D. NALBANDIAN/N. Lapentti
6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 6-4

MODERATOR: David Nalbandian. Who would like to start?

Q. Are you shocked?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Excuse me?

Q. Are you shocked?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: What is that?

Q. Are you surprised?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: A little bit, yes. My first time in Wimbledon
being in semifinals I think is very good result for me. I hope
to be ready for tomorrow.

Q. Can you tell us how this happened? You are surprised, but
how did it really happen? How did you get this far?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: I don't know (laughter).

Q. Richard Krajicek couldn't even pronounce your name.

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Nobody. Is difficult name. No, I think I'm
a little lucky in the draw. But I think I was playing very good
in the tournament. Today I think Lapentti is a great player.
I was two sets up. Then I think I was a little bit nervous or
something like that. He start playing good again. I think was
a difficult match, like every match is here in Wimbledon. But
I think I was practicing very good before in Argentina in grass
courts. You know, my first time in grass, being in semifinal,
is great.

Q. You were a semifinalist in the Junior event here, correct?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yeah, I do.

Q. You were disqualified?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yeah.

Q. Because you were late to the match, if I understand correctly.

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yeah, they change the schedule, and I never know it.

Q. How early are you going to come to the semifinal?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: I think I going to sleep here (smiling).

Q. How upset were you then? Were you very angry?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yeah, yeah. You know, when I was Juniors,
was semifinalist, then was default or walk-over. For me was
terrible. But, you know, the life have a revenge, and I'm
here again, semifinals again, so is not so bad.

Q. Were you born in Argentina?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yeah, I do. I born Argentina.

Q. Do you speak Armenian?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: No, nothing.

Q. How many grass courts are there in Argentina?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Not much. Seven courts.

Q. Do you play on them much?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Yeah, all Argentinian players were practicing
on there before Wimbledon, so that's it. Just a few courts.

Q. Where is it? It's artificial grass?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: No, it's natural grass.

Q. Where?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: In Buenos Aires.

Q. I believe you're the first person in their first time
in Wimbledon to reach the semis in the first try, since
John McEnroe in 1977. Also, like John McEnroe, you were
disqualified for being late to a Grand Slam event. Do you
think you have anything else in common with McEnroe?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: No. I think John is a great, great player.
I think I have a long way to be like him.

Q. Do you feel you're still learning how to play on grass?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: For us, very difficult play on grass.
For all Argentinians, is very difficult. But I think the
first matches was very, very important for me to take
confidence and a great feeling, well. And then I starting
playing very good. I have to play tomorrow semis.

Q. Growing up, who was your tennis idol and who did you
maybe model your game after?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: I start playing for Boris Becker. When
he won here the first time, I just started playing tennis.
So he was my idol forever. I don't think I play like Becker,
but he was my idol, for sure.

Q. How much do you know about Xavier Malisse?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Not much. He's a very, very good player.
He's in semis also, so he must be playing very good here.
I think he has very good results at last US Open. I think
he do fourth round or quarters. He beat Henman there. I
think he's a very good, talent player. Is going to be a
tough match.

Q. Did you not play him in the Juniors?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: No, never.

Q. What has been the biggest court you have played on?
You'll probably have Centre tomorrow. What is the biggest
court you've played on before?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Before, I play Centre in French Open.

Q. Lapentti was very upset. He said because there were
two South Americans, they were on Court 2. It was very
unfair that a quarterfinal was there, and it's going to
be hard for you to adjust to Centre.

DAVID NALBANDIAN: I think the same here. He was talking
with me before the match. If I won, or he won, is going
to be difficult tomorrow play first time in Centre Court.
We never play in the stadiums in Wimbledon. I think is a
bad decision from the referee. But I don't know. We have
to play whatever they say, and that's it.

Q. Do you think it will be a problem going out on Centre
Court on the most famous court in tennis? How do you think
you will handle that?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: Is very different play in central or Court
No. 1 and outside courts. The visual is different. The feeling
is different. And I think the players who was playing before
in central court have a more chances or different, so they know
the feeling, they know everything. I just play Court No. 2
quarters, so is a big difference.

Q. Over the last couple of years, it's been very difficult to
get clay court-type players to come to Wimbledon. Do you think
that will change now as a result of these results this year?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: I think every players, they come here, and
he say, "We can't play here on grass." And I think you can do
everything. I think it's not too difficult -- is difficult,
but not too much. If you are focus, if you think you can do
everything. But I think if you come here and you say, "I can't
play," you never going to do it. But if you come and you say,
"Okay, I'm going to try, I'm going to enjoy the games," that's
big difference.

Q. Where did you first learn tennis? Can you tell us a little
about your hometown?

DAVID NALBANDIAN: I born in Unquillo, a very, very small city.
I start playing when I was five years in hard courts. I don't
know. The town is 20,000 peoples, so it's very, very small. I
like that. I always back home. It's great for me, Argentina.
Cordoba is great.