US OPEN

August 28, 2006

Andrei Pavel

THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. Hi, Andrei. You played very, very well. How did it get away?
ANDREI PAVEL: Well, I don't know. I guess he start playing better. I don't know, especially third set was, you know, 4 Love with two breaks. I thought, you know, I have him.
The only problem is, I don't know it happens, I just started having stomach cramps. I went two times to the bathroom; I just had diarrhea. I don't know how it happened, but I couldn't concentrate that much like before, you know.
I had the feeling I going to explode in my pants, so it was not very nice. But, you know, he played well, too. I maybe made like few easy mistakes, but nothing major. He always came out, you know, with the shots on the line or winners. Still went for his shots the same way, you know, as was like maybe 3 All, not 4 Love.
I don't know. I think that was the key of the match. I think for him will be difficult to come back from two sets to one for me. Was really a tough match. In the end, I was tired. I run left and right, and he did the same.
He's still one of the fittest guy on tour. He's amazing.
Q. What was it like to be out there with that atmosphere? It was a record crowd tonight.
ANDREI PAVEL: Yeah. Sure, sure. I expect it. I was enjoying myself as well. No doubt about it. I have a lot of respect for Andre. It's normal that there are people like cheering a little bit rougher, put it this way. Of course, last tournament, they want Andre to go as far as maybe he's going to win the tournament. Everybody wants beside a group of Romanians, my wife, some other like Romanian press, they going to cheer for me.
But difficult time is when few people, they had too many like a drink or a few more, you know, then they just go straight to you, look in your eyes. You just go you know, they call you something or they say, You go home. Then it's not that nice, especially when you miss a serve or make a double fault, miss an easy ball.
You're very disappointed. Then somebody else makes it even worse. They know that. They do it extra. I think if we play in Bucharest, I have some Romanians behind me to do that against him.
You know, he's the man right now. I wish him well. I hope that he can go all the way because he deserves it. I think he wants it. I think it was a good match.
Q. What makes the man such a special man? What is so special to you about Andre Agassi?
ANDREI PAVEL: Well, I mean, I'm sorry to say, this question everybody can explain this, not only me. Andre Agassi, what's so special about him? He's one of the greatest tennis player of all time. Not much to explain. Not only the results he make, the way he play, the way he is inside the court, outside the court.
Q. What did you say to him at the end?
ANDREI PAVEL: I said, "Piss off." (Laughter).
No, I didn't say that. I say, "Congratulations. Great match." I wish that he goes all the way.
Q. Do you think he can go all the way?
ANDREI PAVEL: I think I played a very, very good match today. You know, I think I played more backhand winners than he did. It's tough to say. It's day to day. Grand Slams is day to day. Best of five. This was a tough match. We played over three hours.
Depends how he recovers. He has a tough opponent next round, Baghdatis, who played final and semifinal in Australian Open and Wimbledon. It's going to be tougher and tougher each round. With this kind of crowd behind him, he can do it.
I remember Sampras, nobody gived him any chance that year, and then he went all the way and he won the tournament. Tennis is tennis. He's playing great. The only thing is he has to hold the whole two weeks. I don't know if that's going to happen.
Q. The stomach cramps, was that caused by nerves or what?
ANDREI PAVEL: I'm not sure. I don't know. It just came like this (snapping fingers), then I had to go. I went to the bathroom like two times in about, I don't know, 10 minutes. I start feeling it like before. I thought like, you know, maybe I had the nerves or maybe a lot of emotion. I had to run fast.
Q. This is a tough crowd, well over 20,000 Americans at night. Are there tougher crowds you've played in Davis Cup or otherwise in your career?
ANDREI PAVEL: Yeah, Brazil.
Q. How does that compare to this?
ANDREI PAVEL: I think they were more emotional, more into it.

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