Juan Carlos Ferrero || Juanqui.net || A Juan Carlos Ferrero website » 2007

Masters Series Cincinnati: Ferrero d. Gonzalez 6-2 7-6(7)

kat — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:15:34 +0000

August 15, 2007
CINCINNATI, OHIO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk about to how nerve-wracking it gets when you have so many match points and they go by? Does it put pressure in your mind or do you just try to work on the next point?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You have to try to think in the next point, of course. When you lose attempts to win the match of course you think a little bit too much, but in these kind of moments you have to think in the next point and be focus in the next point. No more.

Q. You served really well today. How do you feel?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah. One of the key of the match I think I served really well in important moment. A few aces at important moments like 7-7 in the tiebreak. And also one of the important keys today was I think return. I return really good his serve and I put all the balls in. I play a really solid match.
Q. Before you won you had those two really close calls in the tiebreaker. I was watching from up above and my view of was partially blocked by the tent sort of thing. Could you describe those points, the one where you went over the chair?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, match point. It was very important point for me. The return, somebody tell me here that the ball was good and somebody is telling me that the ball was out.

So from my position I saw the ball good, and you know, it was important match and I have to say something. I couldn’t keep it inside. And then the other point also was a little bit the same. You can’t do anything without the challenge.

Q. How much do you think it shows the difference between playing on Center Court and playing on Grandstand in a circumstance like that?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Of course it’s a big difference, because in these moments you can ask for a challenge and decide to repeat the point or not. So of course it’s a big difference. It’s important difference.

Q. You’ve played well here even going back to 2005. You played Roddick that year in the second round that year and played a really good match. Then last year making the final. You feel good on those courts? What is about here?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah. I feel good on these courts, and also the warm conditions that we have here. I feel great. So it’s, you know, important tournament for me because I defend the final of last year. And also I play two semifinals here, so of course I feel good. I don’t know why, but I feel comfortable here.

Q. At this point in your career do you feel like you’re almost a better player on hard and grass than on clay?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Almost. Almost, almost. I like to play on all kind of surface, but I feel pretty good on grass as well and I feel pretty good here on fast courts.
And in clay you have to fight so much more and, you know, I start to feel a little bit better on these kind of courts than clay.

Q. Are you sponsored by Prince anymore?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No. It’s Prince racquet but I’m not sponsored by them for the moment.

Masters Series Canada: Hewitt d. Ferrero 7-6(5) 6-4

kat — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:18:33 +0000

ROGERS MASTERS
August 6, 2007
MONTREAL, QUEBEC

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Juan Carlos.

Q. How do you analyze the match? Where do you think that Lleyton played maybe better?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think was pretty close match – both sets. When I finished first set, I think, you know, the first-serve percentage was the same, the winners was the same. Was pretty close, only he won one more point than me in the first set. It’s difficult to say what he did better than me.
Second set, of course, the only game I played bad in the whole match was the first game of the second set. It was very important to the end of the match.

Q. I guess it also demonstrate for a tournament like this, the draw is very difficult, to have a match-up like that in the first round.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, it’s pretty difficult to have it. There is a lot of tough match in the draw, in the first round. Obviously, mine was the toughest one. You know, it’s like this. We cannot do anything for it.
Q. I was also wondering, what do you think changed in the game of tennis in the tour than when Lleyton and you were No. 1 in the world?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don’t know. Maybe basically we are stronger than before. I don’t think many things changed a lot. But physically, of course, we are getting stronger.

Q. You feel that you have to be like physically in better shape to compete at that level?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I think so. To be fit the whole year, you have to be very strong because we play a lot of tournament, you know, week by week. We play a lot of matches.

Q. It wasn’t as demanding a couple of years ago?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, was the same, but you could choose what tournament you play. Now you have to choose which tournaments you play to get a lot of points. It’s important.

Q. Is the calendar stronger than it was two or three years ago?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think is a little bit stronger, yeah, yeah. I think so.

