TMS - MADRID

October 20, 2002

Ignacio del Rio

Manolo Santana

Ion Tiriac

IGNACIO DEL RIO: It's been a great satisfaction for Madrid to organize a Masters tournament. We are satisfied with how it's all worked. Next year we will finish some work. We will have a stadium for 12,000 spectators. This new stadium will have a new area of locker rooms for the players. This tournament has shown us that Madrid has a lot of passion for tennis. They wanted to see a good level of tennis, and I think we've achieved that. I want to give my thanks to Ion Tiriac for having trusted that Madrid was going to be a good organization, and his contribution has been really important for our success. We had the problem in the final that you understand. We would have liked it not to have happened, but sports is like that. We have given thanks to Clavet and Moya for being ready to play an exhibition match. Juan Carlos Ferrero, we talked with him this morning, and he was already at home. He said if necessary he would come back to Madrid, but we will be okay without him, thankfully.

ION TIRIAC: I prefer to answer questions instead of making a statement. Ask my question, because we might have a better dialogue, more effective.

ION TIRIAC: I believe that the choice was right. I knew that the choice was right. I mean, having Spain for the last 30 years, maybe more, having players in the Top 10 every year, a new one coming every year, was logical. The fact that was surprising is that Spain, until now, did not have a Masters Series. On the other hand, I remember the times that I played in Madrid - as well as my players, being Vilas and Borg, other ones - and always the people in Madrid was tempted and responded to this. Now, do I expect that 103,876.5 spectators in nine days? No. I believe that out of Roland Garros and Wimbledon, is by far the biggest attendance for a tennis tournament in the world.

ION TIRIAC: 12:05, because they told me in the office. I saw Novak last night. He was quite nervous. Now he's close to getting into Shanghai. He told me that he tried everything. Moya and Clavet were asked to play. But Novak was very excited last night. Novak told me that he cannot move. The doctor told me that he was going to wait and see. We decided to put the doubles best-of-five. As well, we contacted Moya, who is in Madrid, and Clavet, who, without any retribution, accepted to play. I would like to say now in English and then I'll try to translate it in Spanish. It happened to me a long, long time ago in Essen. It was the first round. Steffi Graf went out to hit. I had 6,000 people, completely full, and she came back said, "Ion, I cannot play." I went on the court, told the people the facts of life, the reality. At that time I was more simple because we sold tickets on the day, at the desk there. I said, "Whoever wants to return the money, change the tickets." Seven people I had that day. Today was a little bit difficult and different. We don't have, and by the tickets that are sold, ATP knows the rules, TPL knows the rules, and it's a risk that somebody has to take. But we decided on the spot, without any back talk or anything, to give the people the right to change their ticket for today with any other ticket for next year from Monday to Sunday. I believe that is financially a big hit, but we have to take that. I wanted to say that after the final of Key Biscayne, after the things that happened to me in Essen and so on, I made the proposal to the ATP and to the other people. I don't believe that if Schumacher is not going to make 70 rounds, he's only going to make 69, all the others are going to pass him, he's allowed to take the second prize or the first prize if he doesn't finish the event. My proposal was, the two semifinalists, they have to stick on and stay. If one of the finalists cannot perform, automatically I think it would be fair for everybody, including the players, the guy to take the place, take the prize money, as well as the points. You're going to ask what you do with the rounds before. The same thing. If the guy in the second round cannot go to the third round, he's going to take the prize money for the second round and the points for the second round. It's the same for the first, second, or third.

IGNACIO DEL RIO: The organization is reviving certain aspects. After the tournament, we'll do a very thorough analysis. If necessary, we'll improve certain aspects. That's our obligation. We are a professional organization, so we have to push certain things. There are certain questions, like the reflection of the lighting, the training courts - the players, some of them have complained.

IGNACIO DEL RIO: We will improve that, as well. I want to remind you that normally in the tournaments, you get there by public transport. Next year we will have another underground station which will come very close to here. It will be inaugurated on the 22nd and will improve the access. The traffic is the same as in every big city.

ION TIRIAC: I wanted to make another remark. The players and the officials have said it's been the best organization ever, being that the training courts are so close, people can see them. The administrative part, there's things to do. I blame it on myself in a way. But it depends. Tomorrow we will start the installation process. Next year we'll be here with experience from the first year. The first time is always harder. But I have no doubts.

