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US OPEN

September 6, 2003

Juan Carlos Ferrero

NEW YORK CITY

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. How do you feel? You get the No. 1 spot and you get to a US Open final.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I feel so excited. I'm really happy for both things. You know, is the first time I am in the final on the US Open. I am playing a great tennis on hard courts. I couldn't play this kind of tennis this years, you know, in 2000, 2001 and 2002, I couldn't play so well here. Finally, I think I'm doing like I want. To be at No. 1, you know, it's a special day for me. I knew before the match that if I win the match I will be a No. 1. So I'm really, really happy.

Q. When you won that point after the between-the-leg shot and then the cross-court winner at the net, you stood in the stadium and you lifted your arms up. What was it like for that moment to be cheered by the crowd here?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, I did this because, you know, it's a special shot. You know, is the second time in the tournament that I do this shot and, you know, it's pretty difficult. After this shot, he does the volley and I win also the point. It was a special point that I had to do this, you know.

Q. Did you feel, though, appreciated by the crowd which had been rooting for him? Did you feel, by their applause, they were finally appreciating you?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I feel the applause to Agassi all the time. But, you know, I think was normal today because everybody -- and also because he was losing all the time. But I think the people also, you know, is great for me, with me. I know is the first time I played in center court and beat Agassi, it's normal the people doesn't like a lot of, you know... But I think is normal.

Q. What was the turning point for you in the match?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: What?

Q. What was the turning point for you in your match today?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think, you know, when I was 3-2 on breakpoint for me in the third set and I lose this game, and also the set, it was a difficult moment for me. Because I was playing so good in the third set. You know, I thought if I win this game 3-2, and I did a break 4-2 on my serve. Was down to the match for me. Finally, I could win in the fourth playing the same level as the whole match.

Q. Obviously, people who follow tennis closely know who you are. Why do you think it is that the general public, at least around here, might not know as much about you as they might a No. 1? You're the No. 1 player in the world now.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think they didn't know me so much because I didn't play so good here in the US Open. America is pretty big. If you don't play pretty good here, the people don't know you. But this time I think the people is gonna know me very good. I win Agassi; he's very popular here. I'm in the final beating Hewitt, Agassi and Todd Martin - you know, one of the guys that are playing so good in hard court, and especially in hard court. So I think right now it's my time.

Q. Did you feel like you had something to prove coming in, you know, what we're talking about here, that people maybe underestimated you, also that you could play on hard court? You're always just considered a clay courter. Did you want to show you could on hard court?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think I show it before. It's not only this time that I am playing good in hard courts, you know. I think last year in Shanghai I played pretty good in hard court. This time I am playing pretty good in hard court. Also Australia I did quarterfinals, you know. So is not the first time that I am playing good on hard court. So I think I don't have to -- I don't have to show to everybody that I can play good also on hard court.

Q. Were you a little bit tired at the end of the third?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes, a little bit. You know, I think is normal because I played eight sets in two days, and four more today. So I feel, you know, a little bit tired, but I think I'm gonna be okay for tomorrow because I have a lot of hours to improve.

Q. Do you remember, when you were a kid, when you first thought about being No. 1? I'm sure as a child you dreamt about.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, not really. No (smiling).

Q. It wasn't a goal?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, was a goal, of course. Because all the year I was pretty close to No. 1, 2, 3, 4 all the time. Pretty much after winning French Open, I was pretty close to be No. 1. Also in Wimbledon, you know. Also in the tournaments like Kitzbuhel, you know, Montreal, Cincinnati. I couldn't be the No. 1. Finally, was my time here.

Q. Andre said that if it is Andy Roddick tomorrow and he is serving well, it is going to be very difficult for you to beat him because his serve is such a weapon. Do you look at it that way, that you're going to be behind?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I know that if he serves so good, it's pretty difficult to break him. But also Verkerk in the tournament of French Open, he was serving like 200, 210, 220 all the time. I did the breaks on the final. So if he wins, because we have to see, I don't know... Who knows? But if he serve very good, it's not easy to break. But we'll see.

Q. In a lot of ways you beat Andre in his own game today - using a big serve to set up your power baseline game. Was that your game plan going in, counterpunch him shot for shot?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah. I was focus my game on the serve, you know. I knew that I have to serve so good. Base of the line, you know, I was playing so well. I return very well as well. So I think I did the perfect match.

Q. After losing the third set, did you have any feeling at all that maybe it was slipping away a little bit? How did you get yourself back?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, I felt the pression because I knew if he win the fourth set -- I still had to win two sets, the third and the fourth. I was thinking that he was gonna be so strong in the fifth. Also the crowd start to support him much than before, you know. I knew that I have to try to win in fourth, and I did it well.

Q. Is there anything you've done this year to really step up your hard court game? Have you played more, practiced more on hard courts? Changed your strategy?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, I did the same. I did the same as last years, you know. But, you know, I know that when I am playing good, I can play the same level on clay court and on hard courts. I think right now I am showing to everybody.

Q. You hit so many winners. Are you in the zone right now? Do you feel like you can hit a winner from anywhere?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, maybe (smiling). You know, no, I am playing good. I am with a lot of confidence. I can do every shot.

Q. Some of the foreign players had complained a little bit during the last week that the American players were getting favored, poor treatment, scheduling, all that. Does it factor in you are playing an American? After the last week we had, was that part of the motivation for you to beat an American at the US Open?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Is strange that today is my first match on the center court. This is strange for me. But I know that the American guys go first than me here in this tournament. But the only thing that I want to say, that if this tournament wins a lot of money with us, with the players, you know, and they have to do some more people to dry the courts, you know. All the courts at the same time , not first the center court, 45 minutes later the Louis Armstrong or whatever, Grandstand, whatever. Doesn't matter. They have to have more people to dry the courts faster - not faster, at the same time. Because if not, it's happen like the other day. Agassi won in three sets to Dent, and I did only one set, only for the dry courts. So this is not right, I think.

Q. When you're playing then, and you're finally on center court, does that enter in your mind, "Okay, I'm finally on center court. I want to show why I belong here"?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I want to show was my time to go in center court, you know. I was on center court with Todd Martin, but for the rain, I had to go to Louis Armstrong. But anyway, you know, played semifinals the first time, I think is not really normal being the No. 1 - being the No. 3 in the world that I was.

Q. Would you prefer to get Roddick tomorrow?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, for me, it doesn't matter. If it's Roddick, it's gonna be the first time that I meet him. If it's Nalbandian, I played against him only in clay. So any way, it's gonna be difficult. But if it's Roddick, I think it's gonna be a little bit difficult because he's gonna be very motivated with the crowd, you know. He's in house. He's playing his first final. He came to win two Masters Series, so he's with a lot of confidence. We gonna see. I don't know what the score is right now. Who won the first set?

Q. Nalbandian?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: 7-6?

Q. Yeah.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: So we'll see what's happen.

End of FastScriptsâ€¦.

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