Q. Has Lleyton’s game changed at all?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, I don’t think so.

Q. Same player?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah. He serves good. From baseline I think he doesn’t do a lot of mistakes. You have to win the point, every point. You know, you have to be very aggressive all the time and be very solid and do no mistakes at all because, of course, you going to lose easy against him.

Q. What are your plans leading up to the US Open? Cincinnati and then off?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Cincinnati and then off, then US Open.

Q. New Haven is not in that mix? Cincinnati straight to the US Open?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I never played New Haven. I think these two tournaments are important, and then maybe three or four days of practice strong, then try to be fit for the US.

Wimbledon: Federer d. Ferrero 7-6(2) 3-6 6-1 6-3

kat — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 05:24:06 +0000

WIMBLEDON
July 6, 2007
LONDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Juan Carlos. Who would like to ask the first question?

Q. How did you feel today? Must have thought you were in with a pretty good chance after that second set.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, you know, today was all the time very difficult to hit the ball, you know, nicely like the other days.
During the third set I start to, you know, not feel the ball as nice as I was feeling the first two sets. You know, I couldn’t make any point in the third.
But then at the fourth, I try it again. I did a lot of (indiscernible) but the little chances with two breakpoints in the third game, and I couldn’t make it. Was difficult to break his serve.

Q. The conditions with the wind, do you feel had it been a calmer day you could have given more of a challenge?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, I knew before to play him that always is very difficult to beat him in any conditions. But today, you know, the worst conditions to feel the ball good, try to hit the ball strong all the time.

Today was almost impossible to hit the ball three times nice. Was very difficult to play out there.
Q. You must be very happy you’re the first guy to take a set off him.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, you know. Happy to have a set against him? No, no. I was trying to win the match, not to win a set. I think is the important thing playing against him. I don’t care if I am on grass or hard court or clay court, I try to win the match, not to win a set.

Q. Do you think someone can stop him this year?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don’t know. If he played the way he used to play in semifinals or final or during the whole tournament, I think is very difficult that he lose.
But, anyway, Rafa right now is playing very good. I think he improve a little bit since the last two matches because at the beginning was a little bit worse than now. Who knows. I don’t know.

Q. Do you think Rafa is the biggest danger?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: You know, Djokovic just won, but I think he’s going to be a little bit tired tomorrow. I think Rafa can have his chance to win tomorrow, try to be ready in the final.

Wimbledon: Ferrero d. Tipsarevic 7-5 6-3 7-6(5)

kat — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 05:30:27 +0000

WIMBLEDON
July 3, 2007
LONDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Juan Carlos Ferrero. Questions, please.

Q. After winning two sets in the third round, the tiebreak, what was going through your mind?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Today?

Q. Yes.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It was very important to win because the rain was coming again. You know, I knew was a very important match for me, so tried to finish in three sets. Also I think was very important to be fit as well tomorrow.

Q. How do you feel about the fact that Roger has had a nice long rest?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, you know, he has a little bit lucky with this match against Haas. But, anyway, if he had to play a matches or not, it’s going to be the same tomorrow I think. Physically he’s very good, so he recover very good, so doesn’t matter if he played or not.
Tomorrow is going to be difficult same as if he didn’t play.
Q. You must be pleased with your form.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I hope so. I’m playing good. Tomorrow I’m going to be full. I’m going to try everything. I know it’s difficult to win because he has a very good record here.

But, anyway, I have nothing to lose tomorrow so I will try my best. I’m playing good, so I’m confident.

Q. Does it give you freedom playing Federer? Everybody thinks he’s going to win.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, is normal because he won four times here. He wants to win the fifth to be in the record.
I know is his favorite surface. But, anyway, I like to play on grass. I’m playing good. I’m confident. He’s a human guy, so I will try everything.

Q. Do you have a specific strategy?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, of course, I will try to attack more to his backhand. I think I will have to serve very good to try to keep my service unbroken. The rest, you know, try to return well as I’ve been doing the whole tournament and play.

You know, I played against him here. Was not an easy match for him I think. I will try. Is one more match. I know is special match tomorrow. But is human. He has a racquet as me, so I will try my best.

