CAREER RESULTS  CAREER SUMMARY  NEWS   FEATURE ARTICLE  GRAND SLAM RECORD  TITLES  STATISTICS   TRIVIA  QUOTES  ARCHIVES  LINKS   DAILY NOTES  INDEX  UPDATE   GALLERY

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEWS
(Stuttgart 1998)

* Special thanks to CSILLA KISS for sending these transcripts!

• Second Round post-match interview
• Third Round post-match interview
• Quarterfinals post-match interview
• Semifinals post-match interview

P. SAMPRAS/N. Kiefer 6-3, 6-4

Q. What about your injury, Pete?

PETE SAMPRAS: It is fine. My back just locked up and I had a couple of days of treatment and just basically had a muscle spasm. It is not a serious injury but it is an injury you have to take care of. It can turn into a big problem. But it felt pretty loose tonight and it is really not a problem.

Q. Rios said in Lyon that maybe it was because of the surface in Lyon. Do you think it is the same problem for you?

PETE SAMPRAS: For my back?

Q. He said the surface was not so good for his back.

PETE SAMPRAS: No. I did one move in the beginning match against Todd, you know, I played on that surface a number of times and I have been okay on it. So I don't think the surface really had any impact.

Q. Anything you can do to stop this injury or is it one of those fluke things that may never happen again?

PETE SAMPRAS: It is one of those fluke things that happened. I had a good week in Vienna, played a lot -- after the Open, I didn't play for two weeks. When you come back strong, you are going to have little nagging things that you can usually play through, but every now and again, it is to the point where you can't play. I certainly hope for the next three, four weeks it can be nice and loose, but it is kind of a fluke thing, one bad move and I felt it. I tried to play on it for a couple of matches and it didn't make much sense to continue playing. That is why I didn't play.

Q. How eager are you to play now knowing that you have to defend a lot of points the next couple of weeks?

PETE SAMPRAS: It is very simple. I mean, if I win and play well, then the ranking will take care of itself. Defending points is something - it is really not a problem. Just go out and play and not worry about it. Key weeks are obviously this week and next week and Hannover and if I play well and win, then hopefully I can end it No. 1.

Q. Are you ready to play more now knowing that you can achieve this record?

PETE SAMPRAS: I am willing to do whatever it takes to end it No. 1. If it requires playing an extra event after Paris I am going to do that. I mean, so I am going to push hard. I have been here since Basel and like I said, I am here for the goal and the goal is to try to do it again.

Q. If you had to go to Stockholm or Moscow, you would be willing to do that to have more points?

PETE SAMPRAS: It is possible. I am not ruling it out. But with this ranking system, the more you play, the better off you are. And if I don't do well here or Paris, I might have to. But we will see.

Q. Are you excited about such a situation?

PETE SAMPRAS: I am excited. I am excited that most of the time after the US Open, it is kind of like you are trying to finish strong. But to do it five years and maybe six is something that has never been done before, so it is a huge challenge. There is no doubt about it that my work is cut out for me. I am going to push hard and hopefully play well.

Q. Where does it stand among the things you have achieved and still want to achieve possibly?

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't think that will ever be broken. If I do, it goes up there with the Grand Slams. There is no doubt about how hard it is to stay on top in any sport, but to do it in an individual sport for the majority of your career, it is not easy. So it is up there. I mean, if I don't do it, I don't do it. I mean, it is nothing to be ashamed of, but I feel like I am in a good position to do it. It is definitely up there with the ultimate achievements in tennis.

Q. Given your attitude towards Davis Cup and the way it maybe affected your seasons in years gone by and your reaction you got after Moscow which apparently wasn't too great, how much chance or is there a chance that you may play next time in England next April?

PETE SAMPRAS: At this point, I don't know. It is a good answer, isn't it, I don't know?

Q. Diplomatic answer.

PETE SAMPRAS: (Laughs) Been giving it some thought. Obviously, it is one of the most difficult first round you can find. In the previous years, I haven't played the first two rounds - played the last couple of rounds and I will be getting a lot of heat, I am sure, from Tom to play and, you know, I just don't know at this point. I obviously have a lot going on at the time, but it is really hard to say what I am going to do.