ION TIRIAC: I tell you something. I haven't looked at tennis in the last years, probably the last 10 years together, as much as I looked this week. I never had the time. The tennis changes every year. The ballistics of the ball changes every year. For me, for Agassi to stay with a player that could not miss a single tennis ball for about two hours, and serving an average over 200 on the first, over 185 on the second, and with the huge talent on both sides and a complete player, and changing his backhand - technical we discuss now - from three slice not to a lift, to a hit completely, and in, it was amazing. But then again I come back and say the kid is 20, Agassi is 30. He cannot compensate these 10 years. That's when Agassi learned in 10 years to stay with the player until the player is going to give him the chance. It's easy to have heroes after the war. I was with Manolo there. I told him when the kid took the new balls. Two ways. Four races, if not he's going to lose the game. He lost the game. You feel it in the air. Agassi could stay with him, and he was going to come over.

ION TIRIAC: Look, Spain has been waiting for 20 years for a Masters Series. I want to say the fact that Madrid is submitting an application for 2012 makes a difference, but at the same time we are competing for 2012. The structure is going to stay in this country. Building an infrastructure like this one costs a lot of money. It's not possible to transport it, forget this. The players are going to ask for their money, a lot of money (laughter). I have to sign a lot of checks. I honestly don't think it's a reality, an option. Argentina has had small tournaments with a lot of attendance, but still small tournaments. Between the players, we tend to group them like Spanish, Italian, South American.

IGNACIO DEL RIO: I think that the South American players will feel at home in our country. I've asked them why don't they play more tournaments between Spanish and South American, like in The Ryder Cup they do every two years. We hope that when we have the better facilities for next year, we will welcome them from very early stages. They can come and train.

IGNACIO DEL RIO: Madrid has to have an important role in world sport. We have to have the necessary infrastructure and have all the best players. We have been working on the Olympic project for a long time. First of all, the satisfaction for this tournament, I trusted Mr. Tiriac and he trusted me when the decision was made, and we had a lot of faith. Some people didn't think we would be so successful, but we want to really have one of the best tournaments in the world. We were betting who would have their head cut off, me in the City Hall or him.

ION TIRIAC: There was one year of negotiations, more or less, with City Hall and me. Three months ago, more or less, I said, "Mr. Del Rio, look, I have to take care of the tennis, and you take care of the installation." I'm also president of the Romanian Tennis Association. There are so many candidates for that. There are so many sports. But about tennis, I know what I'm talking about. The engine of tennis, of a tennis tournament, is not like motor racing. Yeah, Madrid 2012, the final decision will be made in three years. It's going to be a sport decision. I don't think there is a rival for Madrid from a sports point of view. With politics involved, that's another question. The infrastructure is going to be great, grandiose. In Spain, there are Olympic sports, multi-national. There aren't so many multi-nationals like there are in the United States. But here in this country, I want to thank the sponsors like Telefonica and others who have participated. My worldwide partners know what we're talking about. This Masters Series tournament I guarantee to you, the quality like this one won't be so easy.

IGNACIO DEL RIO: We won't take anything for granted. We have the obligation to submit our application that will be voted on by the Spanish Olympic Committee. We are submitting it to all the presidents of the different sports. We are convinced that the Olympic Committee will take the best decision the 21st of January.

IGNACIO DEL RIO: About $150 million, our commitment to have a headquarters of this tournament, like Paris has Roland Garros.

ION TIRIAC: $150 million, I just know the certain part that goes to the players, prize money, the rest I'm not too sure. For the advertising, we're going to have an independent company that will be able to locate funds for advertisement.

IGNACIO DEL RIO: We have reached a balanced agreement. He's a fantastic businessman.

ION TIRIAC: It's very difficult to compare. In my book, I have two players: lendl and Sampras. Where do you place Nastase, Santana, McEnroe? They all played in another era. Tennis

has changed from then. But I wanted to ask something to Manolo Santana.

MANOLO SANTANA: We've got so many subjects. I won't go on about them. I just want to give my thanks to all of you, to tell you that you can have access to me at any moment, I'm here for that. I'm satisfied that the public has reacted very well. The two players were fine. Agassi has been by my side. It's hard that we had to finish a tournament like this, but that's sport. I support Tiriac's proposal. I think the ATP should start to understand that the semifinal is just one more day. I agree with him and I hope the proposal will go forward.

MANOLO SANTANA: No, we didn't do that. (Inaudible) to approach Moya and Clavet. We didn't think of Agassi playing because the tournament had ended, he had his trophy, that was it. The page had been turned for him. Then the doubles took place, we didn't think of it.

ION TIRIAC: I have to praise Agassi. This week he's been great, not only with his game, but also with the media, all the aspects, organization. He's been very easygoing. A player like Agassi, to react this way, is great.