Guillermo Canas

March 22, 2007

Guillermo Canas

KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You've had a pretty remarkable two or three weeks, in fact, four or five months. Why do you think you've been able to get your form back as quickly as you have and had so many good wins?
GUILLERMO CANAS: Because I think I prepare very well before I started. I think I practiced very hard before September 11th. I think it was hard practice, then for the last four months before I started, and I feel ready before I start.
I have a lot because I played very well the first tournaments and then I get good confidence in my game. Week by week, I'm getting better in my tennis, in my mentality, in my performance, and then I think it was a gift for now in good moment.

Q. When Tim was playing so well for 45 minutes today, a set and a break up, did you still have in the back of your mind that you have such a good record against him that you felt it was --
GUILLERMO CANAS: Well, not really. It's just I think in the beginning of the match I didn't play my best tennis but Tim played very well. Maybe that was the key, because he didn't give me a chance to play well. Everything what I do, he do better.
After when he was a break up in the second set, I think I changed a little bit. I tried to play -- to return better, just tried to play more aggressive in my game.
Now I have a lot because I break back very soon, and then the match was tough again, and I think there I start to play better. I start to make a better position and start to move more aggressive in my game.
For that maybe that give me more confidence in my game, but I think it was a very tough match. I'm very happy because I think it was a tough match for me and for first round. It's very tough to beat one player like Tim, and I'm happy today.

Q. Do you also think because of your history with Tim, because of Melbourne and the matches, does that help when you're on court and he's playing well?
GUILLERMO CANAS: Yeah, sometimes before you start the match, you know, you're thinking that, and that is confidence for you. But every match is different. You know, I know when I got into the court, Tim, they're going to make different things to try to beat me, and this one is tough.
But when you are in there in the court, you don't think of the matches before. It's just you're thinking this match and it's just you're thinking to play better to try to pass him. But today I think I do very well in the second set. I'm very happy with my performance today.

Q. Do you record this as almost a second career?
GUILLERMO CANAS: For me?

Q. For you. You've had one career, now you're having No. 2?
GUILLERMO CANAS: I think maybe it's No. 1. After my first surgery, my second surgery, the thing that happened to me with the Open, and really, really many started again and many things. I hope this one is the last. I'm getting old, and this one I hope is the last time.
I need to start with zero. But really, I'm very happy the moment I have. I'm very happy what happened to me in this moment, and the real thing is I'm very happy because I enjoy every moment I'm in the court, out of the court, and this one for me is great.

Q. Would you be sad to see someone like Henman retire from the game because of the style he plays? For you personally, obviously.
GUILLERMO CANAS: For me personally because I have good relations with him. We've played many tough matches. I have in my memory good -- remember the matches I played against him, and they're going to be sad for me because I have friendly moments, tough moments.
They're going to be tough for tennis because he's the last players that plays the way he plays, and it's nice to watch him play. It's very nice to see the tennis how he sees in the court.
Yeah, but I think we have one, maybe two more years, I hope, for Henman. And now I know he's getting old. I'm getting old, too. And maybe, I hope he have a very good year to continue play.

Q. That match in Melbourne, you played a lot of classic matches, but where does that one sit with you?
GUILLERMO CANAS: For me it's one of the most important moments in my career, one of the matches I never forget. I think for him, too (laughing). For me it was happy; for him, not. But really, it was a terrible match, was incredible, because it was five hours of fighting there.
Really it's the match what I'm going to remember for many years. When I retire I'm going to still remember that match.
It's great to have a match like this in my mind against one player like Tim because I have a very -- I have a respect for him because he was one of the big players. I hope we have one more match like that in --

Q. Wimbledon?
GUILLERMO CANAS: (Laughing) I hope not in Wimbledon, but in another Grand Slam. I hope so.

March 26, 2007

Guillermo Canas

KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You must be very, very happy with the way you played against Richard today.
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: Yeah, I think I played very well, very intelligent. I'm very happy with it. I think I played a very good match.

Q. Really not much time to celebrate because tomorrow very a big match. Are you ready?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: Yeah, I am ready, yes. I'm ready. I'm ready to enjoy it again, to be in the center court against the No. 1 in the world. Yes, I'm ready.

Q. It will be daytime, not nighttime. Does that suit you?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: No, I think it's okay. I have like 20 hours to be recovered from this match. I think today was a very, very tough match, and I'm going to be ready for tomorrow. Yes, sure.

Q. When you look back at the last six months, does it still seem a little bit like a dream?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: Yeah, I think a little bit like -- not like a dream. I don't know how to explain, but just when I saw what I did these six months I try to enjoy every day.
I don't know if it's a dream or not, but I try to enjoy every day. I try to be 100 percent every day in what I do, and really, I'm very happy with what I did in this six months.

Q. Do you feel a higher degree of confidence today than you did even when you arrived into the Top 10?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: I've improved a lot in many things. I think I'm playing very good tennis and improving my tennis and improving my mentality, and I think at this moment I'm as strong a player as I was in Top 10, sure.

Q. And your mobility seems so much better now because your knee problem seems to be a thing of the past.
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: Yeah, and this is a good thing. I don't have pain in my knee. Yeah, now I'm recovered from that. I dealt with this for two years, now I'm very good with my knee.
It's great, but now I'm two years more old and it's tough to recover, but I'm happy with the way I am or the way I've stayed in my physically, in my mentality, and in my game, too.