Q. Do you have any sense of the tradition the match will represent? It was the original Davis Cup, Britain and USA; this all started -- 100 years have gone by --

PETE SAMPRAS: You are putting a little heat on me.

Q. What if they laid a grass court indoors, how would that --

PETE SAMPRAS: That is good preparation for the French. I know all those things. I know it is a lot history involved with these two teams and the 100 years, but Davis Cup is a tough commitment, it really is. If you want to be No. 1 and do well at Grand Slams and play Davis Cup every tie, I feel like I just can't do that at this point in my career. It is too much tennis for me. If Davis Cup was a little bit less or once every two years, I would be more inclined to play. But the way it is now, it is too much tennis for me.

Q. This court is pretty slow. Next week in Paris it will be quite fast. Do you think it is fair to change the court every week indoors?

PETE SAMPRAS: I think this court is a definite improvement from last year. I have always felt this court was too fast. They slowed it down which I like. I like to have some rallies and have some time. Next week isn't that fast. It is pretty medium and Hannover is a hard
court. It is good tennis. It is good to see more tennis played like that, you know, with groundstrokes and whatever. But it will be nice to have one surface for the whole swing. You have to change surfaces. I am sure the Tour is trying to do that to try to get one surface everyone is happy with and this one seems pretty fair.

Q. Krajicek thinks it will be very difficult for him to win this tournament because the court is quite slow. He thinks more serve and volley players, it is getting more and more difficult?

PETE SAMPRAS: Not necessarily. Someone likes Richard who likes a little time and plays well on slower courts, you know, he is still going to hold serve on any surface and it could help him. I mean, it could help me out. Everyone thinks just because you serve well, you
want to play on a fast court. I am going to hold serve the majority of the time. It is nice to have a little time to return serve and that is why I like it.

P. SAMPRAS/B. Ulihrach 6-3, 6-3

Q. Pete, two good matches under your belt. Does it strengthen your confidence?

PETE SAMPRAS: It does. I felt much more comfortable today than playing yesterday, a little bit more used to the conditions and the court. I played two good solid matches. Ulihrach has given me problems, beaten me earlier in the year in Palm Springs. Today, I played as well as I could. Lost my concentration at certain points a little bit, but it was pretty solid.

Q. As far as the competition keeps on going with Rios and Rafter for the No. 1 spot, do you think it is much better to play before them or you don't mind?

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't think it really matters. It really doesn't, you know, the fact that who plays first. You got to concentrate on what you are trying to do, who you are playing and preparing for your match. Whatever they do, they do. Only thing you can really control is what you do. That has really been my mindset for the past couple of weeks.

Q. You were saying yesterday that maybe if you had to play an extra tournament you would play, maybe in Stockholm or Moscow. But if you don't have - if you feel like you don't have to play it after Paris, will you stay in Europe anyway or will you go back to the United States before Hannover?

PETE SAMPRAS: I will go back home. There is two weeks in between, and as much as I like Europe this time of year, I think I will end up going home.

Q. You said also yesterday that you were willing to do whatever it takes to take the No. 1 spot by the end of the year. It means at the moment that you are spending, I don't know, six or seven weeks in a row in Europe and do you think that you could have -- you could do the same to prepare for the French next spring because obviously every time you say that Grand Slams tournament are more important than anything else, so -- what is going to happen?

PETE SAMPRAS: It is a very unique situation because if I wasn't in a position to break the record, I probably wouldn't be here. I would be here, but I wouldn't be playing all these tournaments. All I have right now is a chance to do it and that is why I have decided to play a lot in Europe and -- but, you know, to get ready for the French is completely different. For me to spend seven, eight weeks on clay before the French is something that would not work for me. It is too much for me. But it is just, you know, a very different situation, you know, these last couple of months. I am going to do what it takes. I am hopefully going to play well and hopefully end up No. 1.