Q. Because he’s had such a long layoff, is there a possibility he’ll be out of his rhythm maybe early on?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don’t know. I will see at the beginning. I will see how he will start, if he’s with rhythm or not. But anyway, these matches are very long. It’s best-of-five. He has enough time to get rhythm first, second, or third set.

Q. I understand you’re a Real Madrid fan.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes.

Q. Did you watch the game when they won the title?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I was there.

Q. Big boost for you?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I was happy. We were suffering a lot.

Q. Were you sad to see David Beckham go?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Oh, the football. Yes, of course. I think he’s a nice guy and he played amazing, you know, at the end. I don’t know what to say.

Q. Do you think it will help you in way that you played Federer before at this stage?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It’s a help because you have experience to play with him here. It’s supposed that he showed the best level he has in this surface. Is a good experience, the possibility to play again against him. Play before, it’s very important I think.

Q. Is this the best you’ve played on grass so far?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, it’s the best result of course. Anyway, all the years I think I play really good in here. But I couldn’t won the fourth round. That was very important for me.

But, of course, I’m playing a good tennis, the way that I want to play here.

Q. You had a great year in 2003. Do you feel you’re a better all-around player than you were then?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don’t want to compare. It’s almost impossible to compare 2003 and 2007. It’s a long way, a long time ago. I don’t know. I feel that I’m playing very good right now.

Q. Where do you see yourself in this championship? Semifinals, finals?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: My goal at the beginning when I saw the draw, it’s to get until quarterfinal. But right now my best goal is try to win tomorrow. Will be a very important win to me if I win. You know, go step by step.

Tournament is still. Doesn’t matter if I play against Federer. I would like to win, of course. I don’t have to think that tomorrow is going to be the last match of the tournament for me.

Q. Federer or Nadal, against them, which of the Grand Slams offers you your best chance of victory?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: What?

Q. With Federer and Nadal gone, which of the Grand Slams offers you your best chance of victory?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don’t know. I make great results in every one. I won the Grand Slam in Roland Garros and I played more finals and semifinals there. Maybe I had more chances to win there.

But I like to play on hard court. I make finals, semifinals of Australian, US Open. Maybe Australia because I like to play there also.

Q. Could it be a good thing for you that the courts changed during the two weeks, it becomes more of a hard court game the second week?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I feel today that the Court 3, it’s very different than Court 1. It was faster. Court 1 was slower. At the beginning I feel it a little bit.
Centre Court I didn’t play. I didn’t know how is it. But, of course, it’s important if it’s a little bit slower for me.

Q. How would you assess your opponent today?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: He tries to serve very good all the time. He make a little bit mistakes in important moments like 5-5 in the first set or in the second. I think mentally he was a little bit down because he lost the first set.

In the third he tried. I mean, I play good and he tried, but I think I play better.

Wimbledon: Ferrero d. Blake 3-6 6-3 6-3 7-6(4)

kat — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 05:38:50 +0000

WIMBLEDON
June 29, 2007
LONDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Q. Was that one of your best performances on grass of your career?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Could be, yeah. Could be. The most important thing today I think I enjoy it the whole match. Maybe less the first set, then I start to play very aggressive all the time with my serve and with my forehand, attacking to his backhand all the time.
You know, like I said, I enjoyed the whole match. This is the more important thing.

Q. Have you come to enjoy playing on grass more over the years, or is it still something you don’t particularly look forward to?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Of course you have to learn a lot to play very good on grass. You know, during passing the years of course I enjoy much to play here.
But anyway I thinking in the last two or three years it’s slower, the courts, and we have more time to try to hit good the ball. So I think it’s important also for the players.
Q. How confident do you feel at the moment?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I feel pretty good right now. I mean, confidence and mentally and physically. So I’m in fourth round against Tipsarevic. It’s going to be a tough match.
But, you know, is a good round for me. I’m with a lot of confidence, so I had try to play the best tennis I have.

