Post Match Interview
JC def. A. Costa 6-3, 7-6, 6-4
Q. Juan Carlos, are you sufficiently familiar with Martin Verkerk, or did you have somebody watch his match today, just to do some scouting?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah.
Q. Do you feel like you know him well enough?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I watched a little bit the match. But the thing is, last year in Kitzbuhel, I played against him one match and I won in two sets.
Q. He's a little different player.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I know, I know, I know. He's with a lot of confidence right now because he won very great tennis players here and, you know, I think the clay court is not his surface. He's a little bit surprise, but he's playing unbelievable.
Q. What's your key to...
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Return, return. I don't know. I will see when I will go to the court how I will have to return his serve.
Sometimes maybe I will go back, you know. Sometimes I will go in front of the line. So maybe, I don't know.
Q. Where was it you played?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Kitzbuhel last year.
Q. Are you more happy than last year?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: For the moment I am same happy as the last year, because I am in the final again, you know. I defend all the point, you know. I have the chance to win again, so I am really happy again.
Q. You had an arm problem in Rome.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah.
Q. You rested and everything's fine?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, everything is fine right now. My arm right now it's 100 percent. I can serve really good, really strong, so everything is all right.
Q. Were you concerned that when you had a two-set lead, this is where Albert gets going?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah. You know, when I sit in the chair and I see the score, two sets up, you know, I think a little bit.
But just kidding with me, you know, and I try to keep going all the time and try to be hard, you know, as the last set, so...
That's it.
Q. I don't want to minimize your victory, so compliments and congratulations. I had a strong feeling, I'm interested whether you share opinion, that it was not the real Costa? He spend more than 20 hours on the court. It was not real re-make of last year's final. In other words, even in last couple of games, looked almost as extremely tired man. He couldn't barely even stand on the court. What do you think about that?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, every matches are different. Last year, in the final, was not me, because physically I was very bad. So maybe he's a little bit the same as today. I don't know if he feels so tired, or he feels no also good, but I think I play great tennis and I win and that's it.
Q. Did you have a personal feeling that he couldn't move?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: He couldn't move?
Q. Yeah.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think he goes for the ball and he try to play his tennis. That's it. I didn't feel this.
Q. Realistic explanation, your personal, for this amazing success of Verkerk, even in the history of the game, it didn't happen very often, almost never, that qualifiers reach the final.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, I think he -- he's not a qualifier, first. I think in the second round, he went 5-1 down and love-30, three matchpoints for Horna. He saved the match and he's playing good, you know.
Like maybe Kuerten, when he won the tournament, and he came from the quallies.
So, you know, this tournament, it's give to all the players a lot of motivation, and you can start to play great tennis like he's doing. He's doing well.
Q. Four semifinals here now and two finals. If you're not successful Sunday, do you expect that people will begin to look at you in a slightly different way, as a very good player but not a great player, whereas if you win the title you will be a great player?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don't know. But, you know, one victory, it's make a lot of difference, you think?
I don't know. I think I am in the final. I have the chance to win. But if I win, the people, you think that is gonna think that I am better player than if I lose the final?
I don't know. Maybe yes, maybe not. But I hope not.
Q. Is there any special feeling to beat today the guy who beat you last year in the final?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, no, no, not really.
Q. Was it something particular?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Not really. I know he's a good friend of me and was one more match, one more semifinals, and I have to -- you know, when I went to the court, I was thinking that I have to try to give my best as the last year. Last year I couldn't move so well. But this year physically, I was 100 percent.
So I try to make all of my game and I did it very well.
Q. About the physical thing, in which way do you feel stronger than last year?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Experience, you know? I have a lot of matches inside of me. I think this is very important, the experience, to play. I played one final here and I gonna play again. I think is very important.
Q. Congratulations. You didn't want any surprises today. You had two sets under your belt and you said, "Now or never"?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I tried to stick to it. The second set was very difficult. But I think that from the point of view of my mental attitude, I may have been nervous at one point, but I tried to keep calm. Even when things were not going for me, I won the second set. I think this was difficult for him.
Playing a match to five sets would have been very difficult for him, and I suppose he might have been very tired because we were out there for two and a half hours. And I tried very hard during the third set to be able to wrap up the match - to keep it the same rhythm and not to let him win one set and gain confidence again.
Q. Last year you were injured and you were not able to play as well as you could. What do you feel this time around? Are you going after the title?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes, I feel very well. When you're physically fit, you also feel well from the point of view of the type of tennis you can play.
Of course, Verkerk plays very well. It's difficult to return his serve, but he plays from the back of the court.
First, I've played -- I have the experience needed to win this title. I've played in one of the finals. I've played with people who have strong serves.
Coria could have won today. He could have broken him. But it didn't happen. I hope to be able to handle him and to take advantage of whatever opportunity he provides to me.
Q. You've played here three times in the finals.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I'm not really obsessed by this. This is one more match. I have to be strong in order to try to win. If I don't, well, bad luck. What can I do about it? If I don't win, well, I just don't win.
