interview with Guillermo Canas - Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Q. There are a great number of people who are denied the opportunity to watch you play today because the French Open decided to place you on Court 16 where there's fairly limited seating. Did it strike you as odd that you should be on such a small outdoor, out‑of‑the‑way court?

GUILLERMO CANAS: I really think I don't care, just I prefer to play in the big stadiums and I know that, but I knew there were gonna be a lot of matches. It's the first round, Tuesday, and many matches to play. I know they're gonna be, I don't know, maybe top seed in the big stadium, the French guy, and absolutely for me it's better if I play in the big stadium, but that was good.

It was good. It was full of people over there. Not many, but full of people. I hope the next match I play in the big, or a little bit bigger stadium.

Q. It's been a long journey back to your first Grand Slam in two years. I wonder if you could just reflect on what this means to you to be back here now?

GUILLERMO CANAS: Oh, it's great to be here. It's great to be in the French Open again. It's great to play my first Grand Slam after my suspension, and I think I enjoy a lot today, the match for today. It was so exciting. It's great to win the first match in this kind of tournament. And just I enjoy this tournament like I enjoyed the tournaments I played before, just a little bit more because my family is here.

And just I tried to do my best on the court and I tried to keep winning, or to keep going in the tournament.

But for me it's great to play here in Paris.

Q. Was there a time you doubted that you would make it back to this level?

GUILLERMO CANAS: I think ‑‑ sorry, it's warm ‑‑ sorry. Again?

Q. Was there a time that you had doubt in your mind that you would make it back to a Grand Slam?

GUILLERMO CANAS: No. Just really I knew I gonna play this kind of tournament again when I was in the suspension, but I don't know when. But I knew I gonna play a Grand Slam again. I knew I gonna play in my level, all the big level again. But I'm so happy. I'm so proud to play or to be here after six, eight months, that I start to play again. And really, I'm so happy to have this level to play my first Grand Slam.

Q. It hasn't been a sensational clay court season for you, not like on the hard courts before. After Key Biscayne, did you feel like you just needed to take a breath and relax a little bit?

GUILLERMO CANAS: No, not really. It's just I think in the beginning of my season, that start in September, I play a lot of matches to March. I play very well the first tournament in clay. It was in Barcelona. I make the final. And then after that, I play just two more tournaments. It was Rome and Hamburg. I didn't have very good result, but in Rome I play good tennis. I have maybe [] the Simon, he play very well against me. And then I think I maybe start to get a little bit tired. I have some pains in my shoulder, in my back. But I think ‑‑ I think it's not bad. It's just I play three tournaments in clay. I made one final and I'm here very confident. I play very good tennis to have a great tournament here.

Q. You've got Simone Bolelli, you've never played him. Are you going to have to find out something about him in the next day or so or do you already know him?

GUILLERMO CANAS: No, no, I don't know nothing about him. Just I try to find how he play. I knew he have a good result in the last few months. But really, I didn't see him play any. Just after this press conference, I go to find how he play and how he look. I know him, how he look a little bit, but how he look inside the court.

Q. We saw some great Argentine success here in Paris, particularly in 2004. What do you know of Coria and Gaudio and how do you explain what's happened to their games?

GUILLERMO CANAS: I think they are so different case. Gaston is maybe knowing his best moment, but, you know, this one is very competitive level. Sometimes happen. I hope he soon come back to his level. But it's very different case to Coria. I don't know what happened with Guillermo. I practice with him in like two months ago, after ‑‑ before Miami and he was practice very well. Just I knew he gonna start playing like months ago, but he didn't. Just really, I don't know more about him. But I hope.

They are two very important players for us and I hope both, they gonna come to the high level soon.

Q. In Gaston's case, do you think it's a loss of confidence, what's happened to him?

GUILLERMO CANAS: Yeah, I think the tennis ‑‑ more so the tennis is about mentality, confidence. Maybe he lose a little bit confidence. But we know, everybody know, he's a great tennis player, and maybe he ‑‑ maybe he want to come back with the high level. He have a chance. But really, it's a question to ask him, not to me.

Q. We've had quite a bit of rain the first couple days here, maybe a little tomorrow, maybe a little on Thursday. When the conditions are like this, slowing the courts down, and so much of your game is retrieving the ball, does that work more in your favor?

