Houston Round Table: Juan Carlos Ferrero
Below is a partial transcript of Juan Carlos Ferrero's round-table media conference at Tennis Masters Cup Houston on Sunday.
Q: There's no prospect of you -- you've got a very big event coming up after this -- there's no prospect of your concentration being a little like that because you've got a big event coming up? You're very focused?
A: I am focused right now on this tournament. I have a big event in next two weeks, you know. I have to be ready for both things, you know. It's hard to be ready for both things.
Q: Last year you played in Shanghai. This year in Houston. What do you think about the two cities?
A: You know, I never been in Houston. Shanghai, you know, we were walking the street, you know, and everything. Here, I think we are far away from the downtown.
Q: Last year you played and unfortunately you lost in the final. So what about this year, do you want to win the championship?
A: What do you think (laughing)? Of course I want to win, but I know it's very difficult. We are very good eight players. Everyone has to want to do very well, you know. I think we're gonna fight all together.
Q: I know you were very disappointed last year in Shanghai. Are you pleased how you've recovered from that and had such a good year this year? That was a real blow for you, wasn't it, losing that final?
A: Yeah, I think I take a lot of experience from that final. I take from that final that you can go to sit down and I go through and still playing good, you know, and go through five sets with chances to win. And I take also from that final that, you know, I take the experience to play a big final like a Masters Cup, you know.
Q: Was it an inspiration for you, in a negative way? You lost, but you wanted to drive on and really make this year a good year for you?
A: Yeah, of course. I think this final helped me a lot, you know, to take a lot of confidence in me, you know, and of course in difficult moments. And also I wanted to win this tournament because last year I was very close, you know, to win. I'll try it.
Q: Do you have any thoughts about having had two months playing indoors, now you've got the final match on the outdoors here. Could that be a problem for everybody or what?
A: I don't think so, you know. Because every tournament, only we are playing two months in indoor court, the rest of the year we are playing in outdoor courts. So we like to play in outdoor courts more than indoor courts.
Q: How do you feel? Do you have any problems?
A: I'm okay. Yeah, little bit, but I'm okay. I'm okay. Right now, you know, I take some rest last week and I came here without problems.
Q: How would you sum up your year so far? I mean, breaking through with two Masters, one Grand Slam.
A: Yeah, I think I played great this year. Fantastic year. I won a Grand Slam, I won two Masters Series -- one on hard court and also indoor court, and I won on clay court. I played very, very well the whole time. I think it's the reason that I am in the Masters again. You know, I got the No. 1. That was very important to me, you know. So I want to finish the year like I played the whole year.
Q: You seem to have a very calm and controlled attitude towards life as well as your tennis. Is that something you've always been good at? Is there a temper we haven't seen? You're always so cool and concentrated.
A: Yeah, I try all the time. I think to play good in tennis, you have to be low key. Always my coach told me that about playing good tennis, you have to be very concentrate, very cool, you know, all the time if you want to play good the next point. So, you feel happy, you can play good.
Q: Do you think the best thing would be, for the final, would be you against Roddick again, with everything on the line? That would be the perfect final match?
A: Yeah, because maybe in the final, deciding who's gonna be the No. 1. So for the crowd, for the tournament, it will be perfect. For me, if he lose early, that's okay (laughter).
Below is a partial transcript of Juan Carlos Ferrero's round-table media conference at Tennis Masters Cup Houston on Sunday.
Q: There's no prospect of you -- you've got a very big event coming up after this -- there's no prospect of your concentration being a little like that because you've got a big event coming up? You're very focused?
A: I am focused right now on this tournament. I have a big event in next two weeks, you know. I have to be ready for both things, you know. It's hard to be ready for both things.
Q: Last year you played in Shanghai. This year in Houston. What do you think about the two cities?
A: You know, I never been in Houston. Shanghai, you know, we were walking the street, you know, and everything. Here, I think we are far away from the downtown.
Q: Last year you played and unfortunately you lost in the final. So what about this year, do you want to win the championship?
A: What do you think (laughing)? Of course I want to win, but I know it's very difficult. We are very good eight players. Everyone has to want to do very well, you know. I think we're gonna fight all together.
Q: I know you were very disappointed last year in Shanghai. Are you pleased how you've recovered from that and had such a good year this year? That was a real blow for you, wasn't it, losing that final?
A: Yeah, I think I take a lot of experience from that final. I take from that final that you can go to sit down and I go through and still playing good, you know, and go through five sets with chances to win. And I take also from that final that, you know, I take the experience to play a big final like a Masters Cup, you know.
Q: Was it an inspiration for you, in a negative way? You lost, but you wanted to drive on and really make this year a good year for you?
A: Yeah, of course. I think this final helped me a lot, you know, to take a lot of confidence in me, you know, and of course in difficult moments. And also I wanted to win this tournament because last year I was very close, you know, to win. I'll try it.
Q: Do you have any thoughts about having had two months playing indoors, now you've got the final match on the outdoors here. Could that be a problem for everybody or what?
A: I don't think so, you know. Because every tournament, only we are playing two months in indoor court, the rest of the year we are playing in outdoor courts. So we like to play in outdoor courts more than indoor courts.
Q: How do you feel? Do you have any problems?
A: I'm okay. Yeah, little bit, but I'm okay. I'm okay. Right now, you know, I take some rest last week and I came here without problems.
Q: How would you sum up your year so far? I mean, breaking through with two Masters, one Grand Slam.
A: Yeah, I think I played great this year. Fantastic year. I won a Grand Slam, I won two Masters Series -- one on hard court and also indoor court, and I won on clay court. I played very, very well the whole time. I think it's the reason that I am in the Masters again. You know, I got the No. 1. That was very important to me, you know. So I want to finish the year like I played the whole year.
Q: You seem to have a very calm and controlled attitude towards life as well as your tennis. Is that something you've always been good at? Is there a temper we haven't seen? You're always so cool and concentrated.
A: Yeah, I try all the time. I think to play good in tennis, you have to be low key. Always my coach told me that about playing good tennis, you have to be very concentrate, very cool, you know, all the time if you want to play good the next point. So, you feel happy, you can play good.
Q: Do you think the best thing would be, for the final, would be you against Roddick again, with everything on the line? That would be the perfect final match?
A: Yeah, because maybe in the final, deciding who's gonna be the No. 1. So for the crowd, for the tournament, it will be perfect. For me, if he lose early, that's okay (laughter).
