiff and you can't hit the ball. So sometimes only to smile and play for other people. That's why we are there and that's what I did today.

DOMINIK HRBATY: No, I didn't run, but, you know, was funny because the people know that I do tell stories, and they are saying that, I mean, that they were happy that, you know, I said these stories. And I can say it today that I meet some friends from the ice hockey and they are playing World Championships in ice hockey. I'm a big fan of sport, any sport, and especially the Slovak guys there. So today I was -- like I said, my coach was telling me every changeover, 3-1, 3-1, 4-1, we won it. I was so excited. And I'm big fan of sports, any sports.

DOMINIK HRBATY: 4-1, Slovakia win. It was a big game, the U.S. were the first in the group and they were really tough.

DOMINIK HRBATY: Today I played well from the beginning. My coach told me that I have to start 100 percent because Andre is going to start 100 percent. So I didn't want to let him go like the few matches before that I always lost the first set or I lost two sets. I was fighting in the first set, then when I start to play well, then I just wanted to hold the serve and try to break him and it work out. So I played -- I think the first set was very important that I won, and I think then I played well. Wait, I have to tell them one more story. In Key Biscayne, when I was playing Andre, I won the third time, Juan Carlos, which he was watching the match. After the match he came to me and said "Hey, man, I thought that ping-pong is really fast game, but I don't now."