ITF

68 I was really excited and also a bit shocked because we knew I had chances in the singles draw but we hadn't thought about the possibility of winning a medal in the doubles. So it was a mixture of surprise, emotion and satisfaction. Being at the Olympic Games was something really special for me. You represent your country there and I had always watched the Games on TV since I was a little boy. It is true that tennis has not been in the Olympic programme for so many years but nowadays all tennis players dream of getting a medal in them. Even the simple fact of playing them is something special. We were focusing on Grand Slams, Olympic Games and Davis Cup. These were the three goals of 2000. We got a bronze medal at the Olympic Games and we also won the first Davis Cup for Spain. I think a medal is a medal, doesn't matter if it is in a singles or in a doubles draw because it has the same value as a medal in Olympic shooting or in a track and field race. To win a medal is something every athlete wants to achieve. We were 2-1 up in the third set of the bronze medal match and 15-40 when the match was stopped because of rain. They [David Adams and John-Laffnie de Jager] were serving to me and we spent all night thinking about their possible type of serve and how I had to rest. It was around 1am in the morning and Alex was telling me they would serve wide, to my right side, and that I had to be ready for it. But I didn't agree with him. I was sure they were going to change to my left side. And in the end they served on my right, I won the point, and we got the break. We didn't lose our serve so we won the match. I remember we went to the Spanish house located in Sydney together with the rest of the Spanish athletes who had won a medal at those Games. Then, once in Spain, all our family was waiting for us at the airport and it was a great moment. Albert Costa I had the opportunity of winning really important tournaments and I feel really proud about my professional career. But adding an Olympic medal to all this is something comfortable. We were young and we were experiencing a different competition each week. But now I can say I have an Olympic medal and this is something not a lot of people can say. It is not something I think about in my daily life but my memories about it are really, really special. It was a unique experience that I will keep in my mind for the rest of my life. Just before the beginning of the Sydney opening ceremony my wife told me she was pregnant, so I went into it doubly excited. I shared the good news with the rest of the team. It was a great experience. Alex and I were having a dinner with some friends in Barcelona before we flew to Sydney and it looked for us impossible to win a medal. So, I think I said, "If we win a medal together, I will kiss you in front of everybody." And everybody thought we hadn't the nerve to do it. But we were young and we did it. SYDNEY 2000 MEN'S DOUBLES BRONZE It was a unique experience that I will keep in my mind for the rest of my life. Albert Costa

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