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WIMBLEDON

July 3, 2007

Juan Carlos Ferrero

LONDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Juan Carlos Ferrero. Questions, please.

Q. After winning two sets in the third round, the tiebreak, what was going through your mind?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Today?

Q. Yes.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It was very important to win because the rain was coming again. You know, I knew was a very important match for me, so tried to finish in three sets. Also I think was very important to be fit as well tomorrow.

Q. How do you feel about the fact that Roger has had a nice long rest?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, you know, he has a little bit lucky with this match against Haas. But, anyway, if he had to play a matches or not, it's going to be the same tomorrow I think. Physically he's very good, so he recover very good, so doesn't matter if he played or not.
Tomorrow is going to be difficult same as if he didn't play.

Q. You must be pleased with your form.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I hope so. I'm playing good. Tomorrow I'm going to be full. I'm going to try everything. I know it's difficult to win because he has a very good record here.
But, anyway, I have nothing to lose tomorrow so I will try my best. I'm playing good, so I'm confident.

Q. Does it give you freedom playing Federer? Everybody thinks he's going to win.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, is normal because he won four times here. He wants to win the fifth to be in the record.
I know is his favorite surface. But, anyway, I like to play on grass. I'm playing good. I'm confident. He's a human guy, so I will try everything.

Q. Do you have a specific strategy?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, of course, I will try to attack more to his backhand. I think I will have to serve very good to try to keep my service unbroken. The rest, you know, try to return well as I've been doing the whole tournament and play.
You know, I played against him here. Was not an easy match for him I think. I will try. Is one more match. I know is special match tomorrow. But is human. He has a racquet as me, so I will try my best.

Q. Because he's had such a long layoff, is there a possibility he'll be out of his rhythm maybe early on?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don't know. I will see at the beginning. I will see how he will start, if he's with rhythm or not. But anyway, these matches are very long. It's best-of-five. He has enough time to get rhythm first, second, or third set.

Q. I understand you're a Real Madrid fan.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes.

Q. Did you watch the game when they won the title?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I was there.

Q. Big boost for you?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I was happy. We were suffering a lot.

Q. Were you sad to see David Beckham go?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Oh, the football. Yes, of course. I think he's a nice guy and he played amazing, you know, at the end. I don't know what to say.

Q. Do you think it will help you in way that you played Federer before at this stage?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It's a help because you have experience to play with him here. It's supposed that he showed the best level he has in this surface. Is a good experience, the possibility to play again against him. Play before, it's very important I think.

Q. Is this the best you've played on grass so far?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, it's the best result of course. Anyway, all the years I think I play really good in here. But I couldn't won the fourth round. That was very important for me.
But, of course, I'm playing a good tennis, the way that I want to play here.

Q. You had a great year in 2003. Do you feel you're a better all-around player than you were then?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don't want to compare. It's almost impossible to compare 2003 and 2007. It's a long way, a long time ago. I don't know. I feel that I'm playing very good right now.

Q. Where do you see yourself in this championship? Semifinals, finals?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: My goal at the beginning when I saw the draw, it's to get until quarterfinal. But right now my best goal is try to win tomorrow. Will be a very important win to me if I win. You know, go step by step.
Tournament is still. Doesn't matter if I play against Federer. I would like to win, of course. I don't have to think that tomorrow is going to be the last match of the tournament for me.

Q. Federer or Nadal, against them, which of the Grand Slams offers you your best chance of victory?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: What?

Q. With Federer and Nadal gone, which of the Grand Slams offers you your best chance of victory?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don't know. I make great results in every one. I won the Grand Slam in Roland Garros and I played more finals and semifinals there. Maybe I had more chances to win there.
But I like to play on hard court. I make finals, semifinals of Australian, US Open. Maybe Australia because I like to play there also.

Q. Could it be a good thing for you that the courts changed during the two weeks, it becomes more of a hard court game the second week?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I feel today that the Court 3, it's very different than Court 1. It was faster. Court 1 was slower. At the beginning I feel it a little bit.
Centre Court I didn't play. I didn't know how is it. But, of course, it's important if it's a little bit slower for me.

Q. How would you assess your opponent today?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: He tries to serve very good all the time. He make a little bit mistakes in important moments like 5-5 in the first set or in the second. I think mentally he was a little bit down because he lost the first set.
In the third he tried. I mean, I play good and he tried, but I think I play better.

End of FastScripts

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