Q. It's been well-deserved, but do you think that Albert has been at his best level?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don't really know. They've asked me several times this. He can say this rather than I. I'm running after the ball, I'm trying to retrieve every single ball, and I think he's doing the same.
I think I played well and perhaps he didn't play at 100 percent of his form, but he did make it difficult for me. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been a tiebreak or there wouldn't have been a 6-4 or 6-3. It would have been easier all around.
So Albert can tell you better than I can about that.
Q. In the second set he was close to winning, two points away from winning. Was he discouraged by this?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Physically, he may have been tired, but he tried throughout. On many occasions, he was close to winning the point. He's been close in other matches, and he was able to come back and win one set after another.
So we don't really know what would have happened if he had been able to get a set.
Q. All the important points you got. Were you better off mentally compared to him?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I know that I played better from a mental standpoint than I did the last time. This may have helped.
Q. How do you see the final match?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I have to try to return his serve. If he serves very strongly, it will be difficult.
But I'm also serving well. Otherwise, I'll try to take advantage of the opportunities he gives you with his serve.
I played him in Kitzbuhel.
Q. What did you think of him there?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I had never played against him when I played him there. I was very much surprised by the fact that he had such good ground strokes.
Q. Was this your greatest ambition when you were young?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I was here when I was 12 years old. I've always wanted to win here. It's one of my dreams, my ambitions. It's not an obsession as such, but it is one of my goals and one of my aspirations.
Q. Do you think it comes at the best possible time for you, from a physical point of view, and, also, from the point of view of your mental strength?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes. I've been playing well during the last month. I was slightly injured, but I am physically fit, so I think my tennis is fine.
Q. Today is a great moment. During the breakpoint, did you think about sending that stroke outside the court? You should have sent it out. Did it go through your head?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, I don't think what may happen. I wouldn't really do this as a joke, I wouldn't send the ball flying out of the court as a joke.
Q. From a physical point of view, this is the time you come in your best form, in the final? In a tennis point of view, do you think you're reaching the finals in the best possible condition?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I can't really compare this.
Q. Do you feel this is your best point from a tennis point of view?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes. In Monte-Carlo I played a final in the best possible conditions. I hope that the day after tomorrow I'll be very fit.
Q. You have to win this, don't you?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes, of course.
Q. Do you think this is a real possibility?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes, it is, but I have to be able to win over a giant and a very good player in order to do it.
JC def. A. Costa 6-3, 7-6, 6-4
Q. Juan Carlos, are you sufficiently familiar with Martin Verkerk, or did you have somebody watch his match today, just to do some scouting?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah.
Q. Do you feel like you know him well enough?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I watched a little bit the match. But the thing is, last year in Kitzbuhel, I played against him one match and I won in two sets.
Q. He's a little different player.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I know, I know, I know. He's with a lot of confidence right now because he won very great tennis players here and, you know, I think the clay court is not his surface. He's a little bit surprise, but he's playing unbelievable.
Q. What's your key to...
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Return, return. I don't know. I will see when I will go to the court how I will have to return his serve.
Sometimes maybe I will go back, you know. Sometimes I will go in front of the line. So maybe, I don't know.
Q. Where was it you played?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Kitzbuhel last year.
Q. Are you more happy than last year?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: For the moment I am same happy as the last year, because I am in the final again, you know. I defend all the point, you know. I have the chance to win again, so I am really happy again.
Q. You had an arm problem in Rome.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah.
Q. You rested and everything's fine?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, everything is fine right now. My arm right now it's 100 percent. I can serve really good, really strong, so everything is all right.
Q. Were you concerned that when you had a two-set lead, this is where Albert gets going?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah. You know, when I sit in the chair and I see the score, two sets up, you know, I think a little bit.
But just kidding with me, you know, and I try to keep going all the time and try to be hard, you know, as the last set, so...
That's it.
Q. I don't want to minimize your victory, so compliments and congratulations. I had a strong feeling, I'm interested whether you share opinion, that it was not the real Costa? He spend more than 20 hours on the court. It was not real re-make of last year's final. In other words, even in last couple of games, looked almost as extremely tired man. He couldn't barely even stand on the court. What do you think about that?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, every matches are different. Last year, in the final, was not me, because physically I was very bad. So maybe he's a little bit the same as today. I don't know if he feels so tired, or he feels no also good, but I think I play great tennis and I win and that's it.
Q. Did you have a personal feeling that he couldn't move?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: He couldn't move?
Q. Yeah.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think he goes for the ball and he try to play his tennis. That's it. I didn't feel this.
Q. Realistic explanation, your personal, for this amazing success of Verkerk, even in the history of the game, it didn't happen very often, almost never, that qualifiers reach the final.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, I think he -- he's not a qualifier, first. I think in the second round, he went 5-1 down and love-30, three matchpoints for Horna. He saved the match and he's playing good, you know.