Q. The wildcard present from Boris for Vienna, did it make you friends for a lifetime?

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I think I will be friends with Boris for a very long time. I mean, the fact that he gave me a wildcard has nothing to do with my feelings toward Boris. We have had a lot of respect for each other over the years. Played some good matches in the past, and it was just, you know, our friendship, you know, definitely came across when I asked him for the wildcard. I asked him if I could play and he felt obviously it was more important for me to play than him. He was just coming off an injury and he was nice enough to give it to me. But I am sure when Boris and I are done playing if we are in the same city, I am sure I have no problem talking to Boris. I mean, he is one of the ultimate competitors I have ever played.

Q. Are you surprised, Pete, to see Gambill next instead of Henman?

PETE SAMPRAS: A little bit. I figured - Tim has been playing extremely well last three, four weeks, and, you know, I figured he was the slight favorite, but Gambill has proven he is for real. He played a good strong match. It could have gone either way at six in the third. I am sure Tim was playing well enough to win. But Gambill returns well, serves well; you get those two things, you are going to be tough to beat.

Q. Have you ever played against Gambill?

PETE SAMPRAS: Cincinnati.

Q. So you --

 PETE SAMPRAS: So I know him.

Q. Close match?

PETE SAMPRAS: Six and something. Six and two, maybe. Pretty close.

Q. What are the feelings -- could you describe the motivation to break the record?

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I think it is very clear how important it is to me because I have been here quite a bit and, you know, if I have to play Paris, Stockholm or Moscow, I am willing to do it. So that is the way I look at it. It is very simple - cut and dry, and I need to play well and sure, I mean, it is -- to do it five years in a row and to tie the record, it is very tough to do in today's game. I am in a position to make it to six and it is a record that might not ever be broken. It is that hard to do. But I feel like I am on a good road here playing pretty well here this week and next week in Paris and hopefully, I won't have to play another event and just get ready -- it is going to come down to Hannover. That is where the bulk of the points are, so, I think we all know that.

Q. If you do compare it, what sort of response do you expect from the United States?

PETE SAMPRAS: Not much. I mean, pretty much what I noticed last year when I tied the record five years in a row, you know, even over in Europe, it wasn't really talked about, you know, it is disappointing because it is one of the toughest things to do in sports.

Q. Does that get to you?

PETE SAMPRAS: At times, sure. Sure, I mean, for so long people have just taken what I do and what I have done for granted. It is not easy to do year in, year out to win Grand Slams and be No. 1. I feel much more respected in Europe than I do in the States from the press and from the people. Americans expect me to win every match I play and, you know, it is -- kind of the way it has gone over the years.

Q. Is that because of you or is that because of tennis? You were getting excited about the McGwire thing and the whole country regarded it as almost the second coming?

PETE SAMPRAS: Baseball is America's pastime and that record is something that is absolutely huge in the States. I mean, over in Europe Mark McGwire could probably walk down the street and be unnoticed; where now in the States, he can't go anywhere. It is one of the most ultimate records in sports. Tennis obviously isn't that popular as baseball in the States and, you know, just unbelievable story. It was perfect to have he and Sosa, two good guys, competing day-in/day-out; everyone is wondering if -- even ladies were watching baseball and that is pretty unusual. So it was a great story.

Q. So can you walk down the street in Tampa?

PETE SAMPRAS: No. I mean, I must admit tennis is seen all-around the world; if I am home or anywhere in the country, United States, you know, people will stare and-- is that him or not -- I mean --

Q. Autograph books come out?

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, but tennis is seen all-around the world. I mean, Australia, Japan, seems like I am noticed just about everywhere.

Q. (Inaudible.)

PETE SAMPRAS: It is great. Really is. I look at a little bit of Boris here in Germany and Tim in England, both those guys are under a microscope; where, for me in the States, you know, there are so many great athletes and so many big sports I feel like I can walk down the street and not have this kind of pop-star-type of image and the press don't really follow me and they don't really camp up by my house. It is nice. Nice to have that sort of normalcy in my life. 

