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INTERNAZIONALI D'ITALIA

May 11, 2006

Mario Ancic

ROME, ITALY

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. It was a good win for you. At the end of the match, you were very exhausted, but very happy.
MARIO ANCIC: Yeah, the end of the match, I was really tired, which is very normal considering I played yesterday very long match, today very long match, on clay where there is a lot of rallies. It's very normal to be tired.
You know, I was injured couple weeks before here. So for me, this is really to get more matches on clay. It's really good. I played, you know -- each match I think I played better and better. The more matches I get, it's better.
I think Ruben played really well. Especially from the end of second set until the 5-1, I think he was playing, he didn't miss one ball. He was playing really good. And then, you know, unbelievable change from one, you know -- I got the break at 5-2. Little bit, you know, he made some mistakes. Then, you know, I was right back in the match. Won my service game, then played some great tennis after that.
Q. You were 5-1 down. Did you think you can win?
MARIO ANCIC: Yeah, of course. Otherwise, I wouldn't come back if I didn't think.
Q. What kind of injury did you have?
MARIO ANCIC: I had a back problem. That's why I didn't play Davis Cup and didn't play Monte-Carlo.
Q. Did you watch the Davis Cup?
MARIO ANCIC: Yes, I was there.
Q. You were there?
MARIO ANCIC: It happened during the practice sessions, so I stayed there. Tried to maybe, you know, if it was possible, do everything to play. Maybe doubles, but there was no way.
I had a disc problem, the disc.
Q. You've played a few finals in your career against players that in my personal opinion you should have beaten. But it's a question of the final or what?
MARIO ANCIC: It's...
Q. Against Clement, for example.
MARIO ANCIC: Yeah, I mean, Dupuis in Milan, it was my first final and I had many chances to win still. Every final was different. I think to Clement lost, I mean, he played really well that he beat Rafael Nadal, he beat many good players.
The only final that I think I played really not to my expectation was maybe this year in Auckland. I mean, a lot of credit to Nieminen. He played great, but I think I didn't came up to my level.
Everything else, you know, I had chances, I was there. While I didn't win it, I'm not too happy with that. It would be much nicer to see different scoreboard, but, you know, still I am -- hopefully, I can have many more finals and many more victories.
Q. I'm sure you will. It looks like you are so close to the top level. There is still a step.
MARIO ANCIC: Yeah, of course. It shows in the ranking that I'm improving all the time. At the moment I'm 15. Played -- this is my second quarterfinal of Masters Series. Last year I hadn't played that well. The only thing was third round in Hamburg. So I had two finals this year, you know, second quarterfinal of Masters Series. This is, I feel, improvement in my game, but it's also nice to see improvement on the results.
And as the one final I didn't mention was Davis Cup final, and that's not as well easy to play 2-All, which we did, we won. So I'm pretty happy the way it's going now. I'm enjoying, I'm working hard. You know, I show that I can play good on clay as well.
So looking forward to tomorrow's match.
Q. You missed matchpoints. How can you explain? Is it your fault?
MARIO ANCIC: No, he did -- he won first serve, second serve good as well. I chip back on the line and he make winner. Unbelievable, but shot good. Is nothing you can do.
Q. When is it that you came to Italy for the first time as a junior?
MARIO ANCIC: I played Porto San Giorgio. I won when I was 11.
Q. (Question asked in Italian and not translated.)
MARIO ANCIC: No, I played everything. I played Arezzo, Messina, Genoa. I won Genoa, Under-14, big tournament. I won my European Championship in San Remo, Under-14. Played Santa Croce, played Bonfiglio. Played many times in Italy this - how you say? - for Croatia, when we play the Under-14 team competitions.
I been many years in Italy.
Q. You should speak Italian.
MARIO ANCIC: Press conference, better to speak English (smiling).
Q. What about your match against Nalbandian?
MARIO ANCIC: No, for me, no, at the moment is most important get treatment, get well for tomorrow. I mean, still have two big matches. For tomorrow of course I think I am playing really good tennis; David, as well. He won Estoril and came here, quarterfinal.
But, you know, we played in Miami recently. He won pretty easy, so I'll try to make the job a little bit tougher.

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