INTERVIEW - August 19, 2006
J. FERRERO/R. Nadal
7-6, 7-6
Q. Was that the best match you've played in a long time? Can you remember the last time you've played this well?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, I was playing pretty well in the last two months. I didn't get a result, but I felt very good in the court in the matches.
Anyway, today I felt really comfortable in the court and with a lot of confidence with my forehand. That was one of the keys of the match, you know. I did a lot of points, I make a lot of points with my forehand all the time, and I try to get it in the court and try to get the point quickly because, you know, he moves very well in the court and it's also difficult to get the point in this kind of surface.
Q. What was the difference today between the last five matches?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think in the other times maybe I didn't play really good at the important moments like today. Today, I think I felt very calm in that kind of moments like tiebreaks and, you know, important games. I did not make a mistakes in that important moments. That's one of the keys to win these kind of matches.
It's what Rafa does in important moment always. He has a lot of control of his mentally, and he always play very good in important moments. So one of the keys to always play good.
Q. Why do you think you felt that way today?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, I was trying this hard all the time, you know. Is not only today. I think I'm working like this since long time ago, but I couldn't show it, you know, because always is a different match and you going in the court.
But, you know, this week I'm playing the same, at the high level again. The court I like like this, fast. I'm serving good. I know is important for me, this kind of result.
But anyway, that I told you, it's mentally, and I've been strong since long time ago.
Q. What does it mean to beat him, and how does it feel to finally beat him so people will stop asking you?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, well, it's a special win of course because Nadal is one of the best players in the world. He's No. 2. You know, always the rivality in Spain, always is like this, you know. This also is special to win because, you know, I think I'm telling this normal that everybody is speaking about Nadal in Spain, and if you win him, you can show everybody that you still playing tennis. You know, I'm not saying nothing about Nadal, but, you know, I think it's normal. But the other guys, we are playing yet.
Q. And when you were at the top, they were talking about you all the time, right?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, it's because I'm saying that it's normal. It's happening when was like me, you know. Is like this. Everybody has a moment, no?
Q. Looking at your results, there have not been any matches as far as you can see that you've played particularly badly. You've seemed to have played well in a lot of your matches but not been able to put the results together.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, yeah.
Q. Why would that be?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don't know. It's like this. I was trying very hard since long time ago, but I couldn't make a great result. I play really good at Roland Garros against Gaudio. I had a lot of chances. I play really good at Wimbledon against Stepanek, 11-9 in the fifth. I play really good against Kiefer in third round in Australian Open, four sets. So, you know, I been playing good tennis, but I couldn't. You never know how it's gonna be.
But, you know, finally, I could make a result. I'm very happy for that.
Q. Do you feel like you proved something today to yourself or just in general?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, no, because I knew that I have it inside, you know, because I played these kind of matches a lot in all my career. So is not, you know, I play like this and I don't know if I'm gonna repeat again because is not my level, you know? I don't think so. I think I can play like this because it's my level and I play like this a lot of matches in my life.
Q. What did you do during the rain delay?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I take a shower, you know, and I change everything, and ready to play again.
Q. Were you happy for the delay, or would you have wished you could have kept playing, kept going?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think you always not happy when you stop, you know. You like to play all the time, through all the time. But anyway was so hot out there, and take a break, ten minutes to fifteen minutes, is not that bad.
Q. You have a 12-6 record in Cincinnati with a previous semifinal showing, as well. Is it safe to say you feel comfortable here yet?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, of course I feel very comfortable here. I think I play really good when it's so hot, you know. In this humidity is not comfortable to play. But anyway I felt pretty good the other times here, and it's happen again.
Q. He raised his level at the end, and you raised yours again, didn't you, which must be especially satisfying?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, of course it's very special to win today. I, you know, felt that when he wants to grow up in level, you know, I do one plus up, you know.
You know, I feel pretty good all the time. I'm very comfortable. I'm very confidence in me, you know. Since I get in the court, I was so confidence because I was playing so good, and I was thinking that maybe is one of the times to win.
Q. You don't know who you're playing yet, but any thoughts on playing either Robredo or Ljubicic tomorrow?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: We'll see. They are playing, and they are playing very good, especially Ljubicic. He's very regular in his results in the last two years, and Robredo of course is top 10 right now and he's with a lot of confidence, as well.
So we'll see. It's gonna be tough.
Q. Do you hope one day you can maybe get back close to where you were before?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I think so. I think so because I think I can play like this a lot of matches and, you know, I hope to do well at the US Open. And great to have another great result. I will not too far from this ranking, you know. Not the 5 best, but maybe 12, 13. Finish like this, and then next year try to make the goal to finish top 10.
Q. To get all that attention like you did three years ago and then to be ignored or to get very little attention, is that difficult to handle?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Sometimes is difficult because, you know, is like you stop to play tennis. But, you know, like I said, it's everybody has a time to get there and, you know, I knew that some day I'm gonna start again to play very good. I hope this day is today (smiling).
Q. The Spanish tennis armada seems to be as strong as ever. How much camaraderie is there between you and the other players?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, I think we're gonna play golf now, Rafa and me (laughter). Yeah, at five.
So we are so friendly. You know, all the nights we are having dinners - different, you know, Rafa, and the other day Robredo, the other day Ferrer. We are so very good friends. You know, when you go to the court, of course you want to win to anybody, but when you out, you out.
