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MEDIBANK INTERNATIONAL

January 12, 2007

Carlos Moya

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

Q. Your feelings on getting to the final again?
CARLOS MOYA: Well, very happy actually. To be honest, when I got here the first day, I didn't expect at all to be in the final, not even win a couple of matches. I had a long trip from India. My last match there wasn't very good.
But here, first match I saved one matchpoint playing so-so, second match I played better, saved five matchpoints. It gives you a lot of confidence, no matter against what players you did it.
Then the match yesterday was awesome. I hit some great shots, and coming back from 5-3 down in the third. I was dead at the end of the match and also this morning when I woke up. So I didn't expect even to win today.
So what can I say? I'm very happy the way I've been playing. I beat very good players, and now I'm just one step away from the title.

Q. Obviously at this stage of your career what is there left for you to achieve? What is it that you want to keep doing? What brings you out there each week?
CARLOS MOYA: These kind of matches, full stadium and with such a good atmosphere and beating these young kids trying to become top ten players, being more fresh physically, I think, than they are, so that's something amazing for me. These are the things that keep me motivated, and that's why I want to keep going on for a few more years at least.

Q. Why are you fresher than the young players do you think?
CARLOS MOYA: Well, I don't know, but today I felt that he wasn't feeling very well. I don't know why. I guess he had a tough match last night. I don't know, maybe he was nervous, he thought he wasn't going to win because he'd seen my results these three days, and I had tough matches.
I don't know, I was dead last night. I went to bed at 4:00, woke up at 8:00 in the morning, couldn't sleep, then at 9:00 I slept again until 12:00. When I woke up I didn't know where I was (laughter). I was feeling really bad.
But then I came here, and also my warm-up was not very good. But then in ten minutes I changed totally. I got to the court and I forgot about everything. I played very relaxed, tried to play my tennis, go for winners and to see what happens. I had nothing to lose. I think I played my best tennis of the week the first set and a half. It was something I didn't expect, and then I got a little bit nervous because I wasn't expecting to be in that situation. He started to play better, as well.
But in the third I realised that I was going to have good chances to win, so I went for it.

Q. What do you have at this stage of your career that perhaps the younger players don't have? What can you use to your advantage?
CARLOS MOYA: I don't know, maybe probably more experience. Right now to be honest, I think there are better players than I am, but I try to put everything I have on court, to put all of what I've been living all these years. This game is mental, totally, mental plays 50, 60 percent of the game. So if I'm feeling well and feeling fit mentally and strong enough to go for every point, I think I have chances still to beat these guys.
It doesn't mean I'm better than them, I just played these two days against them and I was lucky that I beat them.

Q. Do you think you can still win more titles?
CARLOS MOYA: Yeah, I think so. I've been winning a title at least once for the last seven, eight years. I was semifinal last week, I am in the final this week. Being $400,000 is one of the toughest ones you're going to have for the whole year. I beat players in Masters Series final and Grand Slam finals and other finals, so why not. As long as I'm playing at this level, I think I still can win a few more tournaments.

Q. You've drawn James Blake in the Australian Open, as well. How do you feel about playing him twice?
CARLOS MOYA: Well, it's a weird situation for both of us, I guess. It's never happened to me before, so I don't know how we're going to deal with it.
I guess tomorrow we'll forget about our first round match next week, we'll just play for the title here and try to do our best, give it everything we have.
Every match is a different story. It's weird and fine feeling.

Q. Your last time here in 2004, do you have memories of that time when you played in the final? What do you think about your chances now of redressing that?
CARLOS MOYA: Well, back in 2003 I was really unlucky for what happened. I was injured and I had to miss the -- I had to retire in the final, I had to miss the Australian Open, I was out for a month. So I just hope this won't happen again. It's much better to lose than to be injured.
You know, I expect to have a very tough match tomorrow. Blake is playing really well. He's won in straight sets every single match. He's coming from the final in Masters Cup last year, he's the No. 4 player in the world. So there's not much I can say, try to play my tennis and enjoy it on court and be happy.

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