Success is smiling on Patrick Rafter. At 26 he is in the prime of his life, and races Agassi for the title of most popular tennis player. He also scores  high in the best player department. With Pete Sampras, Yevgeny Kafelnikov,  Agassi and Richard Krajicek he is in the race for the #1 ranking. In Rosmalen  he is defending his title.

Q: Australia has a tradition in lawn tennis. Is Wimbledon THE tournament in  Australia?
Pat: Lawn tennis was tradition, but it's slowly bleeding to death. It's hardly played on now, the courts are in bad condition. I grew up on  hardcourts. As far as Wimbledon is concerned; it will always be the most important tournament for the crowds. It's no secret that I would love to win the Australian Open, that would give me great satisfaction, in front of my own people.

Q: That is your greatest wish?
Pat: Not really. If I could choose, I'd go for the Davis Cup. I already won a Grand Slam, so I would like to win a national event. I've always liked to play in a team. A victory in the Davis Cup would really turn Australia upside down.

Q: You've made it in New York. If you can pull it off there, it seems you can do it anywhere you want. But this doesn't go for you in Wimbledon. Why is that?
Pat: I've never been very successful on grass. I was defeated three times in a row in Wimbledon. The grass is different from the grass here. I really love these courts, you can move well, contrary to those in England, they are much slippier and that is my biggest problem there. And sometimes my service is not satisfactory. I prefer a kick-service, and it's just not working as well on grass.
 
Q: So hot weather suits you, so the courts are hard and the balls bounce up high?
Pat: Yes, but even then, I've played under these circumstances in the past, and still my performance left much to be desired. I don't know why. Maybe it has got to do with self-confidence. Still, I believe that some time I will be successful. My play, service-volley, is very well suited to grass.

Q: Not many tennis players in the circuit play service-volley. Can you explain that?
Pat: It is a game you have to grow up in. Baseline tennis is easier to learn. To come in to the net is always risky, for sometimes you get passed. I have never done anything else and I've always enjoyed it. The last couple of years playing serve and volley has become more difficult, for everything is being done to make the courts and the balls slower. That is the reason why there are only few serve-volleyers, no doubt about it. Even Sampras stays at the baseline nowadays. Against me he always plays serve-volley, because he knows he has got to get to the net before I do. But normally, he is playing from the baseline.

Q: Do you feel you outweigh him mentally?
Pat: No. I beat him, the last three times we played, but no, I don't feel that way. I love playing him. Matches are always exciting. He is the best tennis player ever. To outweigh him mentally is saying too much, I think it is fifty-fifty.

Q: Last summer was a terrific summer for you. Like the one Bryan Adams had in 1969, full of beautiful memories. How do you look back on that?
Pat: I had a very successful seven weeks, won four tournaments, including the US Open for the second time. It was amazing.

Q: It will be hard to repeat that.
Pat: I don't even think about it. It is almost frightening, it's going to be very tough. First I'll concentrate on this tournament. Then I will go to Wimbledon and after that I'll play the Davis Cup match against the United States. I prefer not to think ahead of that.