INTERVIEWS

Final: Defeated Patrick Rafter.....7-6(4), 6-4

JOE LYNCH: In the 13th session of the Pilot Pen International, Yevgeny Kafelnikov wins his 13th career title and second of the year. First question for Yevgeny, who will play in Long Island next week where he's won the title twice.

QUESTION: Yevgeny, you've played here for a long time. How does it feel to finally get a victory here?
KAFELNIKOV: It's nice to finally win a title after so many long trips that I've been here. And like I said, this week has always been nice to me. I always get what I want to do, basically to get a few matches to be on top of my game, be ready for the U.S. Open. This week I successfully did that. I couldn't wish anything better than that. And I played five great matches, winning title, feels very good.

QUESTION: The win puts you back at three.
KAFELNIKOV: Really? Oh, gee, that surprises me.

QUESTION: And the seatings at the U.S. Open are pretty much going to follow the rankings.
KAFELNIKOV: I hope so.

QUESTION: How do you feel about that?
KAFELNIKOV: Feels good, you know. Being, you know, high seated and the number three, you know, that means I won't play Sampras or Chang until the semifinal. That's a big advantage not to face those guys in the beginning. Second of all, like I said, to win the majors you have to be on top of your game, but it's also a matter of who you play, like if I will get a couple of easy matches in the beginning of the tournament, like first or second round, don't have to face anybody like for example Patrick or Korda, do not waste any energy in the beginning of the tournament, that might help.

QUESTION: You saved a lot of energy this past week.
KAFELNIKOV: Yes, it was really tough. Today I had to play again a hundred percent to win the title. But hopefully next week I'll play only singles and I won't play any doubles. Next week I will take it easy, but still I'm going to try to win again. In Long Island I think I won twice in a row. Last year I didn't play, so I'm like defending champion going to tournament. I have to play focused. The main thing for me, again, get couple of good matches and then be ready for U.S. Open.

QUESTION: Yevgeny, you passed him in the last game twice with your backhand, came in on short balls. Were you surprised he came in?
KAFELNIKOV: Well, that was his strategy. You know, he thought that he had no chance to play with me on the baseline, and I think he was right. He tried to come in on every single shot, which was possible, and, you know, for quite a few moments, he done this successfully. Fortunately for myself, I was able to pass him in the last game, you know, that was the key. If he would have held his game, you know, would have been 5-all and you never know what can happen. Because I was serving for the match and he played marvelous game at 5-3 to break my serve. For a second I started feeling a little bit shaky.

QUESTION: What went right for you this week? What were some of the things that went right for you this week? What were you on top of your game with?
KAFELNIKOV: Well, everything was going right for me this week, no question about it. I was playing, you know, day session, I was facing very difficult conditions like humidity, hot, the weather, really. But, you know, like I said, I would never wish something like that before. That was the best week I ever had probably.

QUESTION: Yevgeny, when the word "talent" came up yesterday, you sort of went, "Let's not talk about that."
KAFELNIKOV: Right.

QUESTION: Do you think that people overstate the fact that "Are you going to be number one? Are you going to beat Pete Sampras" when you're only 23 years old? Do you get tired of that?
KAFELNIKOV: I do, actually, yeah. Especially in this weather, putting so much pressure on my subject. To hear from everybody, "You'll be next number one, you'll be next number one," I just don't want to hear it. If it comes, it comes, fine. If it doesn't, I still have victories. I have already one Grand Slam title to my credit, in singles and doubles. Before I started my career I would never think of it. I think I've done really big, but it doesn't mean that I'm not going to do one step further than that. I'm still trying to win more Grand Slam titles. I don't want to hear it anymore, "You'll be number one, you'll beat Pete Sampras." Just makes me feel a little bit tired.

QUESTION: You talked about experience. You're only 23 years old. Seems like you're older because you've been so good so long.
KAFELNIKOV: Sometimes when I'm working, I see so many young guys. I'm sure old guys felt also like that before when they seen me coming into the locker room. And like I said, there's so many now young guys who is really on top, like Kuerten, 21, he won the French Open. So many young guys. But as they get older, they will be also more experienced like I am. Last year, you know, I was still making a couple of mistakes. This year I'm trying to stay away from those errors.

QUESTION: What have you done this past week, Yevgeny, that kept you so steady and play so well?
KAFELNIKOV: Well, I was really trying to -- not to do anything. I was hoping to play a couple of rounds of golf. Unfortunately, I never had a chance. Maybe that was a good sign that I was playing well, I was focused on the tennis, nothing else.

