US OPEN

August 30, 2002

Gustavo Kuerten

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, I had many days to prepare myself for this one. It's a Grand Slam, you know, it's always extra motivation - especially you playing

No. 2 seed on center court. So everything makes you get every strength, every power you have and put on the court. I got many days to practice. I really put a lot of effort on practice and on the gym and everything to be ready for this one. I think everything came out in the right time for me.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yes.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: I'm very nice guy, so (smiling)...

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Well, I think I played correctly. Try to skip from easy errors, take my focus on the next point. It wasn't a day that I really played unbelievable from beginning to end, but I was able to maintain a great level. I think I was able to improve little bit from every set I played. Well, just I think I compete well and I did the right thing when I needed. So that's about one great day in the tournament.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: A few players. I think I had a great practice back home with Larri especially. It's like many hours doing different things. I need this to play well because I got to get the timing going. It's, like, many balls, doesn't matter who I'm playing. But I just need to have more and more balls to get my shots going. Of course, especially when you win, it's much more wealthy than the practice.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, for me I could say maybe is the happiest day for me this year. I beat the No. 2 in the world. Was the best win for me on this stage. I wouldn't say it's been too much frustrated, but it's been a lot tougher than, you know, than other years for me. The thing is, I was prepared maybe. I knew it would be like this. It wouldn't be a big trouble for me this year. I expecting all this tough situations, I try to prepare myself better for two or three tournaments that will be. There was the French Open, now here. It's like this. It's still little soon, but I think I can -- I manage to, you know, just to push myself harder in the right weeks.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Very nice (smiling). They always try to intimidate each other, you know. From that seat, it's nice to watch the competition and the way they play, too. In New York, just let it go at the end. Last seconds, they decide. But then just LA push it too hard. But it's okay. Was fun for me.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: When I was young - very young. But nothing compare with the level they play here in the States.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: To tell you the truth, I was even more worried about my first-round match against Boutter. That was a guy that I never had a win over him. So that was my main concern. Then after playing Marat, it was a little like I had nothing to lose, you know? In this situation he was much more favored than me. So that's the good part of it. I think I took a little advantage of that, and really played a great game today.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: No, no, Cincinnati, no.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: No, like I said, I had many days to prepare. I feel as I win match, it's much better than just to practice. So I feel ready for my next match and hopefully for the ones I have to play.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: I don't know. I am not - how you say - I am not a doctor. But this was sort of the same, but I think Diana can give, you know, more details about the real - I don't know - explanation, medicine explanation, what I did. But for me was like many weeks with out of the court and many weeks working. I think for all this year, I'm going to try to recover everything I had, you know, all the gap I still having.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yes. I think if I don't have pain, it's when I'm gonna die (laughing). The level we play, if you wake up and you have no pain, you have to try to breathe, that maybe you're not feeling yourself. It's just a pain in the shoulder, the legs, every time you have something going. But I'm feeling much better right now, and I'm feeling, you know, much more confidence.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah. It hurt a little bit, but it's nothing compare with the pain I had on the end of last year.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: It's tough to judge other guys. I don't like to talk about other guys' results or how playing. But I think he will be all the time a contender for every tournament. So that's because of the talent he has. So I'm sure he would be around for many years as far as he wants.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yes.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Is not interesting anymore for you (laughing)?

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Right now I'm not even me (smiling), I don't know. Is changing color every day. Is looks like it's different color. But is matching my shirt, so it's good.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah. Sometimes I wake up, it's like -- it goes red, yellow, whatever. It's okay, I don't mind (laughing).

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Well, I think at the French, I had to serve well to win my match. I did a couple match that I was winning there. Well, today was maybe a key point for my win. So I think as far as I play more matches, probably I will start to serve it better and better and get the timing going. Then you feel yourself just like ready to the next point.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Lesson... It's like no -- doesn't matter the past and the future, just the moment you living. So that's what I got to worry - when the ball comes, I have to hit or when I'm on the court I have to practice. When it's gone, it's gone and I just have to pay attention to try to make my present and my future better.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, little bit. Like outside going, like no really pressure for myself. I can take more chance maybe than other guys and play little more relief. But, like, from next match, maybe situation is gonna be different. So I'm not anymore and I'm never gonna be one guy that's gonna get to a Slam and nobody will care. People know I'm recovering, I'm trying to get myself on the track. But they know I've been around for a while, I've been winning many matches. So like Marat, you know, for sure he knew it would be a tough match as play me, especially in a Grand Slam. So I think I will always be trying to worry the guys in these tournaments, even if I'm not seeded.