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DAVIS CUP QUARTERFINALS

April 9, 2006

Fernando Gonzalez

CHILE vs. USA , RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions in English for Fernando González.
Q. Can you talk about the first set, what kind of turned it around in the second?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: I mean, I was dominating maybe in the beginning from the baseline. I was serving okay. Second, I was serving much better. But sometimes I feel that my shots, I mean, I can't do too much to Andy. He was running really good. It wasn't a good if I play long points. I played four hours two days ago, he only played two. It wasn't a good position for me. I need to win more some free points, and I couldn't because we was running a lot, and you feel it when you run on grass.
Q. Can you talk about the third set. Toward the end, you got some questionable calls, threw the racquet. Seemed like after that game the match got away from you.
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: I mean, it's really strange. I mean, I play nine sets, I play almost at least seven hours, and the same umpire didn't give me never an overrule, and he did it on really important moment for them, maybe twice. On Friday, 7-All, deuce. Today it was 4-5, 30-All.
But I don't want to say nothing not any more. I know that you can see the replays and you can make your own -- you can see that.
Q. Midway through the second and third set, you started to serve the ball slowly. Was it fatigue or your shoulder starting to bother you?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: I've been playing a lot. I've been having a problem with my shoulder. I don't have an important injury. But sometimes Andy was returning better, and I tried to change the speed on my serve. If I serve hard, the return coming quick and I have less time to hit my shot. But if sometimes I serve a little bit slow, I have more times to hit my shot and I feel much better sometimes.
Q. You said Davis Cup is the most important thing for you. How long will it take you from an emotional standpoint to recover from this weekend?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: I mean, when I get here, I know that they was the favorite. We come with big illusion, optimist to play against the States. But they was better. I want to wish them good luck for the next round. I mean, they are a great team.
Q. Hans said a day or two ago he thought Andy would have to play his best tennis to beat you. Do you feel that happened, that you brought out the best in Andy today?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: Yeah, in the third and fourth set, he start serving much better. But in the first two sets, when I return his serve, I feel very comfortable. I mean, on the baseline, I was feeling that I was dominating. But after was tougher to keep that level.
Q. Through the first set your conduct was perfect, ideal. You seemed very much in control of yourself. Now that the match is over, do you wish you restrained yourself more emotionally in the late stages of the match?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: I didn't understand the question.
Q. Do you think you got too emotional, do you think that distracted from your play?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: No, not really. When I put -- the Chileans heard, it's completely different for me. I'm not acting. I mean, I try to express my feelings only.
Q. Back to the James Blake match. The third set, wasn't there a game where you were behind 15-30, James hit a shot that would have given him two set points, but the umpire overruled in your favor.
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: That was the only one, I think. But, I mean, it's part of the game. During the match you can say many things. You can think whatever. But, I mean, you can see the replays on TV. That's more than anything that I can say.
Q. Do you remember the seventh game of the second set, you were really cruising very well. It was 3-All, 30-All. You hit what seemed to be a winning passing shot. He dived for the ball, fell on his face, won the point. Did that seem like a big point to you as you look back?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: It was unbelievable point. I mean, he did it twice. He did two diving. It was a really good shot. It was really good play. He's No. 4 in the world. I mean, he's a great player. I can't do anything about that. I was dominate. I think maybe that kind of point give him a lot of motivation and confidence. That maybe can be the play of the week. That's really, really good when you're on the court.
Q. I think it was James who said the other day that wherever he goes to play a Chilean player, their fans are very vocal. Talk about the Chilean fans and are they the best in the world?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: They are the best. We are. I mean, when I go to see soccer, I do the same things. Sometimes in Davis Cup, when we played against Slovakia, I was cheering like one more of the crowd. Wherever we go, we have a good support. That's that give us a lot of motivation. It's really a good feeling, especially when you play at home.
Q. Does that ever feel like too much, a burden, to have so many hopes and expectations from your country?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: Are you talking about pression?
Q. Yes.
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: I mean, we feel it when -- we learn how to play with that. After pression, I mean, it's motivation. I know we feel like motivation because we're not really good in sport in general in our country. In tennis, we did many good things for our country. I mean, it's the best feeling when you do something important and the people enjoy it at home.
Q. Up until this weekend, Andy has had a very tough year. He pulled out two big wins. Today did he play at the level of a top player?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: I mean, he's a good player. He have a good experience. He was No. 1 in the world. But I feel in the beginning that I was dominating. After he start to play better and my level get down a little bit. I couldn't hold that level for four sets.
Anyway, I mean, Andy is a good player, especially on grass. He been two finals in Wimbledon. That is not easy.
Q. He only had 17 unforced errors today. Was his defense surprisingly good?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: He had really good defense. Maybe you cannot see it because he have a good -- the best serve in the world, and you can feel that he's attacking all the time. When he have to defend, he's a good athlete and he runs a lot.
Q. It sounds like the match against James ultimately took a lot out of you. Could you comment on that?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: Physically a lot. Yesterday I didn't play the doubles because I was really tired. If I want to win today, I have to take a good rest because we don't get on the same conditions today. But it's part of the Davis Cup. You have to play all weekend five sets, and we know that. We coming prepared for this. We did our best.
Q. Did you start to feel fatigued sometime in the match? Was that a factor for you?
FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ: I mean, it's not easy to play against Andy not in your best shape. But it's Davis Cup. I mean, I tell you, Davis Cup is completely different. When I was on court, I forget about everything.
But now I feel it. I couldn't do any more. I mean, I try my best. I didn't have nothing else today.

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