Q. The conditions here are very different from Indian Wells. The air is not as thin, the balls don't fly as far. Do you have to change your tactics when you play Federer in these kind of conditions?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: Yeah, maybe a little bit. Maybe a little bit, but just the real thing is I don't think in the match for tomorrow, just in the moment I try to enjoy the match from today.
I know it's tough to beat every week or two weeks in a row the No. 1 in the world, just I try to enjoy. I try to drink, and maybe that happen. But the only thing is tomorrow I'm going to get into that court and enjoy it and I'm going to play my best tennis I can.

Q. What is your secret for playing Federer?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: I don't have any secret, just I have luck last week, and I'll try to have luck this week, too (laughter).

March 27, 2007

Guillermo Canas

KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It could be said that beating Roger Federer once, you need a bit of luck, but to do it twice you need a tremendous amount of ability, as well. How would you sum up your two performances against him?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: Really, I don't know. Just I'm happy. I think I played great tennis today, too, and for me it's like a dream. Beat two weeks in a row the No. 1 of the world is amazing.
Just I tried to enjoy it. I don't know what I do, just I know I played very good tennis. But really, in this moment, I don't know, just I'm trying to enjoy the moment.

Q. Roger said that this is almost the South American Open, the South American Grand Slam, that so many people come here. Is that the feeling you have?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: Yes (laughter).

Q. Is this one of the important tournaments for you to win?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: I don't know if it's an important tournament, but many people from South America live in Miami, and the other half, they come to watch this tournament. I think for us it's very important to play here.
We love to play here in Miami, and many Argentinian players have a house here, and for us it's great.
It's just we try to enjoy it a lot. We have a lot of support for the people in my country, for the people in South America.

Q. Do you think there will be a lot of players in the locker room asking you what the secret is?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: No, because I don't know. The real thing is I don't know. Just I go there, I try to play my best tennis. I think I have luck because I played very good tennis last week against him, and I think today was better than last week because I think that he played better tennis, too, and it was a great match.
Really, I'm surprised because I beat two times the No. 1 in the world. Really, I don't know what is my secret but just I'm surprised because I played very good.

Q. In that final set you were a break down and Roger had the points for a double break. How did you feel at that moment having to fight back like that? Did you say to yourself, One point at a time? Is this what went through your mind?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: I feel like I played very good tennis, but he played better than me. Just I tried to fight him every point. Sometimes I get nervous because really, I feel I played great tennis, but he played better than me.
Just I tried to play point by point. I tried to do my best every point. Really, in that moment I have a little luck because I have many, many break points for go to break down, and I think I played very well that points. And really in the match when it was 2-1 it was just one break and then I have a chance at 4-3, I take it.
Then after that I think it was for anyone. I think I'm very happy because I played both tiebreaks very well.

Q. When you were away from the tour when Roger was so, so dominant - not that he still isn't - but do you think you have less fear because of that, because you did not play him the last couple of years when he was winning everything?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: I think he's still winning everything. The first Grand Slam, he win all the tournaments he played. For me, like I said, I just go there, I try to enjoy the moment I play with the No. 1 of the world.
I tried to do my best on the court, and really I have a lot of luck last week and this week, because sometimes it's tough to play well with the No. 1 of the world. I think I have luck because I played very well the two matches.
But really I'm just -- after when I come back, just I try to play all the matches with my best. I try to enjoy day by day when I get into the court.
But with Roger and with all the players, for me it's the same.

Q. Aside from luck, is there any other common factor between the two victories to you, any particular strength?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: No, I think I played very good tennis. I think today I fight him a lot, play the important point very well. I think I play the third set very good. The important moments in the tiebreak really I'm surprised because I play very good.
I go to take the point, I go to the net. I think I played very aggressive tennis very well. Really I don't know what the key is to beat him. I just try to fight every point, and I think for that I beat him to tennis.

Q. You've had to qualify for both Indian Wells and for here. Do you think that that has sharpened you, made you more -- I know you were a fighter always, but because you have to fight to get into the tournament that when you actually start it you're in a much more strong frame of mind to play?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: I don't know, because I think when I come the tournament I don't have the ranking to get in. But when I play I was inside of 60th and I get in the tournaments.
Just I try to win all the matches I go to the court. I don't know if I fight more because I played quallies. I think if I didn't play quallies I'm going to fight the same thing. Just I have -- I am lucky to play quallies because my ranking was high at that moment.
But when I get into the court I try to win all the matches I can or I try to play my best.

Q. How deep do you think you can now go in the tournament, because last time you beat Roger you lost to Moya in the next round. I think you play Robredo next. How do you feel about that match?
GUILLERMO CAÑAS: It's tough. Last week when I finish, or when I beat Roger, it was a surprise for me because I was -- like I win the big tournament. Everybody want to interview me and it was great, but it was a surprise.
Now this is my second time. I'm very happy, but I try to be focused on the tournament. I have tomorrow the day off. I'll try to recover because for me it was tough. I finished a little bit tired today. But I try to be ready for the next -- really, I want to continue winning in this tournament.