挖 竟然有記者會全文 酷羊網站看來沒有原以為的糟:p
MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday, January 7, 2003
KOOYONG FIELD READY TO GO
(INTRODUCTION)
TIM WATSON: Before I throw open to the media, just a question to you
first, Andre. Last year was a very consistent year for you, it would
see on face value as a consistent year for you, is that how you would
sum the year up?
AA: Yes, I suppose that's one way of putting it. It was a good year.
It didn't start off too well but I felt like I managed to bring out
some pretty good tennis at different stages and considered it an overall
success.
TW: I read in a recent interview that John McEnroe suggested that perhaps
it's time for tennis to have a Commissioner like they do in the NFL in
the States. Would you agree with those sentiments? He actually suggested
that he should be the Commissioner too.
AA: I think out of respect for the game I would need to put a lot more
thought behind that than just reacting.
TW: You are quite happy for the way the game has been administered at
this moment?
AA: I think that would be overstating it as well.
QUESTION: Andre, are you looking forward to getting into the Australian
Open after not being able to play last year?
AA: Yeah. I've always enjoyed playing here and it's had many great
memories for me to be back is a thrill for me and the moment I landed I
felt excited and comfortable and ready to go and eager and so it's a good
thing. The court is playing great and having a good time.
QUESTION: (indistinct) preparation every time you come down here, like
playing here first before the Australian Open. Is that important to you?
AA: It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. I sort of like to stick
with the same plan and get myself ready to go. For me, if my game feels
good and I'm fresh I like the way I feel out there.
QUESTION: Do you agree with the general assessment that the courts are a
bit quicker this year?
AA: It would seem that way. I can only speak to the Rod Laver Arena
because it's the only court I've played on but, again, I didn't play
here last year to have a good sense for the change but it does feel
slightly on the quicker side.
QUESTION: Is that going to suit you, Andre?
AA: We all have to make adjustments. I feel like the court is still a
great court to play on, you can still with the conditions work it from
the back of the court or you can get more aggressive and take your chances
so overall it's always been a pretty fair court for whatever style you play.
QUESTION: Mark, you are the only Australian in this field, as Tim said,
so obviously there is going to be a lot of local expectations falling on
your shoulders. What can we expect from you at this tournament?
MP: There's obviously eight great guys here and I think it's a perfect
week for training for the Aussie Open and for myself especially I want
to get out and play some matches, work on my game, and just try and build
up some confidence; that's pretty much what I'm looking for.
QUESTION: Where are you at at the moment, mentally and physically?
MP: Last week was my first tournament since the US so it's definitely
tough. I feel like every time I get injured it gets a little tougher
mentally coming back. Physically I'm still obviously getting stronger,
nowhere near as strong as I would like to be, but again I don't think as
much as you train there is no such thing as match toughness, I think it's
the best thing for it I just want to play some matches and just play some
tournaments without getting hurt because I feel like I'm always playing
catch-up tennis and every time I start playing good something happens so
for me I'd just like to stay healthy and just enjoy playing tennis again.
That's the most important thing for me.
[真是肺腑之言]
QUESTION: Mark, do you feel that in the dressing rooms before you go
out there, you are thinking to yourself there is every chance there could
be another injury here again another interruption?
MP: No, definitely not. I go away and just play like there is nothing
wrong, I don't think there is something wrong with my knee, I'm fine now.
There is not much you can do, it comes down to fate and if something like
that happens, I guess it's meant to be, you can't control what happens on
the court. Just got to go out there and play tennis and just enjoy the
challenge.
QUESTION: So the knee felt good in Shanghai?
MP: Yes, the knee felt good. The game wasn't there but gives us a chance
to try and get the game right and just get back on track.
QUESTION: Can you talk us through your decision to make a comeback in
India rather than here in Adelaide?
MP: The deal was made a while back, before I got hurt. It would have been
nice to play back in Australia, it's always great to play in Australia,
but the deal was made a while ago.
QUESTION: Andre, you said your preparation has been the same as in
previous years, did you in fact even have a day off after Shanghai and
how exactly did you prepare before you arrived here?
AA: For me, not living out of a suitcase is a day off so it felt great just
being home, felt great being with the family, but my days always feel
better when I do a little something so I didn't really take time away
from my preparation. I took time away from the tennis court.
QUESTION: What does "a little something" constitute?
AA: I don't know, some days it's getting in the gym, other days it's
getting on the hill and doing some running, another days it's just taking
an easy hit. And a lot of the days it's hard work.
QUESTION: Every year, Andre, you seem to look fitter and healthier. Do you
think you are getting that way more and more each year? Do you feel better
this year perhaps than last year or are you the same?
