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U.S. OPEN

September 3, 2011

Juan Carlos Ferrero

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

J. FERRERO/M. Granollers
6-1, 4-3 (ret.)

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. First of all, congratulations on your run. My question is a general one. American tennis is known for power; French tennis is known for sort of a flare and versatility. How would you characterize Spanish tennis? If you had to put it into a general picture, why the great success of Spanish tennis over these years?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: That question, you know, people ask me a lot of times. First of all is because we have great academies in Spain. Second one, we have great coaches. Third one, I think we have a lot of tournaments when we are young to start playing, like a futures, challengers, and I think this helps a lot.
I don't know what else.

Q. The patience and the strength off the ground, is that another aspect? What about way back in the Barcelona Olympics? Did that help with all the facilities that were put in?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, was long time ago. Could be. I don't know. Of course, maybe it was at the beginning, strong beginning.
Yeah, since then, people get motivated, and the facilities you're talking about maybe helps a lot to start growing up in tennis.

Q. Speaking of academies, in some ways having your own academy, does that help you as a player in any way?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I hope to help another guys more than maybe is helping me.
I have the facilities over there to practice all day, not to take a car because I am living there. But I hope in the future or just now, you know, help other guys to get into the top players, sure.

Q. How are you feeling about your next opponent?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, I think he's playing very well not only this tournament, but two weeks ago he played semifinals in Montreal. He's in his highest ranking right now, so for sure he's gonna be very motivated to play. I know very well he's playing his best tennis now.

Q. You guys have played together before, right?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah.

Q. Do you have a winning record?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think I'm -- yeah. I don't know. Maybe two or three times. I always won, so...

Q. How do you feel physically after your long match in the last round and now a very short match? How do you feel physically? Second question, there are a couple of players above 30. You're one of them. Why do you think it is all the players are so successful at this tournament right now?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Second one because we are not that old. I mean, 30 years old is not to get successful in any tournament. The first one, what was the first one?

Q. How do you feel physically?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Obviously I felt yesterday very tired, of course. Today I was a little bit better, but still, you know, very tired in all my body. Of course, helped me a little bit with Marcel today because I was tired. I was hoping to not play a long match, but, yeah, of course 1 to 10 I'm tired 6 or 7 today, for sure.

Q. There has been several retirements at this tournament. I think 14 in total.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don't know why.

Q. You don't know why?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don't know why. It's very difficult to say. I mean, I was talking a guy up there in the lunchroom and he asked me the same. He showed me that the record was 10 and now it's 14.
That year it was 10, I still don't know why is happening this. It's difficult to say. Yeah, very difficult.

Q. This may be a difficult question. I apologize.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Don't ask. (Laughter.)

Q. But in the great Davis Cup in Seville against United States, obviously Rafa was put in. He talks in his book about how he was wondering what's happening and how it was difficult. Was that a difficult moment in your career? Was that something that had any impact?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think is not a right moment to talk about it. Of course it was difficult for me, because I was, you know, playing very well at that moment.
But if the captains choose Rafa to play, you know, that's the way it is Davis Cup.

Q. Was that something you were able to get over fairly quickly, or did it take a while?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Very quickly.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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