*** Guest is now known as Nicolas_Kiefer

<Nicolas_Kiefer> Hi it's Nicolas. I am in.

<Squirt> who are you playing tomorrow

<Nicolas_Kiefer> Squirt: I am playing Pioline.

<Willeke> Nico, why did yoy paint your hair

<momo> Did you do it in Hamburg?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> momo: Yes I did in Hamburg.

<defden> when you were still a junior did you winn a big tournament or something

<Nicolas_Kiefer> defden: Yes I won Melbourne, US Open.

<Melissa> is nicolas doing his own typing?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> melissa: Yes I do.

<sue> what kind of food do U like to have?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> sue: Pasta

<Joshbert> is it youre first time online

<Nicolas_Kiefer> joshbert: Yes it is my first time online

<<Willeke> What is your favorite tournament, Nicolas?

Nicolas_Kiefer> willeke: Halle, Stuttgart Indoor

<momo> Is that Bob Brett in the background?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> momo: No his brother

<Squirt> Who are your best friends on tour

<Nicolas_Kiefer> squirt: Prinosil

<Willeke> Do you know Mark Philippoussis good?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> willeke: Why?

<Willeke> He is one of my favorite players, Nicolas?

<defden> was it hard to become a pro

<Nicolas_Kiefer> defden: Yes of course

<Squirt> What was the hardest part about making the transition between a junior and a pro

<Nicolas_Kiefer> squirt: The game is different. Faster

<Willeke> Nicolas, do you have a girlfriend?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> willeke: Why?

<Willeke> Nicolas. is the only thing you can say : why?

<Willeke> Because am interestd.

<Nicolas_Kiefer> willeke: Yes I do have a girlfriend. She is next to me.

<defden> what was your ranking when you were still a kid at the age of 16 for example

<Nicolas_Kiefer> defden: M y ranking was approx. 1000

<Willeke> Nicolas, does she also play tennis?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> willeke: Yes a little bit.

<Belgian_guy> Nicolas , who is your favourite tennisplayer ?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> belgian guy: I like a lot of player but not a specific one.

<Belgian_guy> Nicolas , have you ever been in Antwerp , for the ECC-tournament?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> belgian guy: Yes I did play Antwerp ... 2 years in a row.

<Edhead> Nicolas: what do you think who will win the French OPen?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> edhead: one out of the 128 draw

<Squirt> You and Haas are both climbing up at the same time. Do you push each other?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> squirt: not really

<Edhead> Nicolas: will you play in Stuttgart Weissenhof after DC in Hamburg?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> edhead: I am not playing the MercedesCup.

<momo> you look realy exited

<Nicolas_Kiefer> momo: Thank you very much.

<Willeke> Nicolas, are you coming to rosmalen in Holland?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> willeke: No I am not playing Rosmalen this year.

<Belgian_guy> What is you current ranking ?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> belgian guy: my ranking is 24 right now.

<Squirt> Nicolas, you have had a couple shots at Rios so far this year. Is he playing like the number 1?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> squirt: Yes sometimes he is playing like the number 1.

<Willeke> Nicolas, do you have any brothers or sisters?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> willeke: one brother.

<zup> where do you live

<Nicolas_Kiefer> zup: everywhere I am basically homeless.

<Belgian_guy> Wich female tennisplayer would you like to play with ?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> belgian guy: Kournikova

<Squirt> obvious answer

<Sofia> does your girlfriend travel with you all the time?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> sofia: No, why do you ask?

<Sofia> i like to know everything

<Squirt> Nicolas, tell us your most embarassing moment on tour

<Nicolas_Kiefer> squirt: embarrassing I don't know but the worst moment I had so far was I torn ligaments in July 1997

<sue> will U shave your goal tee?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> sue: You want me to do it?

<sue> yea ,to change a bit

<Sofia> i see you nervous, is your girfriend jelous?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> sofia: Yes she is.

<Willeke> Nicolas, when is your birthday?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> willeke: 5th of July 1977

<sue> I've seen U on magazine once when U're a junior and I think U look great

<Nicolas_Kiefer> sue: Thank for your compliment.