AA: I think I have to wait to say that. I feel in position to be better
this year, but every year it becomes more important for me to be strong
and healthy, it gets harder and harder, guys get better and better, and
if I don't go out there even more prepared than I was the year before I
feel like it can hurt my confidence, it can have an effect on all my matches
so I need to keep pushing myself, that's the only thing that I count on.
[終於問到Seb了:p]
QUESTION: Sebastien, all indications are pointing to a pretty hot summer
here again. Is it something you have trained for or just got to put up
with the heat?
SG: You now I'm practicing in Florida so it's pretty hot there but it's
more humid and I think it's a good preparation to come one week before,
play a good match here in tough conditions and to be ready for the
Australian Open.
[怎麼只問一個問題啊]
QUESTION: Richard, how do you feel to be in such elite company?
RG: I'm very happy to be here because they were my (indistinct) and to
play against them it's very good for me.
QUESTION: Is it a bit scary, overwhelming?
RG: A little bit scary.
QUESTION: Mark, what sort of advice can you give someone like Richard,
a youngster like that?
MP: I haven't seen him hit the ball too much but what I have seen I
don't think he has much to be scared about, he hits the ball pretty
hard, he's a bit talent so I think once he gets out on the court and
plays him game he's pretty good to watch.
QUESTION: Is this field really important for you to come up with some
tough matches before the Australian Open, is that why you chose this
tournament?
MP: Definitely. I definitely feel there is no better preparation. Not
only is it a warm-up, it's definitely the tournament within itself and
there are eight tough guys here. Obviously everyone would like to play
some good tennis and get their game going as well and have a good start
and get ready for next week so there's going to be some tough matches
out there and I'm sure everyone is going to enjoy it.
QUESTION: Are you looking forward to playing in front of the Australian
crowd again at the Australian Open, it's been a while?
MP: Definitely. It's felt like it's been a long time since I've done that
and it's always great to get that support on the court and definitely
makes you feel better, makes you feel stronger out there so I'm just
looking forward to playing in front of my friends and my family.
QUESTION: Are you happy with the heat policies that if it gets to a certain
temperature they won't start the game but you will have to complete the
game no matter what the temperature is?
MP: I don't know exactly what temperature it was, whether they would
stop it. When it gets into the 40s it's even hotter on the court and it
does get a little dangerous so I think at that stage it is a good rule.
Who knows if it's going to get to that but if it does, it's tough out
and there and pretty dangerous.
QUESTION: Andre, you have been working with Darren Cahill for a year.
Could you talk a little bit about what he brings to your game and how
he has helped?
AA: I think really what he has done has sort of spoken for itself. Last
year when we started together I was coming off a serious risk concern
where I hadn't played and I lost the chance to defend here, I had a win
in Palm Springs coming off, I had a win in Key Biscayne coming off and
I was probably a lot closer to being ranked 50 in the world than I was
where we started and it was just a lot of groundwork that needed to get
laid and I think he has brought a great discipline, a great work ethic,
and great knowledge to how I can utilise my game at this stage of my
career and I think it's given me the platform to still be out here.
TW: Younes, is this the ideal preparation for a Grand Slam event, to
play in a tournament like this?
YA: Yeah, I think so. I never had the chance to get invited here so this
year when I got the invitation I was really happy. I think this has a
great history tournament and just the people, the lineup this year and
the year before, it's just a great opportunity for me and I think it's
also a good thing to get some matches right here in Melbourne on the
same courts.
TW: Alex, I mentioned before in the introduction that perhaps the win
over Pete Sampras in the Davis Cup tie would have been a highlight for
you; would that have been right?
AC: Especially since it was on grass, yes, because it meant a lot for me.
I never had the chance to play Davis Cup on grass before and winning Pete
was a great thing but the bad thing was that then we lost so it didn't
make a good result for us but then afterwards during the season I played
very good tennis, especially starting at the French Open and then winning
two titles in the summertime, and that gave me some confidence and some
relax for the future thinking that I still had a chance to do
something good in tennis.
QUESTION: Andre, how do you balance a family life with a tennis career,
especially as you get older and your priorities change?
AA: Yeah, very carefully, to be quite honest. It's not an easy balance.
I think in many ways it actually helps what it is you do because it
gives you an opportunity to really sort of get away from the game
mentally, even if it's only for a few hours. It takes a lot more work,
everything slow downs, travel becomes more difficult and all the things
that sort of go around, what it is we do, is more of a process and I think
that takes its toll but it also makes you more efficient with your time.
You don't do anything unless you're going to do it well and you're going
to do it very clearly, because you don't have the time to do it otherwise,
and that makes you focus in a different kind of way and makes up for it.
QUESTION: Are you looking forward to doing anything specifically with
your family in Melbourne while you are here?
