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VOLVO MONTE-CARLO OPENApril 22, 1994Yevgeny KafelnikovMONTE CARLO, MONACO Q. Do you find it easier to play the top players than the players who are less highlyly ranked? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Of course. It is not that -- when you are playing against the lower ranking guys like, let us say, Rikl, it is tough because I have to defend everything because I am the higher ranking and it is much pressure for me to play the lower ranking guys. Q. This week always seems to take you a couple of games to get going. Is this sort of a general trait? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Well, I didn't expect, I mean, at all to be in the semis in Monte Carlo. Well, you know, when I saw Friday the main draw singles, I thought on Wednesday I am get out of that place to the next tournament, but Geez, it was a great week here. Q. Can you tell us something please about when you first started playing tennis, the type of courts you played on and the club you were a member of and all that kind of thing, please? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Yeah, I remember that perfect. Because we don't have any hard court or grasscourt. I start to play on clay court as always, like all Russians play, but you know, I don't think that I am clay court player because I mean, this is my great, great results on clay, first time. I don't know. It is strange for me to be semis in Monte Carlo. I beat Andre. Andre is typical clay court player. Q. You like fishing; is that right? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: That is true. You know, when I am at home I am spending most time with the friends; I am going fishing everyday. Q. In the Black Sea? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Yes. Q. What does that give you that tennis doesn't give you? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: You know, I feel more relaxing when I am home when I am going to fishing because it is -- I am not thinking about anything when I am going to fish. It make me feel you know, fresh, let us say, after that. Q. Do you wish to play Andre tomorrow? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I want. We never play on Tour. I only played when we were juniors and he always beat me. It is tough because you know, Jim is in great shape now. I cannot see anybody who can beat him now. Q. How do you like Monte Carlo? What do you do if you are not playing? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Such a nice place, especially now, you see it is sunny, nice weather. It is similar to my hometown. It is holiday place. Q. What are you doing if you are not practicing? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Everyday I am going to casino. You know, I am gambling. Q. I saw you there. YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Yeah. Q. Is your hometown on the coast? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Yeah. Q. How big a part of your prize money have you spent in casino? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I spent, let us say, I don't know, 10% of my whole prize money which is I made this week. Q. You are not 21. YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I am 20, but in that place Loews I am allowed to go there, but on the other place, I have to show my ID. Once I went with Andre Medvedev, and everybody knows him, of course, because he is, let us say, superstar, but nobody ask him for ID, but everybody was asking my ID. I showed them my passport and. Q. You are older? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Yeah, six months older than him, but they didn't throw me in, into casino, because I am 20. Q. When do you think was the turning point in your career? Was it in the beginning of this year when you were doing well in the Australian tournaments or -- YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: It happened like two years and six months -- two and a half years ago because I find my new coach. Q. What is his name? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Lepeshin. I finally -- when we start to work together and you see I am doing well on Tour. I think it is especially of him, because I think he is the great coach. That is why. Q. To be this good as you are right now, you had to work a lot, I think. What is in your mind right now? Is it to make it around the top 10 to be the best ever or how do you look at it? What is your goal? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I told everybody last conference that I say I want to stay top 50 by the end of this year. Q. I am not talking about for next year. I am talking about maybe in the period of four, five years. YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Well, it is really tough questions because you know, if I will keep working hard as I am doing right now, but anything -- I think in my opinion, I guess I can be top 30. Q. How strong is your will to be maybe one of the best tennis players in the world? YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Not that strong like everybody -- like Jim had or Andre Medvedev. End of FastScripts.... |
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