miamiint

A. AGASSI/P. Rafter 6-0, 6-7, 6-2
An Interview With: PATRICK RAFTER
(The Ericsson Open Site; 03/31/2001)

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. What happened out there?
PATRICK RAFTER: He was on fire at the beginning. He started really well.
Didn't let me get into the match and I probably started a little bit flat
trying to work my way into it. He never opened up the gates there at all in
the first set. Fought hard to get back in the second set. Sort of let it go,
couple of unforced errors there. Can't afford to do that with Andre.

Q. Did you feel pretty good going into the third set?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, geez, I felt I could sort of work my way back into it.
But Andre probably let the pressure off a little bit in the second set and
he opened the door up, I was able to take advantage of that. Third set he
put the pressure on and that is when, I know it's coming, just was couple of
loose points here or there and the match is over.

Q. With regard to your form going into next week, how are you feeling about
things?
PATRICK RAFTER: Good. Yeah, just I have had a lot of tennis. That is what I
needed and it wouldn't -- just getting used to the sliding, that sort of
thing, but no use running myself in the ground when I get there. So, it will
be light training days when I get there and just getting used to the clay,
to the balls and the conditions and sort of count on my match experience
over the last three weeks to get me through.

Q. When you make the transition to clay next week, do you think the work you
did in Spain at the end of last year, is that still with you or is it like
you have to start from scratch?
PATRICK RAFTER: I am hoping it will be there. I am hoping I can count on
that and I don't know what the conditions are like there at all. Conditions
in Barcelona were quite favorable for both teams, I thought. So, you know, I
think it should help the hard work that I did do on the clay.

Q. I know Davis Cup is always in your mind and you are thinking --
(inaudible) over the past three weeks, particularly the past ten days here,
has it been more so?
PATRICK RAFTER: You had to make your flights everyday, I was on the next
plane out pretty well every night out of here, it was very -- it was really
on my mind, but -- bit of a distraction, I guess.

Q. Are you still eager to play both singles and doubles?
PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, I will get down there and check it out and see how
everyone is playing. But, I am definitely making myself available for those
three matches and it's up to Wally and Fitzy to decide on what he will do.

Q. You played an incredible match against Andre in Australia. Considering
that, is there more pressure that you know you can't afford to start slow
against a guy like him?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, you are just not quite sure how he is going to start
off either. But he was right on top of his game. He was very alert very
early. And the conditions were very tough. It wasn't -- you know, you sort
of take it a little bit off your first serve to get it in; you get punished
for it. The conditions weren't that quick at all. Very slow out there. It
wasn't suiting a serve and volley style of game. But at the same time he
made me play all the tough shots and he made the passes and winners whenever
he needed to.

Q. You still feel you played under the level that you played?
PATRICK RAFTER: It is very hard to say that because, you know, the standard
wasn't the same but the standard couldn't be the same in these conditions.
It is just too hard. The ball was moving all over the place. You couldn't
crack an egg out there. It was very difficult to wind up and get yourself in
position because the ball was just playing tricks on us all day out there.

Q. Wrist today any better? Worse?
PATRICK RAFTER: The wrist is something that I have been able to maintain for
the last couple of weeks and I am looking forward to getting through
Barcelona (he meant Floriaopolis) and seeing the end of it and taking time off then. It is
going to need a rest, that is for sure.

Q. What would be your first tournament when you come back?
PATRICK RAFTER: I will play it by ear. I will just sort of -- automatically
entered into the Super 9s, but Monte Carlo won't be there, that is for sure.
Just have to see how I am feeling with the wrist on the other tournaments.

Q. You mentioned that the Davis Cup was a bit of a distraction. Did that
hurt you?
PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, no, no, no. It is sort of is, but it is not really. It
is in the back of your mind, but, you know, when you are out there the last
thing you are thinking about is: (Looks at wristwatch) Geez, I have to make
this flight tonight. You know, you are thinking about winning and that is
all there is to it.

Q. Has Fitzy been talking to you much here about the Davis Cup?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well he is just throwing different ideas out there, but we
won't know until we get down there really. Wally and Fromy, Scotty Draper
and Wayne Arthurs are down there doing the work. They probably have a feel
of how things are going, what the conditions are like, and what the balls are
like, etcetera, so we really won't have a gauge on that until we get down
there.

