Kafelnikov賽後訪問
Q. When you saved the match point in the fourth set, did you think
that was the turning point, that you were going to go on and win
that?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: That thought definitely crossed my mind when
I won the tiebreaker in the fourth, but unfortunately wasn't to
be the one.
Q. Can you describe your opponent?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Describe? Tough competitor. That's all I can
say. Fought hard until the end and deserved to win.
Q. Were you expecting him to play such a high level? How far can
he go, in your opinion?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: He was, to be honest, a mystery man to me. I
never see him play one shot before we got on the court. I had no
clue about his game whatsoever. But, you know, Kuerten told me
before that he's very, very good, so I had an idea that he wasn't
going -- that it was going to be the tough match, and I prepare
myself for that. It just showed.
Q. How far do you think he can go?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I don't know. I really don't know the answer
on that question.
Q. During the match, did you think for a moment in the old match
against Gustavo Kuerten not in this court but in Court Number 1
or years after in the same court?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Again the question?
Q. For a moment, did he remind you of Guga Kuerten in that match
years ago?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: They do have a bit of similar game, style of
game. But, no, nothing that crossed my mind, that I was thinking
about Kuerten. I was thinking just to get through somehow through
that match because I knew that match is important to me. It's
basically the one that I wanted to avoid. Because, like I said,
you know, I had no idea about his game. That little bit got me
off my, you know, comfort zone a little bit.
Q. Do you think in this kind of tournament every match is a final?
You are still competitive, but if you lose a first round or second...
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: It's not a surprise to many people right now
that a lot of good guys are losing in the early stage in this
tournament because tennis is so competitive, so competitive. Each
of the 128 guys can put up a big fight and give so much trouble
to the top guys. It just shows Federer losing first round, Costa
almost went out yesterday.
Yeah, I mean, all I can say is just the level of the men's tennis
is just too deep.
Q. Is Roland Garros the mentally and physically toughest Grand
Slam tournament?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I could say so. I could say so. First of all,
you have to be physically strong to go and be able to stay, you
know, for two, three hours on the court, nevertheless, go on and
win it for seven straight matches. It's difficult task, and not
many guys can do it.
Q. Is the mental attitude different from a US Open or Wimbledon?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I wouldn't say so. You know, each Grand Slam
is very special. Each of the players approaching it like it's a
big, big event. You know, to me each of the Slams was quite on
the same level.
But, like I said, you know, to win the French Open is the most
difficult thing.
Q. Knowing that it's such a hard tournament to win, how do you
view your own title here looking back now? The biggest
accomplishment you made in the game, to some degree?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Looking back, was seven years ago, I was 22,
physically strong, was on the top of my form. The results of that
came. You know, I won basically the hardest Grand Slam of all.
Simple as that.
Q. Does it get bigger in your mind as the years go by?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: When I'm sitting here right now talking to you,
I'm 29 years old, of course, you know, now I understand what was
that mean, to win that Grand Slam at that time. To anybody to win
the French Open, it's beyond my imagination.
Like I said, if somebody would tell me I give you back 10 years
to another career, I would not take it because I understand how
difficult it is.
Q. How different is the clay court game now, not tennis, but the
clay court game, the style of play on clay?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I say pretty much the same. The guys are
playing same style of game, although the game become a little bit
faster, physically stronger, no questions about it. You know, I
am playing the same type of game as I did seven or eight years
ago. The question is whether I can maintain that kind of
performance throughout the five sets. That's, of course, much
more difficult right now for me than it was before.
Q. Even though you expected a tough match, is it still a major
disappointment because you played so well in Rome?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: It is a disappointment. It is a disappointment.
Just the fact is that I might not be back again next year,
simple as that. To lose in the second round, it is a
disappointment.
Q. Do you mean it? Like after having surgery, fighting to come
back?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Like I said, I was setting up a goal for
myself, that if I would be able to win tournaments like I did in
the past, I would continue. But so far no good results came this
year. I don't know. I just made a commitment to myself that I
will continue through the end of the year and then we'll see. No
major goals.
Q. When did you make this decision?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: In the beginning of the year.
Q. Are you going to wait until the end of this year, then make a
decision as to whether you are going to carry on?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: To see how I will perform in the second part
of the season. Because personally I think I belong with the top.
I don't belong 20, 30, 40 ranking.
Q. If you do go, you want to go whilst you're at the top level?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Absolutely. I have no desire to lose first,
second round consistently in any other tournaments, because I've
done that, you know, for 12 years. It's not me.
Q. When you were contemplating retiring last year, after the Davis
Cup, everybody thought you would.
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I was serious about it. But just the fact is
that I was very seriously injured with my leg. I was unable to
even practice for the amount of time which is necessary. After I
did my surgery in December, Davis Cup, I started feeling
physically better. You know, the fact is that I'm winning a lot
of matches recently on the clay just because I put up a big
number of hours into the game again.
Q. When we see you fight for four hours on court here, you don't
look like someone who wants to retire. You looked very determined.
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I was eager to try. Believe me, it wasn't so
much fun for me to stand in the beginning of the fifth set. I was
ready to collapse (smiling). You know, it's not a nice feeling,
you know, when in the back of the head you wants to feel like the
match -- to finish the match as quick as possible.
Q. Do you sometimes think, "I'm old"?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: You look at my past record in the five sets,
you know I lost the last two in a row. Four years before that,
I was unbeatable in five sets. It just shows.
Q. So that's age?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Again, we're coming back to that (smiling).
Q. Physically, how did you feel at the end of the game?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Very tired. Very tired.
Q. Why did you call the doctor?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Who, me?
Q. Yes.
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Because I had a problem with my finger (sic)
on my foot.
Q. What you said before, what was more difficult, to keep up
physically in the match or mentally, psychologically?
YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Both together. Both together. When you are on
a stage like that, you know, center court at the French Open, a
tournament which you won once, you always wanted to do as well as
you can, I was hoping it would be light at the end of the tunnel.
4-3, I had a couple of chances. But unfortunately...
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