<Squirt> Hey Nicolas, great Davis Cup win. Are you playing again in July

<Nicolas_Kiefer> squirt: I hope that I am nominated.

<Willeke> Since how long are you playing tennis?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> willeke: Since 14 years.

<DENNIS> Have you got a beautiful girlfriend

<Nicolas_Kiefer> dennis: What's is beauty for you?

<Willeke> What is the name of your girlfriend?

<Nicolas_Kiefer> willeke: Inga

<Nicolas_Kiefer> willeke: What's going on with you.

<DENNIS> Is she nice and a fotomodel or something

<DENNIS> a model I mean

<Nicolas_Kiefer> dennis: You want to talk to her ... she is sitting next to me.

<DENNIS> sure I want to talk with her if it is allowed

<Nicolas_Kiefer> hey guys keep on asking tennis related questions not about my girl friend

<Joshbert> come on get her in front of the camera

<Nicolas_Kiefer> joshbert: You have to watch TV tomorrow. She will be there.

<DENNIS> What's the most difficult player in your view

<Nicolas_Kiefer> dennis: Rios

<DENNIS> why Rios <

<Nicolas_Kiefer> dennis: He is playing the best angles on the court.

<Nicolas_Kiefer> Now I have to go for a coffee ... but Bob will be there to answer all the questions.

<Joshbert> let inga answer

<Nicolas_Kiefer> joshbert: Do you want to meet Inga?

<Joshbert> yap!!! <Nicolas_Kiefer> Joshbert: When and where and where are you from?

<Joshbert> I'm from HH

<Joshbert> But don't worry, I'm female, I'm just curious how she looks like ***

Nicolas_Kiefer is now known as bob_brett

<Sofia> who are you bob?

<bob_brett> sofia: I am a guy on the tour who does a lot of baby sitting.

<Gringo> He is NK's coach

<Joshbert> NK looked better!

<bob_brett> joshbert: Thanks a lot

<Gringo> Do u get paid by the hour?

<bob_brett> gringo: Unfortunately not.

<Squirt> who else have you coached?

<bob_brett> squirt. Andrez Gomez , Guy Forget, Boris Becker, Ivanisevic and Nicolas is the 23 rd I work with on the Tour.

<Gringo> what do u do all day?

<bob_brett> gringo: Usually I run, then worry about Nicolas's tennis for the rest of the day.

<momo> do you have a gostwriter man?

<bob_brett> momo: What do you mean?

<Melissa> don't you get an ulcer worrying all the time?

<bob_brett> melissa: No that's why I need to run. <momo> i mean who is typing?

<bob_brett> momo: That's Schurr again.

<Willeke> Bob, how long have you been caoching Nicolas?

<bob_brett> willeke: Since February 1st.

<Sofia> DO coaches also get girls all the time or just the players?

<bob_brett> sofia: Unfortunately not.

<Belgian_guy> Bob , who do you think , makes a great chance winning the French Open?

<bob_brett> belgian guy: The person who is going to survive the highs and lows and tough it out in the difficult moments will be the one standing with the trophy.

<DENNIS> were you a good tennisplayer yourself

<bob_brett> dennis: Yes but unfortunately I did not think that I was going to be good enough, didn't have the money and didn't have a coach.

<vamospoha> Hi Bob, it's Sebastien from Monaco, I am in Tampa right now, How are you doing?

<bob_brett> yamospoha: How are your studies going?

<<vamospoha> almost finish, I graduate next week

<vamospoha> I will go to Pepperdine as I told you

<sue> I do wanna work in ATP tour,where can I go to?

<hugoboss> sue, i wouldn,t recommend it nto you. it is too much work

<sue> but it's good to do sth I like

<hugoboss> where are you from sue

<Melissa> what's too much work?

<sue> from Hong Kong

<Melissa> well, it doesn't matter how long you work if you enjoy your work, right?

<hugoboss> sue you should apply to the internationl group of the atp tour in sydney

<Melissa> what does the international group do?

<sue> thanks for your advice hugo boss

<bob_brett> melissa: You have to get in touch with the people in Sydney ... the number is 0061 299649900 and ask for Steve Casey.