Q. (inaudible)

PETE SAMPRAS: When the Masters moved to Germany, I must admit, once the US Open is over in the States, mainstream America doesn't really follow tennis. Unless you are a true tennis fan, you will watch Paris, Stuttgart. People watched the Masters. It was a huge event. It was at The Garden. Now that it is over here in Europe, it has lost a little bit of popularity in the States.

Q. It is going to move away from Hannover after next year. Where would you like to see it?

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I must admit, as much as I like to see it back to the States, I mean, the crowds and the support that Hannover gets over the years is unbelievable. I mean, we are playing in front of 15,000 people that are so enthusiastic. That match I played against Boris here in Hannover a few years ago was one of the ultimate experiences I have ever had. You play it at The Garden, it is half full, you know, not a lot happening. You put it over in Europe, especially in Hannover, I mean, first match five o'clock, it is packed. It is nice to walk out on a court to have it packed like that. That is why I have grown to really like Hannover and playing in Germany.

Q. What if it goes to South America or Rio or Tokyo or --

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I am not really crazy about it, to be honest with you. Hannover is supported by the people there and to keep on moving it, I mean, would really kind of get lost in the shuffle; especially from the States' point of view. It might be great for the game in South America or Japan, but to have some continuity, I think it would be great for the game.

Q. When Becker didn't participate in Hannover, did you like it? Your point of view like you just said?

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah. I mean, Boris adds a lot, don't get me wrong. But every match that I saw on TV and that I played was packed. Boris brings a lot of enthusiasm to the people and to the whole event. But the fact that he wasn't there, it was still, you know, great atmosphere and so it was fun to be a part of that. 

Q. Boris is coming to the end of his career now. How would you sum up what he has meant to the game?

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, he has meant a lot. He is -- every - I am just thinking of the adjectives here - everything that you think of a competitor in a tennis player he has. He has got the fight. He has got the ability. He has won many, many big matches. Likes the occasion. And he has added a lot of popularity to the game. I mean, he is very outspoken and, you know, winning Wimbledon three times or so, or whatever it is, I mean, you know, he has meant a great deal.

P. SAMPRAS/J. Gambill (withdrew) 4-1

Q. Did they bring you over here in a life boat? (pouring rain outside at the moment.)

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah. (Laughs)

Q. Have you been consulting a witch doctor because the spell -- you have certainly put the hex on all your rivals?

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah. (Laughs)

Q. Your thoughts about what has happened today, Marcelo having to pull out and Gambill--

PETE SAMPRAS: It is a fluke. I heard Marcelo hurt his leg, I don't know, I think playing soccer or something. That is a fluke thing. I know Jan-Michael has been getting treatment all week on his back and he had to pull out a couple of weeks ago in Shanghai. I can tell in the first couple of games he was having some problems with his movement and 4-1 he just said: I can't continue to play. Obviously a bad day for the fans, bad day for TV, and, you know, just a coincidence that it happened back-to-back. It is too bad.

Q. Not a bad day, through no fault of your own, for you?

PETE SAMPRAS: Certainly it helps. But I know that you can't rely on Marcelo or Pat losing. If I -- I have to concentrate on what I am trying to do and win my matches and, you know, that is all I can really try to do. Certainly it helps, I must admit.

Q. How is your own back at the moment?

PETE SAMPRAS: Fine. I haven't -- it has been a pretty smooth week as far as my back and how the matches have gone and playing very little today, it helps. But certainly nice getting into that rhythm of playing matches and I certainly hope I can stay sharp tomorrow.

Q. With the number of injuries, is it an argument of playing less tournaments?

PETE SAMPRAS: Certainly when you play a lot, you are going to and the way the ranking system works today is the more you play, the better off it is for your ranking. When you have a lot of events - plus Davis Cup, you are going to have injuries. I have always said there should be more of an off-season in the game and guys like Gambill who is a very young guy, shouldn't be getting hurt, I find. I don't think you need to change the whole game. I just think you need to maybe have less tournaments, maybe have more of a break at the end of the year so guys can recover. The game doesn't seem like it ends. After Hannover it is pretty much a month off and get ready for Australia. There is not much time off. It is unfortunate. 

