Day 8 - An interview with Guillermo Canas - Sunday, June 3, 2007

Q. How close would you say you are to your very best form on clay at the moment?

GUILLERMO CANAS: I think I am in my best performance on clay. I'm very confident in my game. I don't remember the years before how I am, but I think it's my best performance, or I feeling I'm playing my best tennis in the moment.

Q. And the first set today was almost perfect.

GUILLERMO CANAS: Yeah, I think today I play very good match. I'm very happy the way I play. I think the first set was great. I didn't miss a ball. I think, today all the match, in three sets, I'm very happy the way I play.

Q. The hot weather has hit. It's here.

GUILLERMO CANAS: Yeah.

Q. And the courts are fast and the bounces are high. Tell us what that does for your game?

GUILLERMO CANAS: No, I think it's much better. I prefer this weather. I think for me it's better if the weather continue like this. Yeah, it's very different tournament. Just the ball bounce high. It's faster.

But today I really am feeling much confidence with this weather. I hope this continue like this next week.

Q. You've had so few unforced errors in your first four matches compared to your opponent. That's almost like 3 to 1. Do you get some sort of inner joy at watching yourself breakdown your opponents, forcing them into errors?

GUILLERMO CANAS: No, really, I don't feel different shots. When I get to the court, I try to make not many forced errors. Just I try to -- my game is to play like this. I know if I play like this, I have a chance that the other guy start to miss a lot. And when this happen, I feel more confidence in my game. But it's the way I try to play.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish.

Q. You've said that after the first match you would talk more between Nadal and Federer. This is the second week.

GUILLERMO CANAS: Yes, this is the second week, and I'm one of the possible who can win the tournament. I'm quite happy because I've reached the quarterfinals. I have moments for the tournament it will be a little bit different. From what we've seen so far, I'm going to play against players who are very good.

But today I'm very happy because I've played against a player who has plenty of confidence. I've played my best tennis, and I'm very happy about it.

Q. About this same topic, we asked Monaco if you could be the third man between Nadal and Federer. Juan Monaco said yes. He said that you are really craving for victory.

GUILLERMO CANAS: That's true. That's true. And I'm very happy if other players make this type of comment. I would say that I have still the same mindset. I want to move forward in the tournament. It is true that I've built up some extra confidence. He's one of the best players on clay, and I've played my best tennis and it means a lot to me.

Q. Forward, imagine Nalbandian wins. If you were to play Nalbandian or Davydenko, which one would you prefer?

GUILLERMO CANAS: If I were to play against Davydenko, it's going to be a very difficult match. There will be plenty of challenges. I will try to face my opponent and I will try to play my best level.

And if I play against David Nalbandian, it will be a totally different match. I mean, I know him very well. And I've been doing for quite a long time. We spent plenty of time on the court together. So it will be a tough match for both players. And I know how he plays. He knows how I play. But I don't think that we're going to change our tactics. It will be an interesting match. And I think that we will play at a high level in order to move to the next stage.唉～～可惜没机会啦

Q. The other day you said that your best weapon in order to move out of difficult situation was your serve. But what about your defensive game? I mean, your defensive game is as important as your serve.

GUILLERMO CANAS: I've served well today. I played very accurately, and I defended myself when need be. But what is important is that I've done my job. And I've played very well and this gives me a lot of confidence in order to move forward in the tournament.

Q. What type of player are you?

GUILLERMO CANAS: The way I define myself? I don't know. It's very difficult to give a self-definition of yourself. It's very difficult. It's very difficult to look at yourself in the mirror. I would say that I'm a seasoned player. I'm an experienced player. I want to play every point as if each point was the last one of the match.我欣赏这一点

I would say that my game has been improving over the past few years. My serve has improved significantly. ——教教我们家豚呀And I have plenty of confidence. I've moved forward. I've made some progress. And gradually I would say that I'm a more complete player. But I need to move forward. That's all.

In other words, what is important is the way you play the way I fight for each point, for each ball. And that's what matters.

Q. At this stage of the tournament, we have to recognize and acknowledge that you have done very well. It is true that the media will pay attention to Nadal, Federer, and Moya?

GUILLERMO CANAS: It's quite normal that people focus on Nadal and Federer, because they are head of the pack and they've got the best results over the past few years. It's quite normal that the media talk about them. But we are dealing with a tennis tournament, and everything can happen. There are plenty of players with a very good level. It's very difficult to defeat Federer or Nadal. But, I mean, on the tennis court I would say that I will do my best. I don't know whether it's an advantage or not whether the media talks about me or not.

Q. Any pressure?

GUILLERMO CANAS: No pressure. I don't have any pressure. I'm here to enjoy. I want to play my best level, so I don't have any pressure as far as I'm concerned, I would say. And when I step on the tennis court, I want to enjoy. I want to savour and to take relish in these moments. It goes beyond what people would say about me.

Q. You've played your best level. If you continue the way you play, you don't have a lot of improvements to make.

GUILLERMO CANAS: There is always room for improvement. What I want to tell you is that it was the trickiest player, because he has plenty of confidence and he has got some good results.

But I've played my best, and I have plenty of confidence. But, of course, we need to move forward. And I'm quite happy with the way I played and the way I behaved on the court. And I'm full of confidence.

Q. During this match, you didn't go to the net very often. Do you think that you can reach the final without going to the net?

GUILLERMO CANAS: I think that you can reach the final of Roland Garros, whatever way you play. What is important is to play well. But, in fact, I didn't go to the net because I was playing against Juan and it was very difficult to play differently. So we have to adapt our strategies to the opponent. Of course, we have to be a little bit more aggressive from time to time. But my game hasn't changed. Basically I have a game plan. That's all.

Q. At the end of the match after all these events of your career, what about the standing ovation from the crowd? Did you realize that?

GUILLERMO CANAS: No, I didn't realize that there was a standing ovation. I mean, I didn't enjoy that too much. I was very happy because I've won today. And I enjoyed stepping on the court and I enjoyed playing a tournament on this court. This is my favorite court in this stadium. And I like this court, and I enjoyed it. Of course, I wish I could enjoyed more this event with the public, but I'm very happy with it. Of course, I couldn't feel it at the utmost.

Q. You are in the second week. Your physical fitness is not at the top level?

GUILLERMO CANAS: I mean for a Grand Slam tournament you want to reach the second week. And it is true that we don't want to spend a lot of time on the tennis court. I haven't lost many sets, so I'm very happy with my results. And next Tuesday I will be on court and I will be very fit.

Q. So you played against Moya, you played against Costa. You were about to win a few years ago, but now you are five years older. So what is your assessment? Do you feel better today?

GUILLERMO CANAS: I would say that five years more didn't have a lot of impact, in fact. So I'm an old guy with plenty of experience, in fact. So it is true that as old as I am, I'm doing well. And it is true that I will spend less time on court, and I had spent less time on court. But what is important for me is to feel good without pain. It will be quite positive for me if I reach the quarterfinals.

大强，大强！又大又强～快去庖丁解牛吧～