Q. Something about the Brazilian crowd that would be tough also?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I am sure it will be. We had a good experience last
year in Barcelona, so I am sure it is going to be pretty tough down there.
It's pretty furlong, but it creates a great atmosphere at the same time. We
just hope it doesn't get too far out of control. Especially if we start
winning I think it is going to get nuts. (Laughs).

Q. Are you in a better place going into this tie than going against Spain?
PATRICK RAFTER: There is no substitute for matches there, as you are
wondering how many matches do I play and do I play doubles and all this sort
of thing. At the end of it, to play all these matches is just perfect and
ideal. You can't beat it.

END--FastScripts by ASAP Sports

P. RAFTER/R. Federer 6-3, 6-1
An Interview With: PATRICK RAFTER
(The Ericsson Open Site; 03/29/2001)

MODERATOR: Pat has withdrawn from his doubles match later today. Suffering
from tendinitis in his right wrist.

Q. You looked like you played great?
PATRICK RAFTER: I played very well. Very sharp, first few games I was
probably fortunate to get out of on my serve, down two breakpoints, had it
got off to a 3, 4-Love start, it would have been very difficult to get back
into that. But, I got through those games and the match pretty well, turned
completely in my favor after. That-- that was his mistake for not taking
advantage of those chances when he had them.

Q. How did you get so much stronger on the ground? Was it a conscious effort
working at it month after month?
PATRICK RAFTER: I contribute this a lot to John Newcombe and Tony Roche and
the work we did in Barcelona.

Q. Which was when?
PATRICK RAFTER: Last year when we were in Marbella for two weeks training for
the week in Barcelona for Davis Cup. We did a lot of work, four hours a day
on the court just hitting ground strokes and working on that, and how can we
beat these guys from the back line on clay, and it is starting to really show
in my game. Just added another dimension to my game which is something that
is really enjoyable for me to go back to if things aren't working well with
my strengths.

Q. Does it make sort of the bits that didn't work, work better? Is it a
smoother feeling to your whole game?
PATRICK RAFTER: Just more of a complete game, I think. There are times when
things don't work and there are times when everything you try does not work
and you are very confused on the court. That is a frustrating time because
when guys are out there they can sometimes make you look confused.

So-- but right now I feel very confident with my all-court game. When I am
from the baseline, I am feeling like I can now start controlling the points.
Today was tough though, the conditions are tough and Roger found the wind not
to his liking as much and I gave him a different pace ball too than most
other guys so...

Q. How well did you feel you played today?
PATRICK RAFTER: Exactly how I wanted to play. I played solid; made him play a
lot of games. I put him under a lot of pressure on his service games all the
time; got to a stage where I started to hold my serve pretty comfortably. I
couldn't have asked for a better scenario in the whole match.

Q. When you attack as relentlessly as you do, it takes a certain amount of
concentration, you have to focus point on point. Being able to play from the
back if you need to regroup -- did you ever need to take a mental breather,
give yourself a little time to play from the back so you can pull yourself
back together?
PATRICK RAFTER: A lot depends on how the match is going. The way I like to
start out, I go full board, everyone, and say, if you can beat me in this,
that is great. When they start doing that I have to start changing my game
there a little bit.

But, if you can come up with a lot of winners and a lot of
make-me-stretch-plays, a lot of tough volleys, you are probably going to do
very well against me. I am going to make it tough for you.

Q. You have played Agassi a lot. Quite a bit. Have you ever played Ljubicic?
PATRICK RAFTER: Never.

Q. Who would you rather meet then?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, I really enjoy playing Andre, whether you win or lose.
We tend to match up pretty well and these courts are great for him right now.
But if -- probably prefer to play Ivan Ljubicic to get through to the next
round.

Q. What do you know about his game?
PATRICK RAFTER: He has got a big serve, great serve, very nice serve. From
the baseline he is pretty aggressive, but, you know, I think I can deal with
that, trying to get his serve back over.

