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May 5, 2003

David Ferrer

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

DAVID FERRER: Yes, I think so. It was hot, we were playing on clay courts. He didn't play his best. I think I played the match of my life.

DAVID FERRER: What happened in the first set, in the first set I was very nervous, playing Andre Agassi on center court. But then, after losing that set 6-love, I just told myself, "Stay calm, relax, enjoy," and I started playing better.

DAVID FERRER: I'm from Valencia. I have a girlfriend. I've lived there for the last two and a half years with my coach. My family comes from a small village near Valencia. I've got a brother that plays tennis, too. My family is very, like, a simple family.

DAVID FERRER: Well, it's a small village but there's still a club there. It's like 10,000 people living there. So my father was playing socially at the club and he decided to get myself and my brother started in tennis as well.

DAVID FERRER: Yeah, I mean, since I was 12 he's been my idol really. I never thought I would be on the same court as him. So yesterday when I saw the draw and I was playing against him, it was like, "Wow," it was like a dream.

DAVID FERRER: No, in the third set I was not nervous. It was just the beginning of the match, like a warm-up. In the third set, you're in the match, so you just think about fighting for every point. If you win, great; if you lose, you've done everything you could to win. I was just thinking about enjoying the opportunity of playing Agassi on center court.

DAVID FERRER: Well, in today's tennis, you can lose six, seven, eight times in a row in the first round because the level is just so good. It just doesn't matter really. There are good moments in tennis, there are bad moments in tennis, and you just have to keep on playing.

DAVID FERRER: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, this is just one match. I won it. But, you know, what he's done in tennis in all the different eras is just... I have so much respect for him.

DAVID FERRER: No, when I was younger, you know, I was playing tennis and also soccer. But then I started entering some tournaments and I started doing well in tennis. So just little by little, I put soccer on the side and just concentrated on tennis.

DAVID FERRER: Well, I don't know. You have to ask Andre because I feel it was hot on court today, but it was the same like in Australia and in other places for me. So you really need to ask Andre.

DAVID FERRER: I was going to play either Ljubicic or Malisse, and Ljubicic won. Yes, it's going to be like another match. Every match is different. You can beat Agassi and lose to another player. About Agassi, yes, he said something after the match like "Well-played," then something else in English but I don't speak English well, so I didn't understand (smiling).