Juan Carlos Ferrero || Juanqui.net || A Juan Carlos Ferrero website » 2006

Masters Series Madrid: Soderling d. Ferrero 6-3 6-2

kat — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 05:53:58 +0000

ATP MASTER SERIES MADRID
October 18, 2006
MADRID, SPAIN

Q. Juan Carlos, what are your feelings after the match?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, a very poor sensation. He’s a player that does not allow you much rest on the court. And to play against him in this indoor court has never been easy.

I don’t know if I had to play a high game, a low game. I didn’t know. I was quite uncomfortable.

Q. This last part of the season you have been training hard. However, things have not been smooth for you. What do you think the problem has been.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: The last matches have been defeated on the third set. So I have not been lucky because I have been playing well lately. However, to be disqualified in the first rounds makes you lose confidence in yourself. Maybe I’m not in the best moment of my career.
Q. First of all, what are your plans, your next plans for the year? Second question, what are your goals for next year?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I haven’t thought about next year yet. That’s a very long-term perspective. This year I’ll think about it tomorrow. I need to play Basilea Perez. That’s what I’m going to do this year. For next year, we’ll see. It’s quite a ways away yet.

Q. What were your goals for this Masters? What did you want to reach?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: In the final, I guess. Of course. Everyone wants to reach the final. My first goal was to win the first round. Then I had Federer, which was going to be a very difficult and tough match. To think about the final was too risky considering how the draw had been decided.

Q. I want to know what your mood is? You’re one of the champions of this tournament and I don’t know you have felt the pressure on you. Maybe you felt pressure on you because the day has been delayed. Match after match, matches have been long.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I knew they wanted to change my match court because of the delay, but that doesn’t matter right now. Of course I’m disappointed. I cannot be happy with myself.

In the first round you face a player like him that does not allow to you play your own game. My mood is low right now.

Q. I heard you were going to play the last match maybe on the Alcala Court because of the TV issue?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I knew they wanted to change my match of court, but I don’t know anything more.

Q. The last set I thought you looked to the crowd. Were you looking for something?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think there’s people that don’t know how to behave. They’re quite stupid. And those things that they’re crying out, shouting out, I’d like them to tell me to my face, because I think those are stupid things they were saying.

Cincinnati: Roddick d. Ferrero 6-3 6-4

kat — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 06:00:51 +0000

WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS
August 20, 2006
CINCINNATI, OHIO

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Juan Carlos, what positives do you take away from this week?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, I think all. I take everything. I take the matches that I play. I take the guys that I beat. I take the level that I leave from this tournament. I think I go with a lot of confidence to New York.

And, you know, last year I lost in the first round against Clement and this year I have no points to defend, so it’s a good opportunity to get up in the ranking a little bit more. Because I think I’m finished now at 18 or something like this, so is a good chance.
Q. What was it today? Did he serve too well?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Today?

Q. Yeah.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, he serve very solid all the time, with a lot of speed, very good angles, and so was strong all the time. Except the break that I did, I went down in the score all the time. And when he was up in the score, I think he serve pretty good. He was in that line all the time.

Q. You didn’t seem able to attack enough from the baseline.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, maybe. Well, I think you have a lot of pression when you are serving, you know, because if you lose the serve, is difficult to get back the break. Maybe you are not as aggressive as you have to do.

Anyway, I felt good in the court. Maybe I didn’t serve as best as the other days, but I did some aces. I just play good, but not enough.

Q. Since the last time you played him in the US Open, how much has his return game improved?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think he’s playing good, you know, as before. When he serve good, I think his forehand is working. For everybody, is not easy to return his serve, of course.

So compared to US Open, I had the same feeling over there that his serve was too big for that match, to win it.

Q. How do you feel about your own game as a whole compared to this time last year?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think I’m most aggressive than the last year. Maybe the last year from the baseline I was waiting to the other guy miss the ball. Now for sure not. I’m trying to be very aggressive with my forehand and backhand and try to win the point by myself, not wait until he miss the ball.

Q. You said you played good but, you know, not well enough to win. Was there a point during the match when you felt like he was just gonna kind of overpower you with his serve and returns today?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, also I felt that maybe I miss some points in important moments in my serve that was very important to go all the time down in the score.
I felt good in the court, but maybe I had to do a little bit more than I did to win.

