TMS - THE ERICSSON OPEN

March 30, 2000

Nicolas Lapentti

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: Well, I think the tough thing about playing Pete is that he puts so much pressure on your serve because he's serving very well. Most of the time he's winning his games very easy. So when you're serving, he's putting a lot of pressure. Especially if you're not putting a lot of first serves in, he's coming in on your second serve. You're always thinking about it. Whenever you have a chance to get a break, you know it's going to be only one of a few chances you're going to have in the whole match, like the one I had at 3-2, 15-40. 30-40, I had a pretty easy second serve return that I hit it way down in the net. That's one of the few chances I had. Then in the tiebreak, I just miss a couple of easy balls, and that cost me the match.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: No. It didn't affect my concentration. I think that's what makes the difference of being the No. 1 and No. 2 player in the world and being No. 9. When it comes to the tough situations, it was me who made the errors, unforced errors. Pete just play his game. Even though he double-faulted twice in the tiebreak, I had a very easy backhand volley on top of the net at 2-All, then I had a pretty easy passing shot at 3-4, I think. That cost me the match.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: I had the lead because I was serving first. He always was winning his games easily. As I said, I only have two breakpoints in the whole match at 15-40. He hit an ace on the first one. I had my chance on that second serve, which I didn't convert it. Well, that's what you have to expect when you play a tough player like Pete. You only going to have a few chances, and you have to make them. If you don't make them, it's going to be tough to beat him.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: Sure, there's a lot of things I can learn from today, a lot of experience. I played Pete once before this match. We played three tiebreakers out of the four sets we played. I guess there's only a few opportunities you have, and you have to make them. If you don't make them, it's going to be tough to beat him. I felt I was playing very good the second set. I was serving very well. I was reading a little bit more his serve. But he was coming with some good volleys, and that's why he's a good player, because he's tough in tough moments, in the key points. I guess I played a very good match, but it's not enough to win it.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: Oh, sure. Thomas is a great player. I was very lucky to get through without playing. Those are the opportunities you have to take. I was lucky. I got through the quarterfinals without playing. I had my chances today. I'm happy because the way I'm playing. The last few weeks I had very good results, but I'm also a bit disappointed because I felt I could have won this match today.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: It's tough to say. Andre is going to be solid from the baseline. He doesn't put that much pressure on your serve. I don't know. They're both great players in a different way. Sampras is always putting the pressure, coming to the net. You know you have to be very precise to win. Against Agassi, from the baseline, if you're in good shape, you can run a lot, you can give him some trouble. Sampras is more regular. That's why he's been there for so long.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: We'll try. He has to concentrate on his singles first. Whenever we can, we can play doubles.