AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2004

Juan Carlos Ferrero

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Juan Carlos.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: This past December?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I didn't have so many time to work a lot, because I start the day 15th of December, after holidays. I just worked hard physically, some gym, you know, to take some power. Then I start to practice hard after one week very hard in the gym, I start to practice tennis, you know, day to day more hours. Finally, you know, I practice normal.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Just the first week. Just the first week. And then I do mix.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, is hard. I mean, you don't like to play against a Spanish guy because, you know, if he's Spanish guy, of course, he's your friend, and is not easy to play as a friend. But anyways, you have to play against everybody, you know. Sometimes we are a lot of Spanish players. Sometimes you have to play. So is the life. You can't do anything.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, yeah, of course. I will work in this way, you know. If I have to play, I have to play.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: What hero?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, I didn't have idols. I just love to watch the matches against Sampras and Agassi, you know, because when I was younger, he played a lot of finals, you know. I lean more from Agassi because I played like him, you know. I like to watch these match.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I hope so, you know. Maybe they can learn that I hit the ball very hard from the baseline, you know, and I try to finish the point in the net. I improve a lot on my serve. I think they can see this.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, to win a Grand Slam, it's a Grand Slam. Always will be a Grand Slam. But it's been if you win a Grand Slam, of course you're going to be in the top because it gives you a lot of points, like 1,000 points if you win a Grand Slam. And also if you win a Grand Slam, you better player, for sure. You have experience to win it, you know. Is going to help you in everything, you know, in experience, in confidence. You play a lot of matches, you know, against the top players. Because if you win a Grand Slam, you have to win everybody, you know, the top players as well. So it's pretty difficult. If you did it, it's wonderful.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Exactly. I come into a Grand Slam expecting I can, you know, win. If I win, I can do a great results here.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Thailand Open, I will see. I will see. I'm going to try to go again.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I smile when I finish the match, you know. I think for me, to be positive, to be concentrate, I have to be focused on my game, you know. I don't have to smile to somebody, say something. You know, it's difficult because you have to be concentrate. For me, if I smile to anyone or everybody, you know, it's difficult for me just to still concentrate. I take it this way.