Tommy you seem to have picked up Arantxa's habit of never knowing when you are beaten?
Always you must learn a lot when you are young and you learn for sure from Arantxa, you learn a lot because she is a really good fighter and for that she has won a lot of matches. She won a lot of matches for her talent and also for the fight…its true, today I fight a lot. I won the singles first and then the mixed we played really good. I won my first title and her second.
Arantxa, what were you thinking when Gambill…?
I had a hope… I know Tommy is a big fighter. It was always a chance that you can have…we were definitely very close to losing the match…but he turned it around and it was great and I was very happy, supporting him there. You just have to be there until the last ball because you never know, it was good that he won so we got the chance to play the mixed. It was a great pleasure playing with him… to be so young and have that energy and spirit. I just tried to help him as much as I can in the mixed. We definitely wanted to win and we are very happy.
Arantxa, how far do you think Tommy can go, not just this year- but overall?
I think he proved so much from being 130 in the world to being 30 this year. I think that he is doing the right thing, he is working really hard and he has a lot of talent. I think he has plenty of games to be in the top and to be one of the best players- I wish him all the best and definitely he can try to get to number one…
Tommy where do you think you can go?
I came here to try and do my best, to play a really good Australian Open and Sydney. I try to play with the great players and to do my best. Today I played really good…It's a really good experience for me- to play here and to play my first mixed, because it was the first mixed I played.
Tommy you were 8 years old when Arantxa won her 1st Hopman Cup, do you remember that?
No, I didn't know nothing about the Hopman Cup until about two or three years ago. That date in Spain I was practicing a lot, we never saw the Hopman Cup there. Three years ago someone told me there was a cup here…really nice…with the mixed… women's and men's and then the mixed. I was thinking that it would be great to go there and to play for our team. I have come here and played my best.
Tommy were you playing tennis as an 8-year old?
I was playing tennis! I started when I was born…they gave me a racquet too quickly. I started playing when I could take a racquet and go to a court you know. I started practicing at five.
Tommy there are 9 Spanish men in the top 50, is there a reason for this dominance?
When in one country there is a lot of level of players you can practice with them…I am practicing with the great players and taking the same level as them… then it time to play matches and try to make that you show in Spain… There are a lot of young guys playing great, I think that is the reason is that there is a lot of great players in Spain. For a woman…Arantxa and Conchita…like twelve years ago, or thirteen and now there is a lot of young women playing great. I think that really works for Spain, they always have good players and that is the reason.
Arantxa, what is your goal at the Australian Open?
Obviously this is a better year for me because last year this time I was injured. It is nice to be free of injuries and be healthy again and… I have good matches here, good practice. For this match I think for this match the result probably did not show how close the match was… it was a very good game and I had my chances- and didn't take them all…but I feel good. I feel that always when I play here, good matches and the Hopman Cup…I was able to do well in Sydney and Melbourne. I look forward to this year… I just take match and match and I always give my best. If I am playing as good as I did today and there is no injury I can be dangerous. There is no pressure, I think the youngest are the ones who have the favour, but I have the game and the ability to do well.
Arantxa; you won this at 18, what does it mean to you to win it again?
The first time I was here was with my brother Emilio, I was 19…the same age as Tommy. It was a great win, the beginning of a long career. I think that I am not a very tall person so I need to work hard to be physically fit, adapt my game to get better and be aggressive. I think I definitely work really hard and improve my game. The experience and the fitness gets better and no pressure- so that help me to keep going. It's nice to be feeling good and playing your best at the age of 30. I am a veteran!
Arantxa, what does it mean to win this twice?
It feels great. There is not many players who have the chance to win it two times… maybe Monica and myself and probably Federer- but he lost earlier. It feels great I am very happy and it was a nice feeling at the age 19. Now at the age of 30 I am a veteran and playing with Tommy for the first time- its great. I am happy and it gives me a lot of confidence… a lot of motivation to keep playing and keep improving.