Q. Talk a little bit about the Australian Open, the match against Andre?
PATRICK RAFTER: I was playing great. I was playing really well. I couldn't
again ask for a better match. We were playing great tennis. It was fun being
out there. Just disappointing to cave in the way I did.

Q. Would you play a little differently -- did you have a different --
PATRICK RAFTER: Trying to get all your questions in?

Q. How would you face this match? How would you go into it?
PATRICK RAFTER: The same way.

Q. How close to your comfort zone are these courts? Where do you rate these
courts vis-a-vis your ideal hard court?
PATRICK RAFTER: It suits my serve well. It kicks well. Probably not enough
speed on the court though for me on my serve. I'd like a court that had the
speed like in Indian Wells, like a U.S. open, my perfect court. It kicks high
and it is a quick court and a quick balls. These balls are getting very
heavy. Probably don't suit my game as well but from the baseline it really
helps me to get into the point. But where I'd like to be right now is getting
to the net and playing the volleys, some quick balls and quicker conditions
are obviously better for my game of the -- the way I am playing right now is
probably 90%, I'd probably prefer to play on this court than many other ones.

Q. What about the conditions in terms of the wind, does that hurt your game
when you do go to the net as far as --
PATRICK RAFTER: The wind is something tricky. It can sometimes help you;
sometimes it doesn't. I haven't yet come up with a conclusion that it helps
me or helps the other guy. I think a lot depends on the day and how you are
mentally but you have to be very patient. Few balls out there you go to hit
and they stop and they drop and it can be frustrating. I think the main thing
being out there is being patient.

Q. Given the improvement in your groundstrokes recently how much more
confident does that make you about playing Brazil in the Davis Cup?
PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, well Davis Cup on clay is a whole different game again.
But I feel like I can now be a threat from the baseline and be aggressive and
have some fun out there when I do play someone like Guga or Meligeni. I think
when I get on the clay a lot depends on the serve and volley game of mine.
That is the main -- if I serve and volley well, then I play great on clay. If
that is slightly off then I can get hurt on clay pretty badly.

Q. How do you see the balance at the moment between playing big matches here
and practicing on clay?
PATRICK RAFTER: I don't think there is any student to match practice, whether
you are playing here or down there training. I still think at the end of the
day you want to be here playing matches, competing, getting confident and get
down there, you get five or six good days on the clay, that is the ideal
preparation.

Q. How is your wrist at the moment?
PATRICK RAFTER: It has been good. It has been holding up pretty well. I am on
anti-inflammatories for it. That is something that I don't like to take. I
have been on that now for the past couple of weeks. And it is something that
I am going to have to knock on the head but I just don't have time. While I
am continuing to playing tennis and training it is aggravating it. It is not
good for it. And classic tendinitis, if you don't look after it, or if you
continue to play through, it will just continually get worse and worse. And
it is -- I want to get through to Brazil, play Brazil; then take a few weeks
off and see how my wrist goes, if it does need attention. If I do continue to
play with it, it will be a problem that, you know, will never go away or
might require surgery.

Q. Is this just bad timing for the injury considering that you have been
playing so good?
PATRICK RAFTER: It is an injury that I have been able to maintain. It is
something that is progressively getting slightly worse and worse and I just
don't want to deal with it right now in the doubles and go out and play
another match on it and risk or sacrificing a possible result in my favor
tomorrow night. It is just not worth it. Doubles have been great. I have
really enjoyed it. I would have loved to have played and Lleyton would have
loved to have played. We come in here. We don't know how we are going to go
in the doubles or the singles. You sort of play it by ear. It is very hard to
play singles and doubles. You just don't see the guys doing much of it
anymore.

Q. You have and Tony have been together for a long time. Can you give us your
impression of what he does and still keeps you motivated and how the
partnership works?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, I think his dedication and commitment to me has been
superb. As someone -- I guess, you know, all coaches are like that with their
pupils, I just have a lot of respect for Tony. I think that is very important
if you are going to work with someone, you have got to respect the guy. And I
respect Tony, you know, like a brother or like a father. So it is something
that when you are on the court you are not just playing for yourself but you
are playing for Tony, if you put on a poor performance, Tony is going to be
upset as well. You just can't do that. And it is a good feeling being out
there playing. And he is I think the greatest coach in the world. I don't
think anyone -- obviously I can't say you know how good he is or he is, but
to have done what he has done with me, I think he is the greatest coach in
the world.