<Melissa> thanks. <sue> can I contact the Florida office ,bob?

<Gringo> steve likes these calls...

<Gringo> how about 0037797970404

<Gringo> 0019042858000

<bob_brett> gringo: I like the challenge of working with people who have a goal so all the difficult things are acceptable and are a challenge.

<hugoboss> gringo that is the european one. she is from hk so she should apply at the sydney office

<Gringo> i know but just for the full variety

<hugoboss> no full variety. that is serious business

<bob_brett> sue: The best is to contact Steve Casey.

<Belgian_guy> Bob , do you also follow other sports ?

<bob_brett> belgian guy: Yes ... all the American Sports, Australian football plus cricket.

<DENNIS> Bob, can you be a pro, when you're not rich (give me an honest answer)

<bob_brett> dennis: It doesn't depend on the money but you need assistance and it is very difficult to do it alone and this is where the costs come in.

<Melissa> what would Steve Casey offer sue when she calls? really curious...

<bob_brett> melissa: He would ask her qualifications and see what she wants to do and then we'll see.

<DENNIS> bob, what do you have to do to become a pro

<bob_brett> dennis: You need to have some talent, a great commitment and the ability to overcome difficult situations plus a lot of hard work.

<DENNIS> Bob, I want to play tennis and study, but here in Holland that's not possible. Do you know in America or Australie where that's possible

<bob_brett> dennis: If you wanna play tennis and study America is the best place there are many good colleges with good tennis programms.

<Sung> Do you think start playing by 17-18 is to late to become a pro?

<bob_brett> sung: Not to become a pro but to begin tennis with the age of 17-18 makes it very difficult.

<DENNIS> can you name one with an adress which is payable

DENNIS> so I can write to it

<bob_brett> dennis: If you are good enough it is possible to get scholarship or part of the tuition paid. There are colleges of many different playing levels.

<vamospoha> what will be your program after the French?

<vamospoha> are you going to watch the Champions League Final?

<bob_brett> vamospoha: Yes I am going to watch the Champions League Final and I hope JUVE wins because they beat Monaco.

<Melissa> when did you start couching professionally?

<bob_brett> melissa: I started on the Tour in 1979 but I begun coaching in 1974 working for Harry Hopman in NY.

<Melissa> wow. that's a long time. you've been coaching longer than i've been living

<bob_brett> sue: The first thing you have to worry about is to do the job right hopefully in the difficult times player and coach will have patience.

<bob_brett> melissa: Sorry about that.

<DENNIS> He bob, can you please give me an adres in america where i Can get information and so on

<bob_brett> dennis: Contact the ´Florida office of the ATP Tour and ask for a telephone number for NCAA.

<Melissa> how do you find players to coach? do they approach you or do you approach them?

<bob_brett> melissa: I think it is always better when the player decides what he wants to do and approaches the person who he feels can help him the most.

<sue> as a coach did U always hang out with your playerseg to relax a bit ,to bars and ....

<bob_brett> sue: I am pretty much of a loner.

<sue> poor man <sue> do U have to leave your family behind?

<bob_brett> sue: I am content. Tennis is my passion.

<Melissa> what do you usually do then? read?

<bob_brett> melissa: Read or play chess on the computer.

<DENNIS> what's the most difficult thing you have taught Nicolas

<bob_brett> dennis: The most difficult thing for any player is to be patient, work hard and deal with the losses that come, maintaining a positive attitude is very important on the road to becoming a champion.

<Melissa> you must be good at chess then coz computers are great at it <bob_brett> melissa: I didn't say I win.

vamospoha> Bob a question, I lost amost everything of my physical condition, do u have an advice to tell me, that I have to do?

<bob_brett> vamospoha: I don't know what you're been doing in Monte Carlo the last few weeks but start some running and then mix it in with some intervall work.

DENNIS> has keifer got any weak points

<bob_brett> dennis: We better keep that private.

sue> please encorage Kiefer to shave his goal tee,Bob

<bob_brett> sue: I thought one of the girls online offered to do it ... Inga wants to keep it.

<bob_brett> Thanks everyone ... hope to be invited again some time.