Q. From what you have heard, is there any real hope of that happening for the 2000 calendar?

PETE SAMPRAS: No. I haven't heard. I hear that it is pretty much the same schedule as it is today. It is interesting, I mean, I am in a different boat than these other guys, I mean, I don't know if I am going to play 20 events in a couple of years, we will just see how -- where I am with my tennis. But it is interesting, I mean, I think there has got to be some sort of break.

Q. Richard has got a good record against you. What will be necessary to stop him from continuing that?

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, the key to the match is returning his second serve as effective as I can. When he gets his first serve in, there is not much you can do it. He has been serving well all week. My service games, just tried to stay solid and hold on to serving. Playing Richard, when he is hot, there is not much you can do. That happened to me last year here. It happened to me at Wimbledon and you just -- hopefully, you just get a couple of looks at his second serve and make him play and really just hope to see some second serves. He gets his first serve in, there is not much you can do. 

Q. Richard was saying that although it doesn't really help his game, he thinks they have got the balance here between speed of the ball, speed of court. Do you agree that they have got it about right for the spectators?

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I totally agree. I mean, as much as I like playing on fast courts, I'd rather play on slower courts. This court is a fair court. You can stay back or come in - combination of the ball which is a good solid ball, you know, playing here last year; the years before, it was too fast - not fun to play, not fun to watch. But you are still going to have big serves, and big hitting, but at least it gives you a little bit more time to play. And I think it can get you some rallies and the fans seem to enjoy it. I enjoy playing on a much slower court.

Q. Anything else that you would like to change to make the game more attractive?

PETE SAMPRAS: We only have a little bit more time. (pause) He didn't get my joke. Yeah, there is a lot of things.

Q. No. 1 priority? You already said that with the calendar ...

PETE SAMPRAS: I mean, there is Davis Cup. I would love that to be changed. I mean, to have it either better weeks or have it once every two years. That is one thing I'd like to see changed because I get a lot of crap back home of why I don't play and I want to play. But to do everything, you know, it is like you have no time off, either you mentally or physically burn yourself out. But if you play Davis Cup fine; if you make Hannover, you are playing 'til November. Only a handful of guys are doing that. The rest of the guys, you are as done with Paris indoor, so it gives them more time. But you make Hannover and Davis Cup, certainly you are playing a pretty full schedule.

Q. Would you think an extra week between the French and Wimbledon, which is kind of to give more time on grass and preserve that as a surface for the game? 

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, that would help for me because I would probably go home after the French; give me a little bit more time to recover and, you know, that would be -- I don't know if that would be good for the game. It would be good for the players. I would certainly be in favor of that. Once again it is something that probably won't happen.

Q. Which week would you throw out? Which week would you throw out to get the extra week between Wimbledon and the French?

PETE SAMPRAS: Which week is there?

Q. Exactly.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, what can you do. There is a lot of -- a lot of events. I don't know what event you do throw out. That is certainly not a question for me. It is a question for the bigwigs from the ATP.

R. KRAJICEK/P. Sampras 6-7(2), 6-4, 7-6(5)

 Q. Richard is one of the very few players that always seems to win against you. Apart from the obvious fact of his service what, about his serve bothers you, gives you trouble? 

PETE SAMPRAS: That is pretty much it. I mean, first and second serve are very powerful. He returns as well as I am serving. He is not going to have a lot of chances to break me, but he just seems to have better  nerve against me, when it comes down to the pivotal points of the match tiebreaker, I mean, I could have very easily been sitting here winning  this match. I got a little bit unlucky. No question when he is on, he is very devastating because he moves quite well at net and he has got one of the bigger serves on Tour. The majority of matches I have lost to him has been on pretty fast surfaces grass or indoors, so, it is frustrating, I  mean, I felt I was playing very well this week and felt like I had a good chance of winning here.

