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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 24, 2001

Arnaud Clement

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

MODERATOR: Questions for Arnaud.
Q. You have a few more pairs of sneakers, I assume, since you gave them away?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: No, no, I have to buy some shoes tomorrow because I have no more. These shoes is not mine. Eric Deblicker shoes.

Q. Can you explain, we assume you had trouble with the glasses from the steam, was it? Were they steaming up?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: It was too sweat here, I cannot play. I have to take the towel between all the point. I prefer to take off the glasses. I need a few games to get used to.

Q. Was that an extra problem for you?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: Yeah, I had some problem today, but it's a little problem. Maybe my eyes is a little bit slower when I don't have my glasses, yeah.

Q. How strong are the glasses?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: It's a little prescription. I have nine like this (covering left eye), nine like this (covering right eye), and ten like this (neither eye covered). When you have normal eyes, you have 11 or 12 normally.

Q. Have you tried contacts?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: I cannot. No, I cannot have lenses. I'm astigmat. Doctors told me I cannot have lenses.

Q. A few years ago people were concerned that great big guys with great big serves would be taking over tennis. Now you and Sebastien have both proved that very wrong today. Sebastien has told us the troubles he had when he was told he was too small. Have you had the same sort of problems?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: No, not really. I think when you're told you can put a lot of aces, but when you are smaller like me and Sebastien, you can run faster than tall guy. Everybody has the qualities that go with the height.

Q. How exciting is it to be playing Sebastien in the semifinal?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: It's unbelievable. We improve in our tennis. We've been practicing together for five, six years. We start about six months ago. But we grew up together, we played a lot together. To be playing the semifinal is something unbelievable.

Q. How do you think this will be received in France?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: Really, I don't know. I don't have a lot of contacts. We'll see when we come back.

Q. Do you have any family here, or would any family come this far for the semifinal of a Grand Slam?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: No, no, not here. Really, I don't know in France what's happen.

Q. I assume that's the greatest match you've ever played.

ARNAUD CLEMENT: Here?

Q. Anywhere.

ARNAUD CLEMENT: No, no, no. I don't think it was a good match today. A big fight, but not really good tennis. A lot of mistakes from him. I didn't play a good attack game today. I was in defense all the time.

Q. Is it the match that has given you the most pleasure to win?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: Yes, I think so, yeah. I didn't play very good, but just for the -- just fight. It's unbelievable, in a big court like this, it was full, it's unbelievable.

Q. It has been a day of amazing match points. The final points of the match have been amazing in all the matches. Was that one today perhaps the most incredible match point you've played, to put up a lob and see your scampering across?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: I don't know. I played so many matches. In a quarter in a Grand Slam, for sure it's unbelievable. I cannot believe this match.

Q. Sebastien said when he arrived here he would have been satisfied with a place in the quarterfinal. What was your ambition when you arrived here?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: No ambition. No, no, in Adelaide, in Sydney, I didn't play good tennis. I lost two times in the second round against -- one player was 120, the other one 80. I had a good draw here, but I just focus the next match, the next match. I didn't have -- I don't --.

Q. Can we ask about the leg injury.

ARNAUD CLEMENT: (Translated.) In the afternoon, I had a nap. When I got up from my nap, I went to practice and then I was feeling my right thigh, it was hurting me -- right ankle, sorry. Then I went to play my match. At the beginning of the match it was hurting a little bit. I probably compensated too much on the other leg. That's why then my left thigh started hurting. Then when they put a strap on it, little by little it started feeling better, but I was cramping a little bit in the fifth set. Sorry, it would have cramped in the fifth set.

Q. Will it be okay for the next match?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: Yeah, I think so. We have to see the physio. But I think it's okay. Two days, and I have time.

Q. Did you watch any of Sebastien's match?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: Yeah.

Q. How did you think he played? Amazing?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: Yeah, he played unbelievable. He didn't miss anything. Didn't miss any forehand. Was good in attack. Carlos Moya cannot play his game today. He was just too strong, I think.

Q. Have you seen him play that well before?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: Yes, but maybe not in his first quarter, maybe not against a big player like this in a big event.

Q. Does it make you more excited or nervous that you have to play Sebastien?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: No. I don't have to think I have my friend in front of me. I have to think it's just a player and I have to beat him. For the moment, for us -- for us, I think it's unbelievable.

Q. You must know his game so well.

ARNAUD CLEMENT: Yeah, for sure. He knows my game also.

Q. You spoke on television about the bets with the coach of you. We couldn't understand.

ARNAUD CLEMENT: Ex-coach. I have two bets. I cannot tell you what is it, with the ex-coach, Eric Deblicker. After the third round, Sebastien and me in the fourth round, "If we are together in semifinal, we want something." I cannot tell you what is it.

Q. Will you tell us after the match?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: No, no, no, no.

Q. What is the secret?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: No, it's not a secret.

Q. Will we discover it from watching the match?

ARNAUD CLEMENT: No, no, no. It's not during the match. It's tonight or tomorrow night.

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