April 16, 2005
MONTE-CARLO, MONACO
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. You were up in the second set 4-All. Suddenly, you... What happened?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, he looks like when I was 4-0 winning, he looks like he want to lose these two games, no? And maybe I relax too much, you know, when I lost that service with 4-Love very easy. And then, you know, he knows that just was one break to recover everything, and he start to fight again. And maybe I didn't be the same aggressive as I was when I was until 4-0, no. So I don't know what's happen exactly, but he start to fight on 4-1 and he played again good.
Q. Were you tiring? I mean, it was a problem of physical, no?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No. No, no, no. I think I played a good level in these four games, you know - maybe at the same level as I was playing, you know, when I was pretty good on clay.
Q. You mean a top level at the time?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, maybe. With the forehand I was hitting the ball so well. Well, he move in the court very well and he arrive unbelievable balls and he return every ball. You have to win two or three times the point in the same point. But anyway I'm pretty happy for the week. And, you know, today I couldn't play better, but I'm doing a good job and could keep trying to next tournament.
Q. How much of it is psychological at the moment? It was your first semifinal for almost a year. Is it a case of getting used to it again, I mean, the pressure of a semifinal?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, no, no. I didn't feel any pression in the final (sic). I was trying from the beginning of the match play at the same level, you know - easy, hitting the ball very hard with my forehand, try to dominate him all the time. And sometimes was good, and sometimes was not. But I try all the time. I didn't feel pression because I want to play, you know, relax and enjoy myself in the court and that's it.
Q. Do you think you'll be back to 100% by the time the French Open comes along? Are you quite happy the way you're making progress towards it?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I have a lot of tournaments until Roland Garros. I am going to try to be better and better each tournament. We'll see how I'm gonna arrive over there. But for the moment, for the first tournament on clay, it's really good result for me.
Q. You said those four games were the best you've played for probably a couple of years now? I mean, that must be very encouraging for you.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I played really good these four games, but it's not the best tennis that I played in two years, of course not. Because this week I played the same level whole time, playing good. But maybe I was today more aggressive than the other days and I couldn't play better. But just a little bit. But I play a good level, you know, the whole week.
Q. So where is your next tournament?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Barcelona.
Q. And...?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: And then Estoril.
Q. So you need practice or games or both?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I need... I don't know. I have lot matches this year played. I just will relax and try to win.
Q. Do you think that Coria is more powerful this year, or is he the same? What do you think?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Different than when, last year or what?
Q. Is he more powerful with the forehand, backhand? Do you feel on the court the ball is more heavy, or it's the same?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, no, no, it's the same, the same.
End of FastScripts….
|