Q. Other than his speed, does he give you any different looks or different styles?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, no, no.

Q. It’s all speed?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Him?

Q. Yeah.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Is the same as, you know… I played three times against him and, you know, I think he cannot change nothing. He has his way to play, and is like this.

Q. I mean his serve, does he do more than one style of serve?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Of course he has a very good forehand and he doesn’t miss a lot of balls and he’s very solid from the baseline. Is not only the serve, of course. If not, he cannot win a match.

Q. When he seemed to get a little bit tight and failed to serve out for the set at 5-2, did you think you might squeeze back into the match then?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, with 5-1 in the second, you know, I had to, you know, try to — try something, try to be relaxed and hit the ball stronger than I did. You know, I start to play a little bit better. He was a little bit nervous to finish the match.

But when is the time to do it, to break with 5-4, you can see that he did three aces. So is a little bit the way of the match, you know, and you have to do with maybe 40-All or 30-All in important moments, he serve good and you have no chance to play a point. So, you know, is difficult sometimes.

Q. Before the tournament started did you feel this might be your week, that you could put together a couple good matches?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It’s difficult to feel it. I felt that I was playing good, but when I came here, I saw the court’s very fast and I say, you know, there is a lot of players that they can play really good here. I was one of this.

But, you know, I felt good, but didn’t expect to make a final.

Q. From here do you take a couple of days’ rest?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, maybe two days and then start again to prepare very well US Open.

Cincinnati: Ferrero d. Robredo 6-3 6-4

kat — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 06:05:10 +0000

WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS
August 19, 2006
CINCINNATI, OHIO

THE MODERATOR: Juan Carlos will be appearing in his 25th career final, the first of this year. Also trying to win his first title since winning the ATP Masters Series- Madrid in 2003. It’s also his second career final in the U.S.; he reached the 2003 US Open final.
Questions for Juan Carlos.

Q. How does it feel to be back in a Masters Series final?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I felt very, very happy, you know. You know, I have confidence that I could win this match, but maybe not in these two sets. It was a little bit easier than I thought because, you know, Tommy, he’s playing pretty good, and he was winning also his matches in two sets during the whole week. He won yesterday very good match against Ljubicic, who is a specialist on hard court.

So I expect to have a very hard job today, but finally I think I start pretty good with this first set. You know, I felt pretty good in the second, as well. Also in his time-out with the official, you know, I have a little bit, you know, doubts the way I play, if I have to play aggressive or not, he’s gonna miss or not, you know. But finally I play good.
Q. You’ve been very consistent this week.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I think I’m playing very aggressive and not doing mistakes. That’s very important. Winning also a lot of points with my serve, and I think it’s been very important, this week, the serve.

Q. Which did you think were the important moments of the match? He got an early break, and then breaking back straightaway, was that very important?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, was very important, also like yesterday, I did it same. But, you know, it’s very important when the opponent breaks you, you know, break back very, very fast. It’s very important. If not, you have to win, you know, two games in a row to get that again. Mentally, to stay positive, it’s very important to break back always.

Q. Have you ever finished a match on a HawkEye decision like that?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, yeah, I spoke with my coach. Was, you know, a little bit disappointing finish because it’s a little bit doubts over there. You know, but it’s one kind of finish we can have in tennis, no? Not the best, but…

Q. Did you go to dinner with Tommy last night?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, no.

Q. You didn’t?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, not last night. Maybe tonight, who knows? I went only with my team and, you know, try to be calm. Normally, the day before, we don’t go. But, you know, before the first round, I saw Ferrer and Moya having dinner before they play, so sometimes happen.

Q. Andy Roddick talked last night about how when you tend to get overlooked or maybe written off for a while, he uses that as motivation to come back. Do you use that as motivation, as well?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, well, you can use it, but sometimes also it’s difficult when every week the people is talking about you, that you are not recover so good, why you are not playing so good, and why you are not in the final in three years, and something like this. Always is difficult because they are remembered to you all the time.
So, you know, some time is very positive to be very motivated, but sometimes it’s not easy.