Like maybe Kuerten, when he won the tournament, and he came from the quallies.
So, you know, this tournament, it's give to all the players a lot of motivation, and you can start to play great tennis like he's doing. He's doing well.
Q. Four semifinals here now and two finals. If you're not successful Sunday, do you expect that people will begin to look at you in a slightly different way, as a very good player but not a great player, whereas if you win the title you will be a great player?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don't know. But, you know, one victory, it's make a lot of difference, you think?
I don't know. I think I am in the final. I have the chance to win. But if I win, the people, you think that is gonna think that I am better player than if I lose the final?
I don't know. Maybe yes, maybe not. But I hope not.
Q. Is there any special feeling to beat today the guy who beat you last year in the final?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, no, no, not really.
Q. Was it something particular?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Not really. I know he's a good friend of me and was one more match, one more semifinals, and I have to -- you know, when I went to the court, I was thinking that I have to try to give my best as the last year. Last year I couldn't move so well. But this year physically, I was 100 percent.
So I try to make all of my game and I did it very well.
Q. About the physical thing, in which way do you feel stronger than last year?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Experience, you know? I have a lot of matches inside of me. I think this is very important, the experience, to play. I played one final here and I gonna play again. I think is very important.
Q. Congratulations. You didn't want any surprises today. You had two sets under your belt and you said, "Now or never"?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I tried to stick to it. The second set was very difficult. But I think that from the point of view of my mental attitude, I may have been nervous at one point, but I tried to keep calm. Even when things were not going for me, I won the second set. I think this was difficult for him.
Playing a match to five sets would have been very difficult for him, and I suppose he might have been very tired because we were out there for two and a half hours. And I tried very hard during the third set to be able to wrap up the match - to keep it the same rhythm and not to let him win one set and gain confidence again.
Q. Last year you were injured and you were not able to play as well as you could. What do you feel this time around? Are you going after the title?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes, I feel very well. When you're physically fit, you also feel well from the point of view of the type of tennis you can play.
Of course, Verkerk plays very well. It's difficult to return his serve, but he plays from the back of the court.
First, I've played -- I have the experience needed to win this title. I've played in one of the finals. I've played with people who have strong serves.
Coria could have won today. He could have broken him. But it didn't happen. I hope to be able to handle him and to take advantage of whatever opportunity he provides to me.
Q. You've played here three times in the finals.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I'm not really obsessed by this. This is one more match. I have to be strong in order to try to win. If I don't, well, bad luck. What can I do about it? If I don't win, well, I just don't win.
Q. It's been well-deserved, but do you think that Albert has been at his best level?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don't really know. They've asked me several times this. He can say this rather than I. I'm running after the ball, I'm trying to retrieve every single ball, and I think he's doing the same.
I think I played well and perhaps he didn't play at 100 percent of his form, but he did make it difficult for me. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been a tiebreak or there wouldn't have been a 6-4 or 6-3. It would have been easier all around.
So Albert can tell you better than I can about that.
Q. In the second set he was close to winning, two points away from winning. Was he discouraged by this?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Physically, he may have been tired, but he tried throughout. On many occasions, he was close to winning the point. He's been close in other matches, and he was able to come back and win one set after another.
So we don't really know what would have happened if he had been able to get a set.
Q. All the important points you got. Were you better off mentally compared to him?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I know that I played better from a mental standpoint than I did the last time. This may have helped.
Q. How do you see the final match?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I have to try to return his serve. If he serves very strongly, it will be difficult.
But I'm also serving well. Otherwise, I'll try to take advantage of the opportunities he gives you with his serve.
I played him in Kitzbuhel.
Q. What did you think of him there?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I had never played against him when I played him there. I was very much surprised by the fact that he had such good ground strokes.
Q. Was this your greatest ambition when you were young?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I was here when I was 12 years old. I've always wanted to win here. It's one of my dreams, my ambitions. It's not an obsession as such, but it is one of my goals and one of my aspirations.
Q. Do you think it comes at the best possible time for you, from a physical point of view, and, also, from the point of view of your mental strength?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes. I've been playing well during the last month. I was slightly injured, but I am physically fit, so I think my tennis is fine.
Q. Today is a great moment. During the breakpoint, did you think about sending that stroke outside the court? You should have sent it out. Did it go through your head?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, I don't think what may happen. I wouldn't really do this as a joke, I wouldn't send the ball flying out of the court as a joke.
Q. From a physical point of view, this is the time you come in your best form, in the final? In a tennis point of view, do you think you're reaching the finals in the best possible condition?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I can't really compare this.
Q. Do you feel this is your best point from a tennis point of view?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes. In Monte-Carlo I played a final in the best possible conditions. I hope that the day after tomorrow I'll be very fit.
Q. You have to win this, don't you?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes, of course.
Q. Do you think this is a real possibility?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes, it is, but I have to be able to win over a giant and a very good player in order to do it.