GUILLERMO CANAS: No. Really for me I really prefer the sun, warm weather, and fast court, really. But I like this kind of court, too. But I prefer when it is a little bit faster here. The ball, the balance of the ball is high. Then I prefer. But, you know, sometime in Paris, it's this weather. I think this year is worse than before. But I don't know. Just I try to continue to play the way I play. I don't care about the weather.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish, please.

Q. Well, your first match here is your first game. You came back. Did you feel comfortable? What did you feel?

GUILLERMO CANAS: No, I was a bit nervous before I started the match. When you start, it's always a bit like this. But to be honest, I felt very confident. I've been here for almost a week now. And I must say I felt more confident and I'm very happy about the two first sets I played. They were quite good.

The third set was probably not the best in the match, but I'm very happy I made it very first round and in three sets.

Q. Playing in a Grand Slam is probably a different feeling. You came back in September, but it's your first Grand Slam tournament.

GUILLERMO CANAS: Well, just like all Grand Slam, you experience it. You have special feelings, and I'm trying to play it differently. I've been here since last Saturday. I arrived in Paris early to try and practice, to try and get a feeling of the city. And I'm more confident. We've been here for a week. I feel good. I feel fit. And I think that beyond all this, of course, you know, when you're playing your first match, you're a bit under pressure.

But I came here with my family and it's a great pleasure for me to be here with them.

Q. How did you prepare for this from a psychological standpoint? Who is with you here in Paris?

GUILLERMO CANAS: Well, we prepared this a week ago. We decided on who would come with me a few weeks ago. I had played quite a few tournaments, so I was a bit tired. So I said, Well, if it's a great tournament for me, I'll be on the courts for quite a few hours. So I decided to take a one‑week break before I started this tournament. So I arrived a week early, a week ahead of time. I came here with my family. My parents are here. They're so happy. They see me back in Paris.

So I came with them and with all my team, and with some friends. So I must say, I feel very much at home. And it gives me great confidence. I'm here with my family. We have a flat, so I don't feel the pressure of Roland Garros that much.

Q. Were you surprised? I mean, you were quite powerful at the beginning of this match, not talking about the third set you just mentioned. Was it a surprise for you to be so at ease, so confident?

GUILLERMO CANAS: No, no. I've been feeling well over the last days, as I said earlier. I came much ahead of time. So, you know, when you take time to prepare yourself ahead of time, you feel good. So in the last days I started preparing a few things and practicing a few shots. But I played very good first set, and then the third set, maybe I started lacking concentration a bit.

But, you know, I think it was a very positive first round. I'll play my second match tomorrow. I'm very happy I came through this first round in three sets, so I'll try and be ready for the second set.

Q. You said it in English already, but we need to listen to you in Spanish. So what do you know about your opponent, Simone Bolelli?

GUILLERMO CANAS: Well, as I said in English before, I don't know him very well. I know he's been playing well over the last month, but that's all I know about him. I know what he looks like, because I've seen him in the changing rooms, but I've never seen him playing. So after the press conference, I'll try and find out about the way he plays, about his game. I'll try to find information. And I'll try to get to know his game, to know how to play him in the next match.

Q. Argentina came here with 15 players. That's a record figure, but we lack a top 10. We miss a player like you in the previous years. Are you ready to endorse this role as top Argentinian player?

GUILLERMO CANAS: Well, I don't know, really, if I'm ready to accept this additional pressure. I think the only thing I need to do here is to make the most, to have fun, to enjoy it, and if it turns out right, I'll be very happy, because that's why I came here.

But I really don't need to do anything else, what I'm actually doing and what I've done over the last month was great, well, in my opinion at least. And I think I'll have beautiful month ahead. So I don't need to be the icon of any country, and I don't want to have this pressure on me.

Q. In Miami they talked about success outside the courts. I have a question to ask you about the TAS decision after the results you got in the legal courts. What's your opinion?

GUILLERMO CANAS: Well, in a nutshell I think what TAS says is not what the supreme court is asking. So they observe what the supreme court says, and they say nothing about the decision of the supreme courts, I want to repeat this again aloud, but beyond this, I think it is not the right time for me to talk about it. My lawyer is here. If you have any questions to ask, ask them to my lawyer and he will give you any answer you want. And for me, I want to focus on this tournament.