Q. The game obviously seemed to delight the crowd today. Were you conscious of that during the match?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think the people enjoy it a lot. We play nice points, long points, short points, a couple rallies. You know, was a complete match, I think.

Q. Four or five years ago the Spanish attitude was to stay at home and go shopping in Barcelona.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Not me, no.

Q. There are 14 Spanish men in the draw this year. Why do you think the attitude has changed so much?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I’m not sure. Maybe one of the things is maybe because the courts are slower and we can play a little bit more comfortable.
Anyway, it’s the seventh time I play here, so I always try to come here and learn how to play on grass. I don’t know about the other players, but I think there is a couple players, they can play very good.
I think, you know, Rafa did last year. This is the fourth time I make the fourth round here. You know, Verdasco, I think he plays very good here. Feliciano. There are a couple players that we can play really good here. I think why not we have to come here and play good.

Q. There was an incident where the ball hit the post, went through the net, and he got the point. Were you aware immediately the ball had gone through the net rather than over it?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I thought was under the net, so maybe was my point. But chair umpire, I don’t know what’s happen.

Q. You can’t call Hawk-Eye.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I told him, but he told me that is impossible to see it.

Q. First time that’s happened to you?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Of course. I think it didn’t happen a lot.

Q. Your net play, you had some superb statistics about winning points at the net. Is that something you have deliberately tried to improve?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, of course. Here I think you have a lot of chances to finish the points on the net. You know, I think is one of the keys if you want to improve here, you have to finish some points in the net, of course.

Masters Series Monte Carlo: Federer d. Ferrero 6-3 6-4

kat — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 05:41:32 +0000

Masters Series Monte Carlo
21 April 2007
R. FEDERER /J. Ferrero 6-3, 6-4
Interview de: JUAN CARLOS FERRERO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. One point away from 4 1 Roger seemed to (indiscernible). The match seemed to change after that. Was that also your perception?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, it was a big change. That ball was very important to me to win it because it was 4 1 and to serve, and I think the history of the first set maybe it turns a little bit.

After this, he start to play more aggressive and he won like seven points in the row very easy hitting the ball so hard, and I couldn’t have the chance to fight.

Sometimes with him, you know, you have the feeling that you are so bad because when he start to play amazing it’s really difficult to follow his rhythm of the game.

But that ball was very important I think for the first set. I mean, it’s not the history of the whole match, but it was very important.
Q. Did it affect you?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No. No, it doesn’t affect me, of course not. Because I was playing good tennis. I was trying to hit the ball to his backhand with a little bit of high, you know, and I think I was doing very well.

After this, I think I played two games a little bit shorter than I was and he started to hit the ball stronger than he did.

Q. What sort of history do you have from the other side of the net when you are playing Federer? Sometimes you want to clap, you go like this (dropped jaw.)
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, not like this. Of course not. You have the feeling that have to do very good all things to win the match. You don’t have to do easy mistakes.

You have to be very good mentally, so you have to make complete match to win against these guys. You don’t have the feeling like this (jaw dropping), but always you have the feeling that you have to play very, very good to win.

Q. You get the feeling that even if you play your best it’s not enough sometimes?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well.

Q. You know, because he is playing so incredible?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Sometimes yes. Sometimes when you apply your high level he still win, but maybe because he’s the best.

Q. You haven’t played him for pretty long time now. Do you see some differences in his game or attitude?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Not in his game, but very important thing is mentally when he was young he was a little bit, you know, crazy. But now I think he’s so good and it’s very important mentally in tennis.

Q. Maybe he plays closer to the net today because he mix it up. You that have feeling?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, he tries to make the points shorter. I think because when we play a lot of rallies at the beginning I think I won some of them, more than I lost. So I think he tried to make the points shorter coming to the net.

Q. Were you annoyed by the noise, because Roger seemed to be annoyed?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah. There was a lot of noise, but this was what we had, so I couldn’t change anything.

Q. Didn’t bother you then?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Not a lot. I have enough to have in front with Federer to think of other ones.