Q. Can you just perhaps a mention a couple of specifics regarding what he has
done for you?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, a lot of it is good for my mind as well. He is very
calming, he is positive and he is good tactically as well. He will tell you
just one or two little things but he doesn't try and fill your mind with a
lot of things. He is simple and it keeps your mind clear. I think that is
very important. That is probably one of his biggest attributes as well. But
he knows what to say and when to say it. He says all the right words. I think
we have a good communication over the years we have been working together.

Q. You said a couple of years ago that you didn't really want to travel with
a permanent coach that, you know, having to keep him happy and deciding where
he was going to go to dinner that night wasn't really a problem that you
wanted. It is not quite like that with Rochey, it is different?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, it is. We are good mates and he is not travelling that
much and he will do the swing from the French Open through to Wimbledon and
then he will be off for quite a while again. So we are not seeing a hell of a
lot of each other. When we do it is great to see him and hang out. He is a
good fellow to hang out with. He really is easygoing. And he is a good mate,
I really enjoy hanging out with him. I'd go for a beer with him. Yeah, good
to be around.

Q. Considering the improvements that you made on your groundstroke do you
think that that will help you just adding that element to your game against
Agassi if you face him again?
PATRICK RAFTER: I don't think I could hit the ball any better than the way I
did at the Australian Open against him. I was playing great and I was -- but
not just playing great, I was feeling great and I was having fun and that is
the stage you want to try and get at when you are on the court. With Andre
you need to be able to do that. If you have got to a chance of winning you
need to be hitting the ball very well.

So I am taking that confidence in with me and I know that I have to be
aggressive from the baseline.

Q. After you feel that moment that you will, you know, in that game, how
often do you feel that?
PATRICK RAFTER: Confidence from the baseline?

Q. No, just, you know, you keep referring to that match against Agassi where
you did lose but you felt it....
PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, I just felt like I could have won and to beat Andre in
Australia, he plays very well down there and I haven't had the success I
would have liked to have had down in Australia, but I just felt like it was a
court now that I could have played very well on and I was playing well on and
I was beating Andre when he was playing great tennis as well. And I was
playing great tennis. And it just makes for a good matchup. I just -- I
really enjoyed playing him. As I said, you come off, you win, you lose, you
feel good about it because you know you have had a good match and it is good
for tennis.

END--FastScripts by ASAP Sports

P. RAFTER/A. CORRETJA 6-4, 6-3
An Interview With: PATRICK RAFTER
(The Ericsson Open Site; 03/27/2001)

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I take it you've overcome your aversion to playing at night?
PATRICK RAFTER: Listen, you know, the conditions were both tricky for us. I'm
not saying that, you know, I haven't had good results at night. I played at
the Australian Open against Hrbaty, and I was playing very well against
Agassi; don't get me wrong. But I prefer to play during the day, simple as
that.

Q. What did you think when you found out you were playing at night?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, it was good because I was at the U2 concert and I
wanted a late night anyway. So I was very happy with a night match.

Q. You happy with the way you played?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, it was -- my groundstrokes were something that sort of
shocked me a little bit. I've been working on a lot on my groundstrokes,
trying to hit them very heavy and try to put something on them. This is also
getting ready for the Davis Cup next week. You know, my serve could have been
a little bit sharper. I wasn't really happy with the way I was timing my
serve, but I started to get a bit more rhythm as the match went on.

Otherwise, I'm very, very happy with the way I played.

Q. How does it compare with the match you played against him in Indian Wells?
PATRICK RAFTER: It was very different. I don't think Alex played as well as
he did tonight, there's no way. I probably played a little bit better, too. I
served extremely well in Indian Wells against him and didn't give him much of
a chance on my serve. But probably Indian Wells was a higher standard,
definitely a higher standard.

