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PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 14, 2006

Marcos Baghdatis

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Marcos.
Q. Do you consider that a good win out there today?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: A great win. It was tough out there. Gaudio was playing great tennis, so it was tough. I fought for it. Second and third set, I started playing better in important points. I think that's what made the difference.
Q. Is this as good as you felt since Australia?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Not as good. But, I mean, is a great victory. You cannot play every day your best tennis. The most important thing is that I found the solution to win. I'm very happy about that.
Q. At the end, he looked demoralized. Do you think you really closed him out?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: I don't know. You have to ask him.
I played my tennis. That's all. I mean, I played good. In the last two sets, I played solid tennis. I'm very happy.
Q. How much has your life changed since Australia?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Oh, a lot. I mean, I'm more famous. When you're famous, your life changes (smiling).
Q. How has that been to deal with so far?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Okay, because I have a great team around me that helps me deal with it okay. For the moment, everything going well.
Q. Have you changed at all? Do you feel different?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Feel different, no. I don't think I'll change because, like I said, I have a great team around me that keeps me who I am, just makes me shut up if I go with a big head (smiling).
I don't feel like I change.
Q. How about changing on the court?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: On the court, no, no.
Q. Confidence?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: A bit of confidence, but I had confidence even before. I mean, you cannot go to a final without confidence, of a Grand Slam. I think the confidence I had before in me.
Q. Before when you played as the underdog, there were no real expectations. Now because you've reached a Grand Slam, people are looking at you with expectations.
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: They're waiting something from me. I feel that.
Q. Does that put pressure on you?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Yeah, it's more pressure. But for the moment, I deal with it okay. Like I said, I mean, it's just the whole team thing. My team around me, they help me for everything. They help me to keep the same, to go to the matches the same way and keep my routines, my old routines.
So really I don't feel so much the pressure.
Q. Sitting with your coach, I notice there's a huge relationship between you. You look at him and you seem to really feed off him and the crowd.
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Yeah, he helps me a lot. It's really nice to have somebody that you feel like best friend or a brother to you, that gives you so much confidence and so much will to win every point and be there every time, not to give up.
He's a great fighter, so I respect him a lot. He's a bit not my idol, but he's somebody that I respect a lot. So sometimes I play for him. To win a match, sometimes I do it for him. It helps me a lot.
Q. Your parents didn't come to watch you in Australia. Will they come?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: I don't know. I don't think so, no.
Q. When you talk about your team, who is in your team?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: My coach, girlfriend, parents, the academy, my manager. Big team (smiling).
Q. Can you tell us how you prepared for this tournament, how much rest you've had since Australia?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: After Australia, I mean, I played in Marseille. I was a bit tired. I had pain a bit on the ankle. I lost to Mario. I went to Rotterdam. I got injured there. I said that's enough, maybe I have to stop. That's what I did.
I took like four or five days off, then I start practicing physically. Had a week and a half for physical, then I came here one week before or five days before. I played some practice matches. That's how I prepared. Nothing special.
Q. What was the injury?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Just the groin, ischio.
Q. Do you feel more famous now, more recognizable?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Yeah.
Q. Is that more fun than being overlooked a bit?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: No. Sometimes you don't have your personal life, so sometimes is not so much fun. But that's life. I mean, I will not start crying about it.
Q. Do you play Berdych next?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Yes.
Q. Have you played him before?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: I don't think so. I don't remember. Maybe in Juniors, but I don't know. I don't think so.
Q. He's the same age as you, isn't he?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Yes.
Q. Are you looking forward to that match?
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Of course, like every match.

End of FastScripts...

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