Q. You did say coming into the match that you felt if you could nail his second serve, you'd have a chance. You never really -- 

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I never really got a hold of it. He was mixing it up very well and going into my body, going out wide, and, you know, it was hard to get a read on it. Just a little bit up and down the return of  serve today and I mean, he has got a big second serve, no question about it.  But that was kind of the key to the match was how well I returned his second serve, and just wasn't quite good enough. I didn't put enough pressure on his service games, and I played the one bad service game in the second set to lose my serve; doublefaulted three times and, you know, it is tough. I mean, it is a tough loss to take. 

Q. When you lost your second - on the second set, was it because of lack of concentration or --

PETE SAMPRAS: Not concentration. I just got a little bit tight, I must admit. Richard puts - he puts so much pressure on your service games, you feel like you have made a couple of mistakes, I pressed a little bit. I was  going for big second serves the whole match. I pushed a few long. He had to hit a couple of good shots. That is tennis. That is the nature of the game, especially out there is, you know, it is just - it was a bad game. I mean, it wasn't lack of concentration. I think I just got a touch tight and I  paid the price.

Q. Did you also get tight, tense in the tiebreaker for the third set because the doublefault you hit on 3-2, seemed to be the crucial point --

PETE SAMPRAS: Crucial point was hitting a good return, I had a pretty easy backhand volley, I didn't do enough with that. That point kind of led into the next point. You kind of live and die by the serve. I have been  going for very big second serves this whole tournament because I was very confident, but I just, again, pushed it a little bit long and that was  kind of the pivotal point of the tiebreaker. I played a decent matchpoint. I got a little unlucky.

Q. Somebody like you to get tight in a match like that, is it just the match situation getting you tight or is it the No. 1 thing?

PETE SAMPRAS: I think it is the match situation, I mean, I know Richard seems -- like the close matches we have played in the past, he just seems to squeak it out. It happened at Wimbledon a couple of years ago and he seems to, you know, play with no fear against me, kind of just goes for it. I really felt I was going to break through and beat him today because I  have been playing well all week. But it is a tough one to take, it really is. At this point I have got to find something to regroup here and get ready for  next week. But it is tough. It is not easy to do that.

Q. Your aim for being No. 1 at the end of the year, would you summarize this tournament as a success even though you have lost today?

PETE SAMPRAS: No. I mean, I don't look at losing as any success. Success is walking out of here with the title and anything less is, it  is not good enough in my book.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, the guys have giving me problems -- sure, the big server, the Gorans - Richard has got a big game and playing with him on a pretty quick court. I mean, when he is on, he is devastating. But  Richard can definitely have his bad days, but unfortunately when you are playing the No. 1 guy, you can have some fun and have nothing to lose out there. The matches he seems to have trouble with are the matches -- it is the matches that he is supposed to win and he is not really supposed to beat me. But it is bad luck, you know.

Q. Do you think possibly that part of the reason is that you have been so long on the road on this trip and it is getting to you possibly?

PETE SAMPRAS: No, I felt fresh today, mentally and physically -- yeah, I feel pretty fresh. The key for me right now is trying to get ready for next week. Coming close to get into the final of the big event, you know, it  is my fifth week in a row next week and that is really the true test how I can kind of regroup from this over the next couple of days and just mentally stay strong. I have to be. There is no other choice. But I don't think the fact that I have been here so long had any bearing on the match today.

Q. Obviously you would like to avoid playing an extra tournament the week after Paris. Do you think --

PETE SAMPRAS: I don't think I can. I don't know if I'd want to play an extra week after Paris. I feel like Paris then I am going home. That is the way I feel right now walking off the court pretty, obviously, you guys think I  am pretty pissed which is true, but we will see. I don't know. At this point I really haven't given it much thought. 

PETE SAMPRAS: It is close. This week has helped but it would have helped more if I would have won today and maybe won the tournament, but Marcelo, I am sure is going to play next week. It is going to be a  close race going to come down to Hannover; that is where the majority of the point are, and -- but this was definitely a good opportunity this weekend.

email me at: tovariche@aol.com 

Sign Guestbook 
View Guestbook