DAVIS CUP - ITALY vs USA

September 25, 1998

Jan Michael Gambill

Q. Difficult debut, Jan-Michael. You played awfully well. Why do you feel you lost?

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: Well, Bud, I don't think I played that well. I don't think I served very well the entire day. Way too nervous at the start, even though I won the second set. Really poor tiebreakers obviously.

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: Yeah, I was a little nervous. And just stupid, really wasn't moving very well and can't be very happy about that first set.

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: Just didn't make the right decisions and didn't play the right shots. He played some good tennis; hit some good serves and I didn't. I hit all second serves in the first tiebreaker, I think, and you can't win like that.

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: I don't think so. I don't think I have ever been that nervous, but it went away after the first set so it is certainly not an excuse after that first set.

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: Definitely. I still was serving 4-3 in the fourth set and gave it back to him. He didn't really earn that game. I missed an easy volley at 15-All and just made some stupid errors. Then got to a tiebreaker and just didn't quite have it.

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: Yeah, I think so on every one, it gave me hope every time that I saved one and I put forth as much effort as I possibly could and did my best and it just wasn't enough. Very disappointing.

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: No, it was pretty much how I thought it was going to be. The crowd was behind me and, you know, the crowd was great. Everybody really wanted to see me win and just didn't quite have it out there. But I guess it is a good experience, hopefully the next match I will come out and play better. I will play better in the next match.

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: Not really. I personally hope that we just win the next three and it is over with. But if it comes with the fifth match, I will be ready to play.

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: No.

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: You know, typical Italian, you know, grew up on clay and has great groundstrokes and serves fairly well. I watched Andre beat up on him at the US Open so I know a little bit about his game.

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: A little bit of both. He has given me good advice, keep my feet moving and trying to help me with my serve a little bit. Gully was great and he did help a little; he kept me going, especially in the third set: "Keep trying" and it is helpful to have him out there.

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: Yeah, definitely. I think this a lot more disappointing to lose this match then any that I have ever played before. Even third round US Open, even though I had a great chance there, this is far more disappointing in my mind. I am playing for more than just myself and doesn't feel great.

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: No, I looked just looked at it as a bad first set; that is why you have three out of five, gives you a chance to really fight hard and I certainly evened it up after the second set. So there is no helplessness out there, just -- I don't want to take anything away from Gaudenzi, he played a good match. He is a good player. I feel like I could have done a few more things.

JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL: I think the experience today will help me.