Question. How does it feel to be No. 1.?
RAFTER: I think, this is something that is going to be-going to lean a lot further down the line. I am very, very happy with the achievement. I guess it is something that really hasn't sunk in just yet, but I know it is-really, when I finish my career, I think I am going to feel it a lot more then. Obviously I don't know what is going back on in Australia because I haven't seen any newspapers or heard anything. But I know it is an exciting time for myself and my family. I hear there is a bit of noise being made back home. All and all, I am very-it is an  achievement that I never really gave myself a big chance of ever achieving.

Question: No. 1, how do you see this as going as far as with Sampras? He talks about wanting to get it back. You want to keep it. Do you think the rivalry that you guys have had, do you see this as sort of a turning point as far as that goes?
RAFTER: It is always nice to beat Pete whether it is on the court or whether it is the ranking thing or whether it is in Davis Cup, I get an incredible amount of enjoyment from being on top of him and pretty well just annoying him. We are sort of-we really can't compare each other. I know we have in a whole different league and I am the first to respect that. I think it just
gives you a little bit more fuel coming into this hard court summer and I am looking forward to playing him again; hopefully having another couple of successful matches with him.

Question: The needle that you have had a little bit between you in recent times make this even more satisfying for you?
RAFTER: Well, to be honest, it is not a real play on Pete. It is just an achievement that I am really feeling myself. But if I know Pete is upset about it then it makes it even better.

Question. Newc's (John Newcombe) picks you to win at least two more Grand Slams in the near future. Is this realistic Pat and also-
RAFTER: How many more did he say?

Question: Two. How will you change your fitness regime to gain the extra stamina and what do you believe you need to work on to improve this?
RAFTER: Well, the first question is, anything is possible. I really have come to believe that over the last couple of years, winning my first Grand Slam; then winning the back-to-back now being No. 1. Now I set myself goals that I never would have really set myself to realistically a while ago. So I still feel myself every time I go into a Grand Slam I have chance of doing very well or if not winning. So that is something I really don't know yet. But I know every Grand Slam event, I give it my best so there is a chance of winning one or two.
The other question was-

Question: How will you change your fitness regime?
RAFTER: I am not playing doubles in the Grand Slams so that is going to help. It has helped before in the past, but if you get one day of rain, it really does upset the rhythm of things and I really can't go in that anymore. Still working with Mark. We have been a pretty good team as well. He has worked with the Woodies and I am very happy with what he has done. I have got a very busy year this year and the summer coming up, I feel like I am pretty fit and fit enough to tackle this summer. 2000 looks like a very heavy intense year and really Davis Cup at the end of this year is-if we do happen to win, it will make this a very, very long year. So I will be monitoring how much I am playing and the mental burnout. And Mark is someone who has been there watching it with me as well, so we will just have to keep an eye on it and judge how this year goes.

Question: Kafelnikov and Moya spoke a lot about the pressures of being No. 1 and probably didn't handle it too well. I am wondering if that is something that you are conscious of yourself?
RAFTER: Oh, mate, not really. Just bloody happy to be there. It is just-it just a real exciting thing. I don't see it as pressure. I go into every tournament feeling the same sort of thing. People want to beat you whether you are two in the world or one in the world and it is not going to make any difference whatsoever. With the way I approach the summer, if I am hitting the ball well, feeling confident, I am going to win. If I am not, I am going to lose whether or not I am No. 1 or No. 50.

Question: Of all the matches you have played that came towards your ranking in the previous 52 weeks, which match would have been your best as far as how well you played?
RAFTER: It is a tough one. Can you give me a suggestion, because-

Question: Anything during the US Open or would it have happened at one of the Super 9s maybe?
RAFTER: I was thinking of one of the U.S. Opens. Probably one of the biggest of all time matches I think; not necessarily the best match I played, was probably the semifinals at the US Open against Pete. I think I have played better matches than that. I think the Canadian match was a better match, but to get to my second consecutive Final, I think it was probably one of the
biggest matches.

Question: You mentioned the Pete match. Did you feel that he tried to deny you some of the credit for the win when he had sort of have that bit of an injury? He didn't look too bad.
RAFTER: Yeah, you never quite know with Pete. He seemed to have strained a thigh muscle and then come out there and do some pretty extraordinary things. I really can't talk on how he was feeling. But every time he did move and move very quickly I was very annoyed with that and it was just very satisfying to win and, yeah, whether he was injured or not, it doesn't really
worry me.

