TMS - INDIAN WELLS

March 17, 2000

Nicolas Lapentti

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: Well, I'm sure a little bit in the beginning of the second set. I guess nobody expected the match to go that way. I mean, not that I didn't have confidence in me to win, but maybe not that easy, especially after he beat Agassi earlier this week and then winning two tough matches. But that's how tennis goes. I guess I was the better player today, I was more focused, and took the opportunities.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: To tell you the truth, sometimes it's even tougher because you don't know what to expect from the other guy. If he's like that, he can just relax and go for the shots and then make shots you don't expect. What I tried to do is just get on my feet, try not to make any unforced errors, then just try to serve well and get some free points.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: Definitely it's getting back together. I think it's getting to the level I was at the end of last year. What's most important is I'm getting my confidence back. I think it showed yesterday when you get those tight matches, you go to a third set tiebreak. That's where it shows if you're really confident or not. The most important thing is I feel I'm fit again, which is very important for me, because I'm a player that has to run a lot. I'm feeling strong on the court. It's working out pretty well.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: I wasn't injured. I had a sinusitis. After Australia, I just took ten days off, then I was like 14 days on antibiotics. That took me off for a while. That's why. I'm feeling healthy again, feeling strong.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: Well, right now I would like to win this tournament. I'm now in the semifinals. I have never won a Masters Series before. That will be my main goal right now. Now that the tournaments are mandatory, it's very important to do well in the Masters Series and the Grand Slams, which is another goal for me. The rankings, it's just to improve my ranking right now. I think every tennis player's goal is to get to No. 1, which is very tough. I think I have a shot at it.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: I was a bit surprised last year. At the beginning of the year, I started 90. My goal was to finish in the Top 20, which I knew already was very tough. I finished Top 10. It was a bit of a surprise. Right now, I'm not surprised anymore. I feel like I'm there because I work hard and I deserve it. I just want to stay there and keep improving.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: He's a very good player. He's very talented. He hits the ball very well. It's all up to him. He's got all the abilities; he just needs to work very hard. He's very tall, so he needs to work on his footwork. Hopefully, yeah, we played some doubles together so far. We'll try to play some tournaments together. He needs to start on some satellites and Challengers. Hopefully we'll have him around in a couple of years.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: You can't ask for better weather than this. Sometimes at noon, one or two o'clock, it gets a bit hot, but it's perfect weather to play tennis. If you're not playing tennis, you have perfect weather to play golf. There's nothing you can complain. The hotel is very close from the site. It's one of my favorite tournaments.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: Definitely playing golf. There's not much to do when you're playing, if you are still in the tournament. You need to rest a little bit and practice, but if not, play some golf.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: I think it's very tough to say. They are both very strong players from the baseline. Either one is going to be a very tough match. I'll just have to get ready for that. I'm happy the way the match ended today. It was short, so I can recover from yesterday's match. I was a bit sore today. Seems like it didn't bother me. Hopefully I can get ready for tomorrow.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: Andres Gomez always, and Ivan Lendl.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: For sure, I do.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: Well, when he came back, all the players in our academy, in our club, went to the airport. We were - how you say - right next to the plane when he came out to give him like a welcome. It was a huge thing, then, with a huge caravan following around the city. It was really nice.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: It would be great. It would be nice. I think I'll just have to do a very big thing to deserve a welcome like that, which means winning a Grand Slam or get to No. 1.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: It could be. In Ecuador, we have only had one Gold Medal in history, which was in '96. It will be very big for the country to get another medal.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: I don't know. I think it's fast walking, is that how you call it?

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: When you like (indicating). His name is Jefferson Perez. That's the only medal.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: It's very important because our delegation is very small. I'm not sure exactly how many athletes, but it's not more than 20, I'm sure. I think there's a lot of expectations for me to do well there. It's also one thing that I like, which is play for my country. I love playing for Ecuador, either Davis Cup or this time the Olympics. I'm looking forward for it.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: Yes.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: Yes. I've seen him actually a couple times here in Indian Wells. Also he once came to Chile when we played Davis Cup over there a couple years ago. I haven't had much time to talk to him because he's not living in Ecuador anymore. I've had some words with him before.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: Not exactly. He's a big joker. He's always making fun and joking. You never know if he's talking serious or not.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: You don't want to know (laughter).

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: My dreams is to win the Gold Medal, for sure. It's a very nice site. First time for me in Sydney, I really loved the city, it's beautiful. I'm definitely looking forward for this. It's not easy to go in the summer, the end of the summer, and go to Australia, it's a bit far. The Olympics is very special, so I guess we'll just have to make the effort and get ready for it.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: It's tough for me to talk about myself. I don't know. Ask maybe somebody else. I'm very calm, very easy-going person. I think my best skill is I'm a great fighter. I love to play tennis, I love the game. Whenever I go on court, I just want to give a hundred percent. If I'm not playing well, I'll just run for every shot and do anything I can to win, even if I'm playing ugly tennis and I win. It's very special. Sometimes it's not only to play great tennis or beautiful tennis to win; it's just when you're not playing well, just put everything, your heart and everything in it.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: No, I think it's something I always had. I think my mental part is also pretty good. I can get out of tough matches. I like, sometimes, to fight back and make good comebacks. That's why I need to be very fit to play the game.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: It could be a chance. I think it's going to be either me or Jefferson Perez, which is the only Gold Medal we had so far. It's tough to say. I think I guess he deserves it. The Olympic committee will make the decision.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: P-e-r-e-z.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: No. I was playing at home. You, mean here? I thought you were talking about the Olympics.

NICOLAS LAPENTTI: I was playing a doubles qualifier.