Mario Ancic

Do you speak any Dutch?
"I regularly train at the Amstelpark club in Amsterdam. That's how I know Raemon Sluiter, Peter Wessels, Dennis van Scheppingen, Melle van Gemerden and Igor Sijsling. Although I'm often surrounded by Dutch people, I'm afraid I don't speak their language."

You were loudly cheered on during Tuesday's match against Taylor Dent. Do you have your own Dutch fan club?
"There were a few people in the audience that I met during my visits to the Netherlands. The atmosphere was simply fantastic last night, with over 8,000 enthusiastic people on the stands. It's really nice to see that they appreciate what top-class tennis is all about."

You made your debut at the ABN AMRO WTT a year after Goran Ivanisevic made his last appearance. A symbolic changing of the guard. Does Ivanisevic play a special role in your life?
"I consider him to be the best Croatian sportsman ever. He has been instrumental in the promotion of sports in our country. He's also a good friend. We're both from Split and I've known him for a very long time."

You're often compared to Ivanisevic.
"Yes, but I am really Mario Ancic. I can see what people mean, though. We're both from Croatia, we have more or less the same build and our technique is not dissimilar."

And you are both excellent grass court players. Are grass courts common in Croatia?
"When I was young, I only ever played on gravel in Split. There are also two hard-courts, but they were constructed quite recently. The fact that Ivanisevic and I are good grass court players has everything to do with our build and our strokes. I am fairly tall, and have a strong service. That's exactly what you need when you play on grass. Instead of running around, we both play a serve-volley game. I try to change the way I play – sometimes I stay on the baseline while at other times I come to the net. During my match against Dent, I decided to come to the net as often as I could. I felt it was the best way to counter his game."

You are the last player to have beaten Roger Federer on grass. It was during the first round of Wimbledon 2002.
"Yes, but Federer was not the player he is now. He has improved his game tremendously over the past 18 months. Besides, I played exceptionally well that day."

During your match against Dent, Richard Krajicek briefly sat in your player's box. You currently work with Rohan Goetzke, Richard's former coach. Does Krajicek also give you advice?
"I've trained with Richard a few times in Amsterdam, but I don't know him that well. I am constantly on the road and he lives a completely different life these days."

You teamed up with Goetzke in August 2003. Since then your ranking and your game have improved dramatically. Which aspects of your game did the two of you focus on?
"We first made a few changes to my technique, focusing on my forehand, volley and service in particular. We've also tried to make my game a little more solid by reducing the number of mistakes I make."

Do you have any goals for 2005?
"I would love to win my first ATP title this year. I've come close on a number of occasions. I managed to reach the semi-finals in Marseille only last week."

Since teaming up with Goetzke you also appear calmer and more focused when you're on court. In the past, you'd occasionally lose your head.
"These explosions are part of who I am. But you're right, I have calmed down. I think that's because I'm playing much better these days, so there's much less to get angry about."

An interview with Mario, thanks to Vero from MTF and Joycelovemario, AncicOnline Message Board.