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TMS - HAMBURG

May 17, 2001

Juan Carlos Ferrero

ATP: Questions, please.

Q. First of all, how is the stomach muscle?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It is okay. It was only for I don't want to have problems. It's better before the problems and after.

Q. Are you starting to feel tired or is the adrenaline keeping you going? It is 14 matches now, isn't it?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, it is. But, you know, I think was very difficult the first match, with Bruguera because it is the first match after the final and yesterday was okay and today I feel normal. I didn't feel tired and I feel all right for to play good tennis.

Q. Do you feel that on clay now that you can almost do no wrong, you look so confident, so controlled out there?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I feel very good confidence and, you know, because I won too many matches in clay court, so I have to take confidence. If not, is it incredible, no. (Laughs)

Q. You already played a very good clay court season last year. This year you went up a notch. In what aspects do you feel you are better this year?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I said the other day I think it's physical preparation. I feel more fresh in the first set and fifth set can go, for example, and I think this point it's very important for some players and for me it's very important for to play good tennis.

Q. I should know this but I don't: Are you playing World Team Cup next week?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah.

Q. You are going to have quite a program going into Paris.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I am going to play everything.

Q. What are your expectations in Paris at the French Open?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I go to Paris with same opinion like here - I am going to try to play good, you know, doesn't matter the expectation if I feel all right for to play good and I hope to play good. If I lose in first round, expectation is going to, I don't know... (Laughs) .... But I try to be very good there.

Q. As you say you are obviously fitter than --

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: What?

Q. You have been working hard on your fitness and gained progress from that. On court, in the actual matches, where do you feel your game has improved much? Is it simply experience and knowing even easier how to hit the right shots and when to hit them or is it more to it?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think it is improved when I play one very good shot and go to the net. I think last year I didn't go to the net so many times in the match and now when I have the opportunity for go to the net, I go and I finish the point. I think only I improve with my serve, I take some points free with my serve and it is important in some moments of the match.

Q. So you are preparing for the grass, are you?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah.

Q. Only teasing.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: (Laughs)

Q. Nobody has been able to win so far the back-to-back Masters clay court in how many years, they have been back to backs --

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Don't understand. (Question translated) I know it is difficult to do, but I am quarterfinals I am going to try, but I know it is very difficult because maybe some day I am going to be bad on the court, I am going to feel tired, but I am going to try to be very good and I am going to try to win this tournament also because I am playing good and I have to try to win this tournament because I am in great form. Who knows if in Paris I am going to play bad, so I have to take opportunity here.

Q. What does your physical preparation consist of? Do you lift weights? Is it more running?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, running a lot, you know, and in the fitness with weights and resistance, endurance, only that.

Q. Who do you expect to meet in the final?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don't know, I think tomorrow I have to play, you know, with very good players, Johansson and Gambill, dangerous players, I don't know, Portas is playing good, Albert Costa is playing good also. Gaudio, he won yesterday to Safin. I don't know exactly.

Q. What do you think about Santoro?

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Santoro played very good yesterday with his, I don't know, exactly what shot he puts -- (Laughs) -- very good for Santoro. FastScripts by ASAP Sports

End of FastScripts....

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