INTERVIEW
J. FERRERO/J. Blake
6-2, 6-4
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please, for Juan Carlos.
Q. Five in the world, big win. You've been there, obviously. Was everything clicking today? It was 2 and 4, the score. Seemed to go really well in your favor today?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, I think, you know, was not today. I was practicing very well these two weeks in -- since I came to United States.
Anyway, last week I lost against González, but I think he play really good. I couldn't do anything. But I was playing really good so, you know, I keep practicing well. Today, finally, I could make a great win and great tennis.
So I think it felt really good in the court. I did everything in the court ? play solid, play strong, stronger than him, I think, because he likes to play very, very aggressive all the time. And, you know, I try to take first advantage in the point and I think was the key.
Q. You seemed to frustrate him a lot, especially with your serve. He wasn't returning very well. Did you feel like you had control on your service games?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think in the court it's very fast, and if you serve good, I think you have a lot of chances to keep the serve safe.
You know, I think James, he return very well. But anyways in these kind of courts it's not easy to return. I had the luck to return well, and he make some doubles in important moments, and I have the advantage all the time in both sets. So, you know, I was playing very comfortable all the time, winning in the score. And, you know, I just feel the pression maybe with these 5?4 in the second set that I, you know, have to win the game to win the match.
But the rest of the match, I think I was under control all the time.
Q. Are you playing your best tennis heading into the US Open?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I hope so.
Q. Are you getting there?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I hope so. I think I am playing really good tennis. I want to improve a little bit in my confidence again, winning some matches here, and then arrive to US Open, you know, playing good tennis and having this confidence that maybe I don't have now because I didn't win a lot of matches in the whole year.
But, anyway, I know that I am close to make a well result, and with that result I think I will go up there again.
Q. Masters Series event, 2003, Madrid, you won that title. I know you don't want to look backwards, but, you know, 2003 you had a great year, obviously the French Open title. That Masters Series event was your last win.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I know.
Q. You've been in a bunch of finals since then.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I know.
Q. What has been going on in the last two years with you training-wise? I mean, just talk about your game and how it's led up to where you are now.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, after I have that injury that I had, you know, I went so low in the ranking, you know, and tournaments is not the same as before because I have to play against the best seeded in the first or second round like here, you know. And before, I have to play that matches in semifinals or maybe in the final.
So right now it's little bit difficult to arrive to the semifinals because you have to play that matches before and you have to play really good to win, and like today. So I know that I make it great finals, but I couldn't finish anyone.
Anyway, I think I have to return to play my level, playing like today, very aggressive all the time like I was before because I think in these two years maybe I went a little bit down in this kind of aggressive on the court, and maybe I was, you know, just try to kill the ball in the point and try to make the other one miss the ball.
But now, now I think I'm gonna play like before and, you know, taking some risks and we'll see.
J. FERRERO/J. Blake
6-2, 6-4
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please, for Juan Carlos.
Q. Five in the world, big win. You've been there, obviously. Was everything clicking today? It was 2 and 4, the score. Seemed to go really well in your favor today?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, I think, you know, was not today. I was practicing very well these two weeks in -- since I came to United States.
Anyway, last week I lost against González, but I think he play really good. I couldn't do anything. But I was playing really good so, you know, I keep practicing well. Today, finally, I could make a great win and great tennis.
So I think it felt really good in the court. I did everything in the court ? play solid, play strong, stronger than him, I think, because he likes to play very, very aggressive all the time. And, you know, I try to take first advantage in the point and I think was the key.
Q. You seemed to frustrate him a lot, especially with your serve. He wasn't returning very well. Did you feel like you had control on your service games?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think in the court it's very fast, and if you serve good, I think you have a lot of chances to keep the serve safe.
You know, I think James, he return very well. But anyways in these kind of courts it's not easy to return. I had the luck to return well, and he make some doubles in important moments, and I have the advantage all the time in both sets. So, you know, I was playing very comfortable all the time, winning in the score. And, you know, I just feel the pression maybe with these 5?4 in the second set that I, you know, have to win the game to win the match.
But the rest of the match, I think I was under control all the time.
Q. Are you playing your best tennis heading into the US Open?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I hope so.
Q. Are you getting there?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I hope so. I think I am playing really good tennis. I want to improve a little bit in my confidence again, winning some matches here, and then arrive to US Open, you know, playing good tennis and having this confidence that maybe I don't have now because I didn't win a lot of matches in the whole year.
But, anyway, I know that I am close to make a well result, and with that result I think I will go up there again.
Q. Masters Series event, 2003, Madrid, you won that title. I know you don't want to look backwards, but, you know, 2003 you had a great year, obviously the French Open title. That Masters Series event was your last win.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I know.
Q. You've been in a bunch of finals since then.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I know.
Q. What has been going on in the last two years with you training-wise? I mean, just talk about your game and how it's led up to where you are now.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, after I have that injury that I had, you know, I went so low in the ranking, you know, and tournaments is not the same as before because I have to play against the best seeded in the first or second round like here, you know. And before, I have to play that matches in semifinals or maybe in the final.
So right now it's little bit difficult to arrive to the semifinals because you have to play that matches before and you have to play really good to win, and like today. So I know that I make it great finals, but I couldn't finish anyone.
Anyway, I think I have to return to play my level, playing like today, very aggressive all the time like I was before because I think in these two years maybe I went a little bit down in this kind of aggressive on the court, and maybe I was, you know, just try to kill the ball in the point and try to make the other one miss the ball.
But now, now I think I'm gonna play like before and, you know, taking some risks and we'll see.