Q. What this tournament and this match too means for you? You are coming back? You are mentally better?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It means I’m in a good way to play the clay court season. I play really good tennis I think. Not only in this match, I think I play good tennis two days ago against Andreev. He’s a very good tennis player on clay.

And also Gasquet I had a good comeback. So I had different feelings during the whole week, and I think it’s very important to me to play this week like I did because it’s give me a lot of confidence to stay in good shape.

Q. Tactically you seemed to play a lot of shots on his backhand and then tried to finish the point on his forehand. Is this the only way you can win against Federer, or have you tried other solutions?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I think he has the best forehand on the Tour, so it’s very difficult to finish the point against his forehand. So I think the tactic is prepare the point against his backhand, and then if you have the chance to finish the point anywhere, finish, you know. Not only in his forehand.

Q. Have you any expectation for Roland Garros right now?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Roland Garros it’s so far ahead. We are not thinking I think of that yet. I’m thinking in the next week is Barcelona. Of course I want to arrive very well to Roland Garros, but it’s not maybe the time to think yet.

Q. If tomorrow Federer plays Nadal who do you select to win that game?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don’t know. Always the matches with Federer and Nadal are so close. Last year on clay was so close, so it’s difficult to say, very difficult.

Q. In best of three maybe Federer has a little bit of advantage?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Any way I think Federer has very good physically. So also best of five I think he has chance. It’s very difficult to say. It’s very difficult, no?

Masters Series Monte Carlo: Ferrero d. Gasquet 5-7 7-5 6-2

kat — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 05:45:59 +0000

Masters Series Monte Carlo
20 April 2007
J. FERRERO/R. Gasquet 5-7, 7-5, 6-2
Interview de: JUAN CARLOS FERRERO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously the game at 4 2 in the second set was the key, the turning point.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, of course. It was very important to win this point because, you know, I start to smile a little bit more and start to enjoy a little bit more inside the match.

And also I start to, I think, hit the ball stronger than I did at the beginning of the game and I start to dominate him more than at the beginning of the match. So I think it was very important, this game and this point.
Q. Did you feel at that time that he was a little bit down physically?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, I feel him a little bit down since the beginning.

Q. Really?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah. Because I saw him doing some things with the leg and some things with I thought that he was a little bit down physically, and I knew it because he started to come to the net very often.

I think he didn’t do normally. So he start to make shorter the point, and but anyway, he was playing good. He was playing very good with his backhand down the line, and it was tough to me to follow the rhythm he put in the match.

But anyway, I think at the end I was playing very good with my forehand, very, very strong. And also was very important for me to take a lot of confidence.

Q. Gasquet says he thinks you’re now definitely one of the Top 10 clay players. How close are you to the level you want to get back to?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Here we are again. It’s amazing how I answer this question a thousand times. I don’t to want compare the level that I was. I think I’m playing good tennis and I’m in the semifinal. I want to enjoy.

I don’t want to say I’m a little bit down than I was, you know. I think I’m playing good tennis on clay and I want to show it tomorrow against Federer. It’s not the way to compare that time and now. It’s not it’s always I’m going to be bad because that time I was No. 1 and now I’m No. 20.

Q. How are you feeling about playing Federer tomorrow?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Federer is No. 1 in the world. He’s favored tomorrow, and I will try to play aggressive all the time and more to his backhand, of course, and try it serve good and try to not do a lot of mistakes.

Because he plays very, very quickly on clay as well, so I think physically I have to be very, very good and move very well.

Q. You played him nine times. What do you expect to change if you think it’s needed?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I play against him in all surface: I play on grass, I play on hard, and I think I play the good games. In Dubai I had two matchpoints, and on grass I lost in two tiebreaks 6 3 in the first set.

So I felt good when I’m playing against him. On clay it’s long time ago that I don’t play against him.

Q. You retired.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I retired in Rome. So I expect, you know, to have a very tough match. He improve a lot on clay courts, so I will try my best. If I play my best I expect to have a close match, but we’ll see.

