2002 Tennis Masters Series Monte Carlo
Date: 2002-04-17
Safin def. Gasquet 6-4, 6-1

Question What is your main feeling after that match? Is it happiness after a good first set? The second was not so good.
Answer It's already very good to be in the second round of such a tournament, so the only thing you can feel is happiness. He played well. He is among the best players in the world. It's not easy to play against such a player. My score was a good one. It wasn't easy.

Question Did you have the feeling that if you had succeeded in coming back at 5-all, it could have changed many things?
Answer Maybe. But in the important moments, that kind of player always fights a lot. So it would have been very difficult all the same.

Question Did you feel he was a bit nervous, a bit trembling?
Answer Yes, maybe he was a bit trembling. But even at 5-all he would have played well because he's not just anybody. So I believe it would have been difficult.

Question In the second set what happened? You were aggressive in the first points of the set, you tried to do something and then...?
Answer I was a bit tired. I had won three matches which were quite difficult against very good players. It was very difficult playing today. Especially if you're not at your best against such a player, you don't make many games.

Question Were you trying to take more risks?
Answer No, but he was making less errors and I was a bit tired. It was not easy.

Question Was it a nervous tiredness?
Answer No, mainly physical. I was a bit nervous in the beginning. But after, that kind of thing goes away. It was mainly physical.

Question When you were in the locker rooms a few minutes before you entered the court, how were you?
Answer A bit nervous. But it was a great match to play, so that was normal. But I was quite nervous, that's for sure.

Question How can you explain that you were able to defend yourself in the game? We had the impression, though, that you had trouble with your serve, especially the first serves.
Answer I was quite tired, so it was not easy to push with my legs. So I was not serving very well, that's for sure.

Question Did you feel any difference between this player and your other opponents?
Answer For sure. He's among the Top 10 in the world. The others are just Top 50 or 100, and that makes a great difference in the game.

Question His shots are heavier?
Answer Yes. He returns and serves better, so it's more difficult of course.

Question Are you another player now?
Answer No, no (laughing). Now I'll have to go back to the smaller tournaments because I'm not going to play tournaments like this one all the time. First I will have to win the little tournaments, and then we'll see.

Question In the locker rooms, the other players look at you differently?
Answer They look at me more than in the beginning of course. But... a little bit more, yes.

Question We have the impression that you were able to read his game pretty fast. In the first game, on his serve, you didn't return very well. But after, it came well. Is it one of your qualities - good vision of the game, of the opponent, to feel where he's going to play? We have the impression you knew where he was going to put the ball.
Answer I don't know. Usually I can read serves pretty well and all that. But such a player serves super well. I was able to read his serve, but it was still very difficult to return afterwards. I returned quite well today, that's true.

Question Now what is your program?
Answer I'm going to play the smaller tournaments from ATP and junior tournaments.

Question The French Open will be in juniors or seniors?
Answer Juniors.

Question In seniors it won't be before next year or in two years?
Answer I don't know. I'll try to do my best in juniors.

Question And if you are offered a wildcard for the French Open...?
Answer Well, for sure I would take it. But it's not certain I will be offered one. And if they don't offer me one, it's not bad at all. I will concentrate already on the junior tournaments.

Question You're not going to play the quallies for the French Open?
Answer No. There's a preparation tournament in the French Open for juniors, so I won't be in the quallies.

Question What is your program for the next days? Is it rest?
Answer Originally I was supposed to go to Germany. But with the results I had here, I would rather rest and not go there. Afterwards, I don't know.