AA: Every day is like Christmas being with my little boy so we will wake up
and take each day as it comes and just being down here has been a great
start. Been here a few days and have enjoyed every minute.
QUESTION: Mark, are you training with Sebastien a little bit before the
Australian Open; is that right?
MP: I moved out of Florida, I live in San Diego, California but when I
was in Florida we did train, yes.
QUESTION: Are you continuing that for your preparation as well, going
there this afternoon; is that right?
MP: Today? Yes. We're hitting today.
QUESTION: What do you guys give each other out of those sessions?
MP: He's a good guy so I really enjoy my time on the court, we have some
fun and once we're out there obviously we're out there to work on our
game and play some good tennis but again, most importantly, we are just
enjoying ourselves, enjoying training hard and just getting ready for
this week and next week.
TW: Mark, what was your initial reaction when you heard that the Davis
Cup tie here in Australia against England was going to be played on clay?
MP: John gave me a call a couple months ago and asked my opinion and,
you know, I didn't mind playing on clay, especially against England - a
team like Tim and Greg - I think that's something I would prefer any
other surface but clay so it was a tough decision and it will be an
interesting week getting the clay, see how it comes out on the hard
court in Sydney.
QUESTION: Mark, are you looking forward to getting back into the team
environment?
MP: Yeah, definitely, I think most importantly I'm just looking forward
to playing a match in Australia, it's been such a long time since I've
played Davis Cup tie in Australia and it's something I'm definitely looking
forward to.
QUESTION: Were those Davis Cup moments some of the things that perhaps
motivated you in the darker hours?
MP: To be quite honest, it's tough to say that because when you are hurt
and you are lying on the bed or whatever, I think the last thing you are
thinking about is tennis, so you try and think about a lot of other things
just to get your mind through it and just to stay positive, I think.
QUESTION: What do you think did get you through?
MP: I think my family and friends, definitely. When you are hurt, I think
you appreciate other things more in life. I mean, health is the most
important thing and obviously I will be deeply hurt if I hurt myself
that bad that I can't play tennis but, again, I have my family, I have
my friends, and for me that's the number one thing in my life, that's
the number one priority for me, so I will always have them and no matter
how far down you are they're always there and that's something that got
me through so that was very important for me.
QUESTION: Andre, you didn't get to defend the title last year, three in
a row, (indistinct) mindset of your title?
AA: I got to be honest, I don't go into any tournament thinking about
winning it; that's a function of a lot of things happening the right way
and it sort of starts with the mentality of not winning a tournament, of
taking the next step today, getting more prepared today and taking each
match as it comes, so had I even won it three times in a row I wouldn't
be here with any expectation of winning, I would be here with expectation
of trying to find a way to get the job done and that's every day.
[終於又輪到了^^;; 可是....]
QUESTION: Sebastien, what do you enjoy the most about hitting with Mark?
Obviously you enjoy it also to continue it?
SG: I think it's always good to play with him. I didn't know Mark before
he moved to ^ Delray Beach and I practiced with him a few times and I
really enjoyed playing with him, he is a really nice guy and he's a
really good player so it's always good preparation and sometimes now
in (indistinct) we play together so it's a good thing.
[天啊竟然還有沒被問到的]
TW: Andrei Pavel, we haven't heard from you yet. You've just arrived
this morning.
AP: I didn't look anymore, It was like so many Andres. The first time
I didn't react and then it was me.[什麼意思看不太懂]
TW: What are your plans for today? Sleep or practice?
AP: I already practiced this morning. I woke up a bit earlier, I knew
it was going to be really hot so I practiced already at Melbourne Park
around 8.30. I'm going to practice again this afternoon a little bit
and I hope that I'm going to be fit for tomorrow's game.
TW: The weather forecast is for cooler weather tomorrow, will that make
you happier?
AP: That's for sure but I play - like Mark, I was in India, there were
some pretty hot days there too so I got a little bit used to the weather.
QUESTION: Andrei Pavel, Martina Navratalova wrote a story here yesterday
about the Australian Open, she suggested it should be held a month later
because it was too hot and the combination of that and the very hard
courts made it an unpleasant tournament for the players to play. What's
your view about that?
AP: Well, I don't know, I think a month later that will give you a better
Christmas. I left on the 25th December to play in India so I didn't have
Christmas with my family so that will make it nicer, they will have a
little bit time off the Christmas time to enjoy the Christmas. I don't
know, there are some many tournaments going on and the schedule is pretty
filled up, I think, and it's not my decision. I was speaking earlier with
Alex Corretja about the schedule and it's so tough to find the right
schedule for everybody.
--
'All for one and one for all' has been the French team's motto.
--
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