Q. You seem as fast as you used to be. When you were world No. 1, you were the quickest player on the tour. You seem to be moving like that again.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I’m moving very well. I didn’t have any problem in the whole week, any pain. So physically I felt in the court a hundred percent.
It’s long time ago that I’m feeling pretty good in the courts physically. I mean, I didn’t have any problem that I remember so hard. You know, I think it’s very important to be very, very good physically, very important in that moments at the tennis. It’s, you know, you have to be very powerful to play.

Q. You think even in three years it’s become more important?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: A little bit, yeah, because, you know, there’s some guys like Rafa or like Monfils, like some of the guys, Joachim Johansson, he’s with shoulder, but he’s also very strong. So, you know, you have to improve day by day, I think. If not, you go back.

Q. Did your coach, Perlas, bring you something like extra motivation when you change coach in the beginning of the season?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Who? My new coach, you said?

Q. Yes.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, I didn’t finish at all with my old coach, you know. He’s in the academy practicing there and with the other guys helping them. And, for example, last week he was with me in Toronto.

But, you know, Perlas give me like a new world, different things, a new experience, you know. Always when you change a little bit of coach, you want to show to him that you play good. Maybe some time the changes are good.

Q. As an unseeded player coming into this week, did you expect that you would reach this final?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, you always expect to make a good result, but always is pretty difficult to see that you gonna play the final.
Anyway, when I saw the draw, I knew that I have a tough draw: second round, Blake; quarterfinals, Nadal. So I saw very difficult the final.
But, you know, I always know that if I play good, I can reach any result.

Q. You had a lot of matches over the last few months that you played very well but lost in three sets.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah.

Q. Now you’ve beaten three top 10 players.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I know. It’s what I’m talking these days, that I played really good matches, very high level against the best, you know. I always lost in three sets. So, you know, this means that I can play with them very good and I have the level to play it, no?

Q. You said it was difficult at times when people are talking about you not reaching finals. How much do you doubt yourself in times like those, or how much did you doubt your ability?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, not too much. But when you still not having a great result, it’s tough, you know. You work so hard and week by week you are not getting that result, so you think that it never is gonna come.

But, you know, my team and my friends and everybody was very confidence in me, and they told me all the time that I can reach any result, that I can do it. And, you know, finally I was very, very positive in the last three or four months to get the result.

You know, like I said, the results in Roland Garros, Wimbledon, I played against very tough guys like Gaudio, Stepanek and I reach very good results against them. I know I lost, but these results give me a lot of confidence to get that result of this week.

Q. Has the success come this week because it’s for the first time in a long time that you are fully fit and you’re feeling a hundred percent?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, no, because I was very good physically in Roland Garros and the other tournaments. I don’t know why this week, it’s just, you know (smiling)…
You know, the players some weeks make the finals. The strange is to make it any week like Federer or Rafa. This is very difficult, you know?

Q. A few years ago you lost over here in semifinals against Carlos Moya, right?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes.

Q. Do you play similar tennis this year compared to previous years?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It’s difficult to compare. I don’t remember what was in 2002.
Yeah, I think I’m playing at same level as I was when I was No. 1 and I have that result. I think I’m playing very relax on the court, you know, very relax. The shots are flowing very, very good. I don’t have to think too much to make a winner, to make a ace.

Q. Whom do you prefer to play tomorrow in the final game? What is your record against those two players?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, I think I prefer to play against Roddick maybe. González, he’s playing very strong, and he’s playing very aggressive and I don’t have a lot of chance to make some rallies or something like this. He try to make so fast the point, and it’s not easy to play.
I know Roddick, he has a very good serve and everything, but, you know, the two times I played against him and I lost I think I had chances to have a win.

Q. You lose badly against González in Toronto. It means González is so strong, quite fit.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I was playing last week very good, but González, he make a winner in anywhere in the court, and I couldn’t make my game. So if I have to play against him tomorrow, I will have to try different things.