Q. Are you a bit surprised by how well you've been playing lately?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, I've done it before, I guess, when I get on a roll and
I feel good and I play a lot of matches and I know I'm hitting the ball well
that it's not really that surprising because I do get the good results. I'm
trying to keep that momentum going. It's important that I keep my
concentration for the next couple of weeks. That's all I have to do, then
I'll take a couple of weeks off.

Q. You ready for the doubles tomorrow?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, we'll see how little Lleyton pulls up. I think, you
know, he -- I understand he's not one million percent at the moment so
hopefully he'll pull up okay and we'll see what happens.

END--FastScripts by ASAP Sports...

P. RAFTER/F. Clavet 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
An Interview With: PATRICK RAFTER
(The Ericsson Open Site)

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. How well do feel you played?
PATRICK RAFTER: I played well in patches. I went to sleep a little bit. The
intensity dropped. I was pretty relaxed the whole match. I knew in the third
set I had to pick it up and be a bit more consistent and be - what's the
word? I was just playing a little bit lazy, not really committed in the
second set. That's for sure. First set was sort of just working each other
out. In the third set -- but it's dangerous doing that. It's dangerous
letting him get back into a match like that because he can get a bit of
confidence and that result can be the other way around very easily.

Q. Did you feel any danger after the second set?
PATRICK RAFTER: There's always a sense of danger, yeah. I had to get up
there and serve. But I served pretty well the first couple games, put some
pressure on him the first service games. I knew I was well in it.

Q. That was a strong finish out there. On a very hot day, that's a strong
finish, isn't it?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, it was. It was good. As I said, I needed to pick up
the intensity, I did. It's sometimes hard, you know you have to do it, it's
sometimes hard to do it. When you're in that sort of frame of mind, I was
really happy with the way I got back up.

Q. What about the weather? When you're sitting in the stands, it feels like
it's 84, 85 degrees. I suspect it's hotter when you're on the court playing?
PATRICK RAFTER: I reckon it's hot. I hate watching matches in the sun. I
feel it's very, very hot. When you're out there playing, your sort of
concentration's on the match. You're sweating, you're cooling yourself down.
But it must be just brutal in the sun out there watching as well.

Q. You feeling okay for the doubles?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, bloody oath. Yeah. I'm ready.

Q. Tired?
PATRICK RAFTER: No, not at all.

Q. What about playing Alex next, you've beaten him recently. That must help,
does it?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, it was very good conditions for me last -- on that
last -- in Indian Wells. I served a very, very high percentage in the second
and third set. I think I served 80, 85 percent in two sets. And so I mean
I'm going to have to go out there and play at a very high standard to beat
him again. He'll probably try something different out there. He's a smart
player. He knows what it's all about. He might come out with a few different
tricks. I have to go out there, assess it in the first set and see what's
going on.

Q. Do you have to make any technical adjustments from a right-hander to a
left-hander?
PATRICK RAFTER: Not really. I just -- when I play someone who's a lefty like
that, he's a little bit like a Jeff Tarango, Meligeni, they swing their
serve a little bit instead of hitting a serve. It becomes quite tricky to
return a serve like that. They put a bit of spin and height over the net.
It's definitely different to a right-hander. It's a bit trickier. I'm
looking forward to getting back to playing a right-hander.

Q. This is the third time you've played Alex, and they've all been during
big tournaments. Does that have a subconscious way of putting you in a
mindset that you have a very big match coming up? You know with Alex it's
going to be a big match?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, it's going to be a tough match. I'm just going to
pretty well address it like any other match, though. I don't look at it any
differently. It's not the biggest match of my career. It hasn't been the
biggest match of my career. I'm not going to be out there panicking or
anything. I'm playing very relaxed and pretty confident right now. I'm going
to go out at that same stage -- same frame of mind and hopefully I'll play
well again.

Q. Is there one thing in particular in Alex's game that you have to
neutralize out there?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, if he serves a very high percentage of first serves
with that big serve, he's going to be very tough, very hard to make a lot of
serves though when you serve that way. He's very hard. He's very flat. When
I played him in Indian Wells, he returned just beautifully in certain games.
You just had to be very careful. He was swinging and just making great
returns. For a while there, he was just far too good for me. So if he comes
out hot like that, there's not much I can do. I still got to play my game
and he knows what he's going to get from me.

