Interview

From the official website, an interview about his start in this clay-season.

We caught up with Marat over the week-end in Moscow just before his departure to Barcelona.
We wanted to discuss his feeling regarding the beginning of the clay court season.

Q. Hi Marat. How do you feel and when are you leaving for Barcelona?
A. I'm feeling good. I feel like I have my energies back after the disappointment in Monte Carlo. I even thought about skipping Barcelona after my loss in Monte Carlo because I felt completely drained of energies, but the last few days at home have recharged my "batteries" again.
Q. What really happened during the match in Monte Carlo (Vliegen)?
A. I felt that I had full control of the match. However always after winning a set 6-0 it is a dangerous position because you know that the opponent is going to change his game and start to attack more and play more aggressive and it is always important to try and break in the second set in order to continue the momentum. I didn't manage to get a break up in the second set and in the tie break I had my chances (3 match points). In the third set I was up a break but by that time it started to get darker and the courts became very fast and I didn't manage to capitalize my lead and lost my serve and lost the game.
Q. It must have been very disappointing?
A. It was one of my most disappointing losses because an easy match turned into a very difficult one, and I was looking forward to playing Nadal who is the "King" of clay and as I have never played him before, I wanted to challenge myself by playing him.
Q. How do you re-group mentally after such a disappointment?
A. It's not easy as a lot of things were going through my mind but with the support of Friends and my Team and with my experience I decided to go home for a few days, clear my head and start all over again. Now I'm just trying to be competitive in all my matches and get as many wins under my belt and to hope that my confidence will return, and with that a good streak of wins.
Q. Who is going to be traveling with you to Barcelona?
A. My long time childhood friend Danny Gomez who I grew up with together in Valencia, as well as my fitness coach, Miguel will join me in Barcelona. Sasha Volkov my coach, will most probably join me at the Masters Series events in Rome and Hamburg and on to the French.
Q. What are your plans for the week after Barcelona?
A. I am not scheduled to play the week after and will probably go to Valencia to practice and get ready for the Masters Series event.
Q. Going a step back to the Davis Cup tie against France, can you explain to your fans exactly what happened during the tie and why you were not playing the entire tie and then came up so brilliantly for the final and decisive rubber?
A.We have great depth in our Davis Cup Team and don't forget that I had been traveling overseas sincere the trip to Chile. I was very tired and the Captain decided to play the singles with two other players and I was scheduled to play the doubles. I was also suffering from serious blisters on my feet. This happens to me sometimes when I change surfaces until I get adjusted to the new surface. A Davis Cup always has an element of surprises and when Davydenko could not play the rubber on the last day and Andreev stepped in, we were all sure that he would beat Grosjean and close the tie. It was a risk, but don't forget that Youzhny was not fit for the last rubber due to his tiring match on the first day and I was not fit because of my blisters. After Andreev lost and the score was 2-2 I was shocked that I would have to play the decisive rubber in my condition, but like always, in Davis Cup and especially playing in Russia with the support of the great crowd, I put the pain and inconvenience aside and really played a terrific game.
Q. How do you feel about the semi final tie against Germany?
A. Tommy Haas is in great shape this year and Germany has a very in depth squad and a good doubles team, but I feel that in Moscow most likely on clay courts again, we will be the favorite team and will probably make the finals again for the second year in a row. I think this will be a tremendous achievement because many times after a team wins Davis Cup there is a natural let down so if we can make it again it will show that we have a team with very positive character. There is only one problem with reaching the finals again this year!
Q. What is the problem?
A. It will mean that my vacation at the end of the year will be very short again for the second year in a row!!!

Thank you so much for giving us of your time.Have a successful trip to Spain.
Marat - thanks and regards to all my Fans