Q. If you do play Roddick, you played him in the US Open final in ‘03. What do you recall about that match, and would you think about that match at all going into tomorrow?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Big memory of that match, he serve unbelievable, you know. He make first serve like 130 miles all the time, and he put it in all the time. I remember that with 1-1 in the first set I have a breakpoint and I didn’t have any one in the whole match, and I return good. So it’s means that he serve unbelievable.
And I have also memories from last year here. I played against him in second round, and I have a lot of chances. Was 7-6, 4-3 and breakpoint and he make a shot in the net and pass, so I was very close to win.
So it’s what I said. I think if I play against Roddick, I will chance, and if I play González, I will have to work hard.

Q. You see big changes in González’s game since Larry Stefanki became his coach?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Not a lot. Not a lot. I think the way he play was the same as before. He try to make the point with his forehand, and he has a big serve.

Cincinnati: Ferrero d. Nadal 7-6(2) 7-6(3)

kat — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 06:10:29 +0000

WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS
August 18, 2006
CINCINNATI, OHIO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

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.

Cincinnati: Ferrero d. Soderling 7-5 6-4

kat — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 06:19:52 +0000

WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS
August 17, 2006
CINCINNATI, OHIO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You had a bit of misfortune previously against Nadal. What is it about him that makes it so difficult for you specifically?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, well, is difficult for everybody I think, no? Is winning a lot of matches, no? Is not only for me.
I think he moves very well in any surface. You know, to win a point against him, you have to hit the ball really good two, three or four times.
And, you know, I feel very good here. The court I think give me a little bit more chances because is fast. And if I serve good, I think I will have more chances to win.

Q. When Roger goes out early in a tournament, which doesn’t happen often, does everyone remaining, like you, think suddenly, Now I have a good chance, a better chance?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, maybe a little bit, but anyway, you know, all the times that I played against Roger I play great matches. Last year I had two matchpoints. You know, of course it’s very difficult to beat him, but I love to play against him. So, you know, is better I think to play in the final against him than not.

Q. Than not?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, for me.

Q. What makes him a good player to play against? What makes it an enjoyable thing to play him?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, I think he dominate all the shots, you know. He can do whatever. He plays with a lot of rhythm, and I like this. He’s very nice person. So everything total, it’s wonderful to play against him.

Q. When Rafa was a junior, did you know much about him, being that you’re both from Spain? Did you know much about him?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Junior? What do you mean, 18 years old?

Q. Just when he just first started playing.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: He start to play 16 in the tour, so, you know, we start to know about him because we heard about his results in Juniors and everything. He start to play in Monte-Carlo very, very early. He won some matches against Albert Costa, so that one of the good players on clay court. So we knew very early about him.

Q. When did you know he’d be as good as he is?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, of course we knew that he’s very good because he start to win very early. He start to dominant the person very good, you know, at age like 18, 19. So it means that he has control everything in the court. He is very good mentally. Always in important points he plays very good, so this makes very sense that he can play very good anyway.

Q. How do you feel you’ve been playing this week?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I’ve been playing very good. I think I didn’t lose a set. I am serving very good all the time. I’m feeling very comfortable in that kind of courts, so we’ll see.
Against Rafa, always is like a (derby?) that we say in Spain, you know, when we play each other. But that said, the court makes a lot of difference, I think.

Q. You mentioned the speed of the courts might help you. How much does the speed help you?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, because if you serve good, you know, you can have a lot of free points. You know, I think Rafa, he likes to play a lot of rallies and run and, you know, and maybe here it’s — maybe the points are gonna be shorter.

But we’ll see. I like to play with a lot of rhythm all the time. All the time that I played against him, we play a great battle. Always he beat me, but I think not easily.
So, you know, we’ll see what’s happen tomorrow.

Q. After 2003 you had the chicken pox, that kept you out for I think a month. Any other injuries or anything that’s kind of –
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: A month? No. I was three months, and then I almost broke my rib. I fell down in the court and I was like three more months. Then I didn’t have any more injuries, you know. It’s only that I have.

Q. Has it been hard then for you to kind of work your way back up to where you were before?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes, because I lost a lot of points in these six months, you know, and I have very low in the ranking. I have to start again.

Cincinnati: Ferrero d. Blake 6-2 6-4

kat — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 06:25:43 +0000

WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS
August 16, 2006
CINCINNATI, OHIO

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.