Q. Will the conditions here be a little slower, though?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, definitely slower. Probably going to be, you know,
favorable to him. But I'm very, very happy with the way I'm hitting the ball
still so I still think I have a good chance.

Q. How do you feel physically?
PATRICK RAFTER: So far, so good. Yeah, I'm enjoying playing singles and
doubles, I just feel like it's just a bit of extra fitness work and a bit
more fun out there. Otherwise, I have to go out there and hit balls and I
don't want to do that. And it's good for Davis Cup as well, you know. Just
helping on the fitness, I've got five-set matches over there. So that's why
I address this doubles match and just try to learn a little bit about
Lleyton and myself and see if we might have an outside chance of combining
for the Davis Cup as well.

Q. In getting this far in the doubles, is that like a bit of a bonus for
you, do you think?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I think it's just -- it's important, you know. We're
just learning a bit more about our games more than anything. That's the good
thing about it. And whether I play with Lleyton or whether I play with Wayne
or what we're going to do there, we don't really know. But I mean, it's just
good to have an understanding of Lleyton's game as well for that very
reason.

Q. Do you know when Fitzy's going to announce the team?
PATRICK RAFTER: We won't know the team until Wednesday. There will be guys
playing off all over the place for, you know, probably for the four spot
anyway at least. As far as I'm aware. But yeah, I mean there will be --
there's no set grounds on that yet. Probably till Wednesday.

Q. So it's you and Lleyton and Wayne so far?
PATRICK RAFTER: Looks that way.

Q. As a man who's not a creature of the night, do you have any special
influence here in playing -- getting you to play day matches here?
PATRICK RAFTER: That's why I play doubles. (Laughter.) So I cannot play
night matches.

Q. You're a very sly man.
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I learned that in Delray. I try to avoid night matches
as much as I can. Every now and then they throw you one. Every now and then
you deal with it. I just don't like them.

Q. Why don't you like night matches?
PATRICK RAFTER: I don't know. Just don't really like it. It's a little bit
slower. The ball comes off the court, reacts differently, doesn't get quite
that same bounce. Sometimes it's hard to pick the ball up at night as well.

Q. Bjorg used to hate playing at night. He said he couldn't see the ball
properly. Is it the same sort of thing?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, it is. I find I lose my rhythm at night as well. When
you go from a night match back to a day match the next day, which invariably
happens sometimes, it's very difficult to make that transition. It happens a
lot of times. It's not a nice position to be in, having to do that.

Q. Just want to be clear on one thing, when you said I'm not a creature of
the night, that didn't extend to things beyond tennis, did it?
PATRICK RAFTER: Going out and partying, is that what you mean, Charlie? You
better make yourself clear, mate. This is on record here.

Q. Well? You didn't answer me.
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, you didn't have a good enough question. (Smiling.)
That's a news-of-the-world question. I don't go out much, no. Not very much.
Thanks. (Smiling.)

END--FastScripts by ASAP Sports...

THE MASTERS SERIES 2001
THE ERICSSON OPEN - MIAMI, FLORIDA
March 24, 2001

P. RAFTER/B. Bryan 6-2, 6-1

An Interview With: PATRICK RAFTER

THE MODERATOR: First question for Pat, please.

Q. Are you happy with the way you played today, Pat?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, was pretty solid, yeah. I've never really seen Bob play
before, so the first few games with we were sort of sorting each other out.
(Inaudible). Today was good, I didn't want to spend too much time out there.
It was a hot day, so it's good to get off.

Q. Has it been difficult to have to wait this long before playing your first
match?
PATRICK RAFTER: It is. It's tough. That's the toughest thing about the
transition from Indian Wells to here. But at the same time I was very tired
after Indian Wells. I had a lot of tennis. I hadn't played that much tennis
in a long time. It took me a few days to get over it. And just sort of came
here, settled down and so I'm looking for a good week. It's pretty important
to have a good week.

Q. Since you said in January that this could be your last season, have a lot
of people approached you and asked you not to go?
PATRICK RAFTER: I have to talk to you about this Miki. (Laughing.)