Question: A Davis Cup question, what do you think just in general about playing a Davis Cup tie possibly at a football stadium here? And just perhaps a few general comments about the importance of Davis Cup to you this year because it is quite an opportunity opening up for the team; isn't it?
RAFTER: Yeah, mate. Well, I think what they are going to have there-if we do happen to have that in Brisbane, no one knows absolutely yet-I think it is 12 and a half thousand. It is not going to be the 60,000 (sic) that you seat there. As you know, I haven't heard how the courts are, but if we are playing, I am sure the courts will be great there and it will be great to
play there. Big Bronco supporter and it would be good to see how-maybe watch a game while we are playing a match. The Davis Cup has always meant a hell of a lot to me. I thought in 1997 - I don't think we were really ready to tackle Chang and Sampras in the semifinals, but this year I realistically think we have a very good chance. And Davis Cup has always been the one thing that, you know, it goes in my schedule along with the Super 9s and Grand Slams. So it is a very high priority in my case.

Question: You said to me last year that you didn't think you were a great player; that you thought you were capable of playing great tennis, but that you never would be a great player. As more time goes on, are you reassessing that assessment of yourself?
RAFTER: Now that I have put two good years together-listen I haven't done extraordinary things. I still could probably consider myself the same sort of thing. What I find more now is that miracles happen. That don't necessarily make me a great player. It has been something that I look at the schedule now-but my career and think can this happen and I say yeah, I think it can because all the things that have happened to me so far. I probably still think-still pretty well see myself with the same attitude as then.

Question You made a stunning impact on tennis abroad, but will you place an extra focus perhaps on your Australian performances next year, The Aussie Open and later the Olympic Games?
RAFTER: First of all, the Aussie Open is something that I have always tried to do-to do well, but I have always come in pretty well under-done. Now if we make the finals, again in the Davis Cup which I am hoping to happen, my preparation for the Australian Open again will be very, very slow. I have been looking forward for a while of having a good performance there. The conditions really haven't favored me greatly. I am still working on Macnamee for that, to help out. But things really haven't changed just yet. I still haven't come into the Australian Open playing my best tennis. I always seem to play my best tennis when I play a lot of matches and I can't get that before the Australian Open because of the lack of tournaments.

Question: Olympics Games, is that part of the plan?
RAFTER: Again, I have always said I don't think it should be part of the Olympics. It takes away from the other special events of the Olympics. But, mate, if I am there, I will be really looking forward to it because it is an event that I would have loved to have played in 1996. And I really am looking forward to the opportunity of hopefully being selected to play for Australia
at the Olympics just to see everyone there competing and walk out on the track with all the other great athletes. I hope that can go down as a very memorable part of my tennis career.

Question: Have any comments on the American tactics during that Davis Cup in Boston?
RAFTER: Mate, we really-again we really don't know the whole side of it, but all I know is I did look-I did -- I looked at Todd Martin's expression and he really didn't really look good when he walked on the court. He did look very pale regardless of how he came out and played. I never-I have said that about Todd, that he is a great sport and I don't see him any differently than that.

Question: You talked before about mental burnout and how you might counter it. When is the last time you suffered from that and what are you doing differently these days?
RAFTER: I think it comes and goes throughout the year for me. At times I feel sort of: I have had enough of tennis; I really want to take a break for a while and generally I do, but if I don't, I am on the court and I am losing and actually you really get fired up. So it seems that the more I lose, the first two or three I sort of handle, but after that five or six or seven,
quite early performances, that is when I start actually picking up my game again and finding the strength to sort of keep on. In a way it sort of helps me to lose matches. So really haven't suffered badly from mental burnout yet so I really can't comment on it. But if I have then that would be it.

Question: Pat, you are such an easy-going guy. I just wonder what it is about Pete that so riles you and how much did the antagonism or competition that you feel towards him help drive you towards No. 1?
RAFTER: Well, the first-I will answer the second question. He doesn't really bug me that much. I mean, there are times he says certain comments that annoy me but to drive me to No. 1, it doesn't really drive me. It is something that I have always wanted to achieve with or without the rivalry between myself and Pete. But he just says some really funny things at the wrong time, I think, Pete does; which, you know, we are out there busting our guts and he don't show a lot of respect at the end of the day that we were trying to do that and he tries to play down, you know, the reason why he lost, giving no respect to the other player and that is what really upsets me about him and the reason why I try to piss him off as much as I can.

Question: Just another question quick one, in terms of goals, what are your goals now having reached No. 1?
RAFTER: The No. 1 goal was never really a realistic goal for me, so I never really was focusing on it. My goal is to do very well in the Grand Slams; the Davis Cup would be something to really have as well and the Super 9s; they are your main ones and the rest will take care of themselves.

Question: Congratulations, Pat. This year particularly the ATP Tour ranking system has drawn a lot of criticism. I am wondering if you would like to see it stay intact or if you are looking forward to the change that will occur next year?
RAFTER: I can't see if this year has had any different-really hasn't been any different. It has been that way for so many years, the ranking system; just so happens everyone has been so very, very close this year that you have seen so many changes of the No. 1 position. The ranking system has been the same for a long time and it shouldn't come under scrutiny. But I am looking forward to next year's system the way they are going to do it; it should be easier for the public to follow. For instance, if Pete came into Wimbledon being 70 in the world that year, he moves up to 10 in the world or whatever, and people can sort of follow that; then going into that tournament No. 1 and coming back at No. 3. I think everyone is looking forward to the new system coming in, the public and the players.

