TMS - MADRID

October 19, 2003

Nicolas Massu

NICOLAS MASSU: Well, I think, of course, I'm not happy. I lost the final. I wanted to go today to win the match, to win the tournament. I have a lot of confidence in me that I can won this match. Was not possible. Juan Carlos played better. I didn't play important points very good. That's the really difference.

NICOLAS MASSU: Yeah, of course, this is very important for me, Masters Series final. Not only you can play these tournaments and finals. For me was a very big tournament. I play really good all the week. With Roddick, I play unbelievable, my best tennis in my life. The other matches I play good, but normal. I think I have a lot of confidence, not just to play two more weeks, but of course to the next year. I have a better ranking now, more confidence. I think that maybe if I'm another final of Masters Series later, I'm going to have more confidence to play better than today.

NICOLAS MASSU: Is difficult to say because when you lost, is not easy to find the reason to know what you do good or what you do bad. Is not easy to play with Ferrero. I think that he play very, very good. I didn't play good the first game, my serves. Always I start the set losing 2-0. The other player feels more confidence. When you play with a break up, you play I think looser. I didn't serve the same way I serve all the week. In the last four or five matches I play with 70-something percentage of first serve. Today I didn't do that. But I don't know what I have to do. I have to see the video to see. But now is difficult to say what happen.

NICOLAS MASSU: Yeah, it's the most important for me. This year has been spectacular for me. In fact, the year started in March, because the rest of it I was recovering from an injury. That's why I do not take into account the first two months of the year. But since then, since March, I've been improving my ranking. I played incredibly well. I remember in February I made it to No. 105 in the ranking. But now I'm among the 15 best players in the world. I'm very happy. It's true that one always asks for more, but this is a very important step. I think last year my best result was the quarterfinals in Stockholm, indoor. But right now things have changed. I made it to the final here not being really experienced. This has proven to me that I can play indoors maybe as well as on clay.

NICOLAS MASSU: The thing is that today, this morning, I woke up and I learned that there was news that I had an injury to my back. There was someone telling me to lose weight. That's the information that went out this morning, but that's not true. I had an injury to my knee, that's true, and also to my elbow. Also I had a back injury, but that was years ago. So the news that went out this morning, it's not true. Last year was a bad one, because I had played six months, and six months I didn't because of injury. This year I'm happy because I'm playing a lot. Last year I spent more time with the doctor than playing.

NICOLAS MASSU: I think it's always important to support a friend. For me, Marcelo Rios is a friend. He's always given me good advice. If I'm able to help him, I'm willing to. I know what he thinks right now. It's difficult to think about such a serious subject. I think Chile deserves a player like him, but it's difficult to do things when you're not willing to. I think the most important thing is for him to find energy. He's a talented man. One doesn't really know. Depends on him.

NICOLAS MASSU: It's difficult because we are friends. The last thing you do when you eat with someone or when you meet someone is to talk about work, coaches, training, tennis. One spends all day talking about tennis. It's difficult. The thing is that he wants to come back. That's what he said. He's a big man, and he doesn't deserve to be among the rest. He needs to be on the top of the rankings. In my opinion, that's what he thinks, but you should ask him.

NICOLAS MASSU: I'm wanting to go to Stockholm. I'm confident. I'm going to arrive there on Monday. I'm starting playing Tuesday or maybe Wednesday. My idea is to win in my head, but there's the possibility that I play well like this week or not . One just needs to know. It's true Stockholm is a very important tournament, but my goal is Paris Bercy. I hope to end the year as high as possible in the rankings, to be able to relax, take holidays, and to be happy and proud of myself.