That's nice to hear. ^^
J. FERRERO/R. Nadal
7-6, 7-6
Q. Was that the best match you've played in a long time? Can you remember the last time you've played this well?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, I was playing pretty well in the last two months. I didn't get a result, but I felt very good in the court in the matches.
Anyway, today I felt really comfortable in the court and with a lot of confidence with my forehand. That was one of the keys of the match, you know. I did a lot of points, I make a lot of points with my forehand all the time, and I try to get it in the court and try to get the point quickly because, you know, he moves very well in the court and it's also difficult to get the point in this kind of surface.
Q. What was the difference today between the last five matches?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think in the other times maybe I didn't play really good at the important moments like today. Today, I think I felt very calm in that kind of moments like tiebreaks and, you know, important games. I did not make a mistakes in that important moments. That's one of the keys to win these kind of matches.
It's what Rafa does in important moment always. He has a lot of control of his mentally, and he always play very good in important moments. So one of the keys to always play good.
Q. Why do you think you felt that way today?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, I was trying this hard all the time, you know. Is not only today. I think I'm working like this since long time ago, but I couldn't show it, you know, because always is a different match and you going in the court.
But, you know, this week I'm playing the same, at the high level again. The court I like like this, fast. I'm serving good. I know is important for me, this kind of result.
But anyway, that I told you, it's mentally, and I've been strong since long time ago.
Q. What does it mean to beat him, and how does it feel to finally beat him so people will stop asking you?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, well, it's a special win of course because Nadal is one of the best players in the world. He's No. 2. You know, always the rivality in Spain, always is like this, you know. This also is special to win because, you know, I think I'm telling this normal that everybody is speaking about Nadal in Spain, and if you win him, you can show everybody that you still playing tennis. You know, I'm not saying nothing about Nadal, but, you know, I think it's normal. But the other guys, we are playing yet.
Q. And when you were at the top, they were talking about you all the time, right?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, it's because I'm saying that it's normal. It's happening when was like me, you know. Is like this. Everybody has a moment, no?
Q. Looking at your results, there have not been any matches as far as you can see that you've played particularly badly. You've seemed to have played well in a lot of your matches but not been able to put the results together.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, yeah.
Q. Why would that be?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don't know. It's like this. I was trying very hard since long time ago, but I couldn't make a great result. I play really good at Roland Garros against Gaudio. I had a lot of chances. I play really good at Wimbledon against Stepanek, 11-9 in the fifth. I play really good against Kiefer in third round in Australian Open, four sets. So, you know, I been playing good tennis, but I couldn't. You never know how it's gonna be.
But, you know, finally, I could make a result. I'm very happy for that.
Q. Do you feel like you proved something today to yourself or just in general?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, no, because I knew that I have it inside, you know, because I played these kind of matches a lot in all my career. So is not, you know, I play like this and I don't know if I'm gonna repeat again because is not my level, you know? I don't think so. I think I can play like this because it's my level and I play like this a lot of matches in my life.
Q. What did you do during the rain delay?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I take a shower, you know, and I change everything, and ready to play again.
Q. Were you happy for the delay, or would you have wished you could have kept playing, kept going?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think you always not happy when you stop, you know. You like to play all the time, through all the time. But anyway was so hot out there, and take a break, ten minutes to fifteen minutes, is not that bad.
Q. You have a 12-6 record in Cincinnati with a previous semifinal showing, as well. Is it safe to say you feel comfortable here yet?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, of course I feel very comfortable here. I think I play really good when it's so hot, you know. In this humidity is not comfortable to play. But anyway I felt pretty good the other times here, and it's happen again.
Q. He raised his level at the end, and you raised yours again, didn't you, which must be especially satisfying?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, of course it's very special to win today. I, you know, felt that when he wants to grow up in level, you know, I do one plus up, you know.
You know, I feel pretty good all the time. I'm very comfortable. I'm very confidence in me, you know. Since I get in the court, I was so confidence because I was playing so good, and I was thinking that maybe is one of the times to win.
Q. You don't know who you're playing yet, but any thoughts on playing either Robredo or Ljubicic tomorrow?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: We'll see. They are playing, and they are playing very good, especially Ljubicic. He's very regular in his results in the last two years, and Robredo of course is top 10 right now and he's with a lot of confidence, as well.
So we'll see. It's gonna be tough.
Q. Do you hope one day you can maybe get back close to where you were before?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I think so. I think so because I think I can play like this a lot of matches and, you know, I hope to do well at the US Open. And great to have another great result. I will not too far from this ranking, you know. Not the 5 best, but maybe 12, 13. Finish like this, and then next year try to make the goal to finish top 10.
Q. To get all that attention like you did three years ago and then to be ignored or to get very little attention, is that difficult to handle?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Sometimes is difficult because, you know, is like you stop to play tennis. But, you know, like I said, it's everybody has a time to get there and, you know, I knew that some day I'm gonna start again to play very good. I hope this day is today (smiling).
Q. The Spanish tennis armada seems to be as strong as ever. How much camaraderie is there between you and the other players?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, I think we're gonna play golf now, Rafa and me (laughter). Yeah, at five.
So we are so friendly. You know, all the nights we are having dinners - different, you know, Rafa, and the other day Robredo, the other day Ferrer. We are so very good friends. You know, when you go to the court, of course you want to win to anybody, but when you out, you out.
That's nice to hear. ^^