QUESTION: Is it different being a number one seed than being somewhere else in the field? Is there any extra pressure?
KAFELNIKOV: Of course tournament is expecting you to do well. There is extra pressure. The tournament's hoping that the top seed will be in the finals. They're hoping for the best final. And I think today was the best final they can ever get, me, top seed, playing Australian Patrick Rafter who had so much support from the crowd. That was the best thing.

QUESTION: Is that good or bad? Here's a guy who is the underdog and he's got the crowd behind him. Do you like that?
KAFELNIKOV: To be honest, I do not like that. Especially in this 5-4 game in the last game of the match, I made one unforced error, and the crowd started cheering for the mistake, I think is bad, but they wanted to continue on with the match.

QUESTION: You think it was an advantage, Yevgeny, because you played three previous games in the daytime?
KAFELNIKOV: I think today it was advantage for me, because Patrick, he hasn't been facing, you know, this condition. The last three matches he played at night. And those three matches was very tough, three-set matches. He never was facing hot weather and humid weather. And maybe today he was getting tired, I'm sure, as the match progressed and the second set. There was advantage for me, I think.

QUESTION: You said yesterday that tennis was just one of your many talents. Can you tell us about others?
KAFELNIKOV: No, I won't tell you.

QUESTION: Oh, come on.
KAFELNIKOV: No.

QUESTION: It's not golf, right?
KAFELNIKOV: It is not.

QUESTION: Oh, come on. Tell us one.
KAFELNIKOV: No.

QUESTION: Key moment in this match, the tie breaker, can you talk a little bit about that?
KAFELNIKOV: I think the first set was very important, and I think I should have won the first set because I was having three break points, two in the first and then one in the seventh game. He never had any break points in the first set. But tie breaker, I remember I played solid, solid enough. He double-faulted once and I think there was only his mistake that he did on the crucial point. Besides that, he played very solid match.

QUESTION: Going into the Open, who do you see are the players that are playing the best, that have a good chance at the Open this year?
KAFELNIKOV: Well, Sampras, Chang, as usual. Maybe Agassi, he had the great week also in Indianapolis. I'm sure he build up his confidence again and, you know, he'll be very -- although, I don't want to face him because he'll be unseeded. I don't want to face him in the first round because he'll be on top of his game.

QUESTION: What were some of the things you liked about New Haven?
KAFELNIKOV: The atmosphere. It's close to New York. The weather is similar. You don't have to travel so much. You jump in the car, one hour to Manhattan. That's the most important thing to me.

QUESTION: Is there anything you don't like about it at all?
KAFELNIKOV: No, I'm really satisfied with here. The facility, the stadium are great. And no question I'll be back again next year to defend my title.

QUESTION: Yevgeny, the way you're playing now, do you feel that this is as well as you've every played? Are you on top of your game?
KAFELNIKOV: I'm hitting the ball well, but I don't think I'm -- because I'm tired and I'm not ready physically a hundred percent, maybe because I was playing a lot of many weeks in a row. But like I said, you know, if I will have a couple of days off to relax and maybe to go to the gym for one hour to build up, you know, physical condition again, I'll be fine. Just a matter of matches. I think in the past I've played a lot of matches.

QUESTION: Yevgeny, having said that, do you think it may be a mistake to play Long Island next week and you should maybe take a little time off?
KAFELNIKOV: On the other hand, like I said yesterday, I need the confidence. In one week anything might happen. If I don't play any match at all, you know, like I said, there is a chance that I might play Agassi first round U.S. Open stadium court. And if I don't play, you know, one week no match at all might be trouble. That's why I decided to go to Long Island. At least I will get one match. But you never know, I might win again.

JOE LYNCH: One or two more questions for Yevgeny?
QUESTION: Yevgeny, what does it mean to you to win a tournament like this?
KAFELNIKOV: It's a big honor. It's not a title -- to my credit, 13, it's a big one. And, you know, like I said, you know, when I retire, those victories are the ones that count. Thirteen tournaments. I'm sure in the future I will win a couple more tournaments again, but it is big honor.

QUESTION: You saved two break points in the first game of the second set and then broke him. That had to be a big lift coming off the tie breaker.
KAFELNIKOV: Yeah. Patrick was a little bit down after losing that first set and he -- maybe he didn't respond well enough to hold his game at 1-0 in the second set. I just took advantage of that. I broke him right away and I was on top of that second set all the way through it.

QUESTION: Do you remember each of the titles from the first one in Adelaide through?
KAFELNIKOV: I remember everything.

QUESTION: Is that some of your talents?
KAFELNIKOV: Maybe.