Gerry Webber Open - Pre Match Interview
June 10, 2002
Q: What is your impression of the tournament here in Halle?
A: Seems very convenient. The complex all being so close. Just walk outside your hotel room and, boom, you are at the courts. There are a lot of good things about this event I heard over the years from players who came here. So I decided to come. Courts, there are a lot of courts to practice on, and there is a roof on top of the court which is nice when it rains.
Q: Halle is a small place, what are you planning to do until you are actually on the court? What do you do all day?
A: That is a good question. I need to be told a few good restaurants here. I'd like to go out to see the town a bit. To go out to a few restaurants. I know everything is 15 - 20 minutes away. You know it gets a little monotonous staying in the hotel all the time and its nice to go out and see where I am at. Hopefully tonight and the next time I am here I am able to do that.
Q: And what are your plans for this coming year? What tournaments are you going to play?
A: Obviously there is Wimbledon coming up, and after that some events in the US and Canada. The one in Toronto and Cincinnati. Play the US Open. And then after there is the Davis Cup in Paris. And after that I don't know. I don't know if I will come back to Europe to play indoor. And in the future I will always aim for the major tournaments. In order to do well you need to play quite a bit. But I have not thought much of next year, but I'd like to continue to play. As long as I feel deep down I can win a major tournament I will keep going. Its kind of a tough going this past year, I am looking to turn it around quickly here. That's my goal here.
Q: About the situation like in Paris, you thought of stopping? How about the future?
A: Stopping is a very strong word, I mean its a very final word. Sure when there is moment when you have been working so hard, like I've been doing and you are not getting the results. It can be very deflating. That day, I will know when it comes when I don't play at that level, which I haven't been. But still I feel like when it comes to the major tournaments in that two weeks, I still have that ability. I still enjoy playing and I still enjoy the challenge. Its the biggest challenge I have had in my tennis this past year. Its the hardest thing I think I will have to get through. To win a major, if one day I win a major it would be one of the best achievements I have had. You know after breaking the record a couple of years ago, it was a tough place - 'where to go?', slipped a little bit but hopefully I can get back.
Q: What sort of strategy do you have to push your way, and not look back. What do you do after something like Paris?
A: Since you put so much energy and so much focus in that tournament, there isn't very much you can do. You go home and you are very down. You know, its kind of very depressing time. You put so much into one thing and not even get into contention. You're not even through the first match. Looking back at that first match, you played over your head for a couple of days, it took me almost a week to become normal and feel like to practice again and do things. But for the first week I was pretty miserable, you know for the whole year and for that in Paris.
Q: Good luck for this tournament then.
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