El Aynaoui: "My serve helped me a lot"


Q. How did you get out of that?
YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: It was close. My serve helped me a lot, the
second serve, the tiebreak. Then, you know, I think I played good
shots. He was a little bit not doing too much. We play some rallies.
His serve wasn't that effective.
As we saw yesterday, Novak losing the second set, I almost
experienced it against Ginepri, 6-4, 5-4. You feel the match is on
your side, you lose the second set, it's tough to hold them. I think
that's what happened?

Q. So was it your mental strength that helped you?
YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yes, I think it's a big part of it. But all the
players who are step in the court, you know, they are pumped and
they want to do good. It's not enough. It's a conjunction of good
form and mental desire on getting further to quarterfinals. It's a
bit of everything.

Q. Are you a little surprised that this is your first Masters Series
semifinal?
YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Kind of. I felt, you know, a couple of times I
had my chances, I could go a little bit further. But those
tournaments are so tough. You have a small draw with most of the
best player in the world. From the first round, you know you going
to have a tough opponent.
In Miami this year, I lost to Agassi in the quarterfinals, so was a
tough match. I think I feel, and the players, too, that I'm getting
more and more dangerous.
It's a surprise on one hand, and they know I'm playing at a high
level for a year or two now. So one week has to be mine (smiling).

Q. It's not just good Bordeaux that matures with age. Here you are
at 32 in your first semifinal. How come you're playing so well at
this age?
YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: I think it's a lot of things. You know, my family
help me. The belief in, first of all, the media, all the people in
Morocco, you know, try to push me all the time.
To tell you the truth, most of the time when I go and play these
guys, the Top 10 guys, I'm like, "Oh, these guys are really good,
they play well." I have a lot of people around me that tells me that
I play well, too, and I can do good.
I'm not impressed anymore about anybody on the tour. The players
knows also that I can play some good tennis, so that makes it easier
for me.

Q. What would it mean to you at this stage getting into the Masters?
YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Well, a lot, of course. There is still very few
spots, I think. I was watching the ranking. I take it as already
something great. I'm going to improve my best year-end ranking ever,
so maybe finish in the Top 20 for once. I see it on that side.
For sure, if this week I end up with a victory, and the next week in
Paris I do well, there's still a small chance.

Q. Do you feel when it comes to indoor tennis like this, with not
having the elements, wind, et cetera, around, the players feel more
confident in really hitting the ball hard? We noticed this week in a
lot of matches the players are really going for their shots. Do you
think it's almost psychological that because they don't have to
worry about the outside influences that they do that more often?
YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: I was talking with Andres Gomez and Mancini the
other day. They were impressed how the conditions have been slowing
down on the indoor season.
So for the type of player am I, I think it suits my game pretty
good. A couple years ago, the courts were much faster. Today you can
play from the baseline; you can also come in.
The conditions here with the altitude makes it a little bit faster
than some other indoors. But it's still very playable from the back.
Everybody is hitting the ball very hard, that's true.

Q. Of all the memorable matches and occasions you've been involved
in, especially this year, is there any particular one that stands
out? If so, why that particular one?
YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Of course, there is the Roddick match in
Australia. That was a good chance for me to go in the semifinals.
But besides this, there was a great moment.
I had some also very good moments in Wimbledon when I played on the
Centre Court. That was something very special.
To reach the semifinals in a tournament like this, you know, I feel
I still have some great moments coming on.

Q. Obviously, players, whenever they start playing, are always
looking ahead, setting targets, ambitions and dreams. When did you
first start to realize yourself that you could really get to the top
and really be chasing for a spot in the Masters? Is it the last two
or three years or only this year that you've realized just how much
potential you've got?
YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: I still didn't realize it, I think. I don't know
how those players thinks. I wish I could be somewhere inside their
brain and thinks how Roger Federer thinks.
I'm always surprised by myself when I go through some matches like
this. You know, yesterday I didn't think I could beat Grosjean, and
today I beat him. I think every match is something that gives you
more confidence and more knowledge about your capacity.
Of course, today Roddick, Ferrero, they're both No. 1, very close. I
beat both of them. I feel I'm more closer to these guys than a few
years ago when Pete was on the top or people like this. So that
gives me a chance to think that I can be up there, too.

Q. As someone whose career has spanned those two generations, what
are the essential differences between, say, Sampras at his peak and
Roddick or Federer at his peak?
YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: They were winning much more than anybody does it
today. Today we see every Slams, there is a different winner. A few
years ago, you had the same guy winning much more tournaments, or a
few guys. Today, everybody is playing well. So everybody believe he
can win a Slam.
I think that's what made the difference. A few years ago, we knew
that those top guys won't lose before the semifinals, and today
there's so many surprises.

Q. Is that then a leveling up rather than the others being that much
better?
YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: I won't say that these guys are playing less than
the other were, because it won't be fair. But I'm sure there is a
bigger group behind that is pushing. I think that's what makes the
difference. You won't see often some easy matches going 6-1, 6-1,
something like that. You have to fight for every match. That makes
the difference.

Q. We've seen Pete's retired, Michael Chang's retired. People around
your age are usually thinking of retirement. Do you think you've got
a lot left in you and you can carry on with tennis for a few years
yet?
YOUNES EL AYNAOUI: Yeah. I was talking with Walt the other day. He
tells me in most of the sports, like the sprinters, basketball
players, these guys playing 36, 37, even 38 years old. They're still
at their best.
I think in the tennis what takes more from the guys, it's the
traveling matter. I think when you're 31, 32, you start to raise a
family. The toughest thing is to go away and spend the whole year in
hotels and airport. I think that's what make them quit. But I think
physically you can be strong in other sports. We saw Jimmy Connors
playing pretty late, too.