Q. What does he needed to do to improve on clay?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Him?

Q. Uh huh, to be as dominate on clay as he is elsewhere.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Not a lot, huh? He did amazing results last year: He did final here and final in Rome and final in Roland Garros.
So I don’t think he has to improve a lot. He’s playing very good and I think we say if he’s so good on clay we don’t have Nadal, because he’s so good also on clay.

Q. So just to complete this, there’s not a technical aspect that he could improve?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, I don’t think so. One of his problems I think like two or three years ago was to move well on clay, and I think he improve it very well. He slides very good to his backhand and forehand, and he moves very well, so it’s one of the keys on clay to play good.

Masters Series Monte Carlo: Ferrero d. Andreev 6-3 6-3

kat — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 05:48:20 +0000

Masters Series Monte Carlo
19 April 2007
J. C. FERRERO/I. Andreev 6-3, 6-3
An interview with: JUAN CARLOS FERRERO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It’s a good win for you against a strong guy, strong player?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes, of course. I’m very happy today because since the beginning of the match I felt so good, the ball. I felt so good in the court.

I knew him pretty well, and I knew before the match that I have to play very good tennis to beat him because he’s so strong.

He hit the ball so strong, and with his forehand he can beat anybody. So, you know, I’m pretty happy for the win.
Q. Your kind of reaction at the end suggested that it means an awful lot to you to win a match like this.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It’s a good victory for me for sure, because I was expecting a good win in one of the weeks, and I knew that I played really good in South America in these tournaments, but it was a Masters Series, Monte Carlo.

It’s also special for me because I play very good here. So this match means a lot to me. It give me a lot of confidence to play tomorrow.

Q. How do you feel generally about your form at the moment?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I’m good. Last week I didn’t play my best in Valencia. Also because I was a little bit sick during the tournament, but this week I’m feeling pretty well since the beginning.

Maybe the first day was the toughest day because Tim, his game is strange on clay. But the other two matches I felt very good, so I think I’m in a good form.

Q. Do you feel confident enough that you can do something major on clay this season?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don’t know. I have to go step by step. But this week I feel so good, and I think the results of the I mean, two months ago in South America I played really good on clay, so I guess, why not this time?

Q. What happens since Cincinnati, the big result and then not a lot of victory?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: After Cincinnati I lost four first round in indoor, but all of them, 6 4 in the third and 7 6 in the first. So I didn’t have a lot of luck, but I was playing good.

But always in indoor the matches are very close, so I didn’t have a lot of lucky. But anyway, I was expecting to play good in Australia and I didn’t.

Q. Why?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don’t know why. You never I was practicing and I was playing good, because I won the Master of Spain against Robredo, against Ferrer. But I went there and I couldn’t give my best.

But then I start to play good on clay and, Indian Wells I won two matches.

Q. How would you compare your form from 2002 to now?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I don’t want to compare it any more, because I’m talking about the same. This week I’m playing a good level. I think it’s not a lot of difference with the level I was playing today.

Q. Roger was saying that there’s a lot of unity in the locker room and a lot of conversations in the locker room about keeping this tournament as one of the major tournaments on the ATP Tour.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Of course.

Q. You’ve won it twice and you’ve been a No. 1 player in the world. How much does it mean to you that this tournament remains one of the major tournaments in tennis?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It means a lot in the way of negative if they put it out, for sure. Because I felt so great in this tournament. I think it’s so beautiful to play here. You can see the crowd every day full, so if they put out this tournament I think it’s a big mistake.

Q. Has this whole scenario brought the players closer together. From what you were saying it has unified the players. So something good as come out of it in a sense?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes, but anyway we were like this, you know, since I remember. The players in the locker room and everywhere, we been always together. But, in this case, we are more close.

Q. One last question: Maybe if you play Gasquet or Ljubicic?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Against Ljubicic, I play him a lot of times, but against Gasquet I never play against him. He’s going to be very motivated to win the match if he wins today.

And Ljubicic, I know him very good. I’m playing good so I have confidence in me, and I have to be focused anyway.