Q. The reason I ask is because Ivanisevic said some very nice things about
you the other day.
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I didn't -- I didn't want that to happen. I didn't want
to have some sympathy from all the other guys or from tournaments and et
cetera. That's the one thing I do regret from what I have said and why. But
as I said before, it was a timing thing why I did say it in Australia for the
Australian public. Something that I'm definitely going to take a good break
after it and we'll see where I go from there. But I do need a break and I do
want to get away from the tennis for a little while. But, you know, the thing
is I'm not getting any younger. I'm still looking towards that. It's nice for
Goran to say anything he said. He's a good fella. We get along very well.

Q. That's what he said. Is it difficult for you to concentrate on a
tournament --?
PATRICK RAFTER: Not at all.

Q. -- As important as this one when you've got the Davis Cup coming up?
PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, okay. (Smiling.) No, it's not. I mean, no, we talk and
we're joking about it in the locker room. Fitzy and Wally are trying to come
up with different strategies on how we can win this tie in Brazil, what's our
best chances. But when we're on the court, it's a whole different ball game.
We're only concentrating on this week and what we have to do this week. There
is no substitute for match practice and we know that. The best preparation
for Brazil is to have a great week here and gain confidence and go in there
feeling really good and really strong. That's what we're about.

Q. And playing the doubles with Lleyton, have you got --?
PATRICK RAFTER: It's another, you know, it's another ace up our sleeve that
we're looking at. We're trying to get comfortable with each other in Davis
Cup, we need to get some matches.

Q. Are you playing with him specifically for Davis Cup reasons?
PATRICK RAFTER: No, we're good mates. I like to play doubles as well. I'm
looking to try to play some more tennis, and doubles helps my singles. When I
played good singles is when I was playing a lot of doubles. The reason I
stopped playing doubles was because of my shoulder. But I feel I'm strong
enough now, so that's another reason why.

Q. You've been playing a lot of lefties lately.
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah.

Q. It could be Clavet coming up in the next round. Got a history with him and
what's he like?
PATRICK RAFTER: No history at all with Clavet. Never played him before.

Q. After all these years, you've never played him?
PATRICK RAFTER: After all these years there's a few guys I've never run into.
He's one of them. (Inaudible.)Starting to get the idea of it anyway, starting
to get the hang of it. Yeah, he'd be a very tough match if I had to play him.
Who's he play? Martin, I think. Yeah, probably have to put your money on
someone like Clavet to win that. But still, you never know.

Q. It's going to be baseline if you can (Inaudible)?
PATRICK RAFTER: Hit the baseline, really. Yeah. Chip and charge, Charlie.
That's it.

Q. What would be another doubles option for Davis Cup?
PATRICK RAFTER: Myself and Wayne as well. I think that's also an option. You
know, a lot will depend on what happens on the first day. But, you know, I'm
looking to play the matches, so that's why I'm also playing doubles here, to
get it -- get the sort of fitness going as well so I can back it up. I think
myself and Wayne and myself and Lleyton are the ones that we're looking at
anyway.

Q. What's your assessment of the courts here and how it tailors to your game?
PATRICK RAFTER: It's pretty slow out there. Nothing like Indian Wells. Indian
Wells was quick, the air quality is quick, the ball doesn't get fluffy. Here,
you know, it's quite a bit slower. It's kicking, it's biting, it's a very
bouncy court, and the balls do fluff up and get a little bit slow. It does
slow down. (Inaudible). But I have played well here in the past and there's
no reason why I can't play well here again. I am playing well. When I am
playing well, sort of a medium-paced hardcourt is a good surface for me.

Q. The slowness of the court, is it a bit of a mixed blessing for you?
(Inaudible)?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, it does that and gives you an extra bite on the serve
when it's not as quick. It also slows down their serve so you feel like
you're on their serve every time as well. This court's great for Pete because
he's got such a big serve. Doesn't matter what court you put the guy on, he
serves big. When you serve to him, he won't get quite that zip off the court.
But Pete's a great player on all these sort of surfaces anyway. Not too many
he can't play on.

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