Question: A question about the tournament in Cincinnati last year and the way it ended. I don't want to belabor this thing about Pete, but do you think that was sort of the root or the start of the thing between the two of you and following up do you think that inspired you for the rest of the year and to achieve what you have now?
RAFTER: The Cincinnati situation was probably pretty well the start. It was a weird thing because I thought the match was such a hardly fought and a good level of match and it was sort of put in the press after that of a little bit negative which started to upset me and I thought it was really uncalled for. But really he hasn't given me a huge inspiration for reaching or winning
other tournaments in my career, not at all. I just find him, you know, obviously I have a lot of respect for him being one of the greatest players, but I really enjoy the rivalry that we have, whether I win or lose. I think it is pretty healthy for both of us.

Question: Do you think that just the way you were able to win that match and it was such a big tournament that that made you feel a lot more confident for the rest of the year then?
RAFTER: Especially when I am playing the US Open, I think that really helped me, I walked in that US Open knowing that I just came off a win and that was big for me.

Question: When we talked earlier this year you talked about traditionally getting off to a slow start in the season; that was the case again this year. Do you have any reason why you always seem to hit your stride around this time of year?
RAFTER: Not really. I guess the one thing I try to put my finger on a little bit is I get my best results from doing a lot of hard work, training and having a couple of early wins, a couple of wins. But I don't seem to get that earlier in the year, maybe my Christmastime is probably a little bit too Christmassee. That is-probably should be knocking down a little bit harder but we really don't have an off-season. As I said, I am someone who needs to work very hard to have good results.I find someone like a Philippoussis who is such a big strong player doesn't need-probably doesn't need to do as much work as I need to do to be where I am. So I am aware of that and I need to probably do a lot more harder work at the beginning of the year to get off to a better start.

Question: Following up, Sampras won't be here in Montreal next week, but Andre Agassi will. Do you have any problems with him?
RAFTER: No. I have a lot of respect for Andre. I am surprised to hear that Pete is not going to play. Andre-no, I have no problem with Andre at all. He has always been gracious in defeat and when he has beaten me. A comment about-Wimbledon about him losing to a ponytail; he said he can't lose to a girl with a ponytail. My comment was I won't lose to anyone bald again.

Question: You say you are surprised that Sampras isn't going to be Montreal just because it is a big event-
RAFTER: Yeah, I think so. Montreal is probably one of my favorite cities in the world. I really love that city more than anything. It has got a great atmosphere and great feeling about it. I don't know if Pete feels the same about it but it is a Super 9 tournament and it is hard court and it is what he loves. But he must find it a little bit long, I don't know, because it is the start of the year there. But it is just one of my-the Canadian Open is one of my favorite tournaments of the year.

Question: Six days from the opening of the Canadian Open in Montreal. How is your game right now?
RAFTER: I am doing a little bit of work here in Bermuda-I am doing quite a bit of work. And it feels quite good. The ball seems to be coming off the racket okay. I want to know after a few more days of how I am hitting it. I am going to get to Montreal on the Thursday, so I will be there early preparing. I won't play at least until Tuesday or Wednesday. I am pretty sure my preparation will be pretty solid going into Montreal and I guess it depends on a bit of the draw and a bit of luck. But so far I am pretty happy with it and I am going to-it is a tournament that I want to do very well in. Obviously I did well last year in Toronto, so, my workload is picking up every day.

Question: Pat, you just mentioned how you would look back at the finish of your career on your achievement of making word No. 1. Do you have in your mind an age, a time, when that might be? Do you see yourself as a player who may go on and play the senior circuit and pass on judgment on younger players on how many tournaments they might win?
RAFTER: Mate, I will always be there trying to help out the younger players, I know that much. But the senior circuit, I really don't know just yet. I don't know how much I am going to keep playing on the professional Tour. It is becoming very tough. It is a long year, and I just wonder how much it can take out of me. But so far, I am still fit and healthy and I am enjoying myself. I will continue to play as long as I am enjoying myself. And after that, I always try and help out the good young blokes and, more importantly, the guys that work hard and have a great attitude. I love working with Lleyton, he is a great little fellow-well, he loves kicking my ass, but besides that, he is someone that I really respect as well.

Question: I just wanted to follow-up on something you said before about the
Australian Open conditions and I think you were half joking when you said you
were going to have a word with Macnamee. Would you seriously like to see
different conditions at Melbourne Park?
RAFTER: I haven't seen too many Aussies have great results there. Although there are Rebound Ace all over the world, I guess we came into the ReboundAce a little bit later on. I was brought up on hard court. It still is a hard court traditionally, so you wouldn't think it would be that big a difference. But looking over the last few years, the Australians have traditionally not done great; probably one of our worst Slams. I think the conditions, well, for us, would be lovely if they could change them around a little bit.

Question: Will you be lobbying or not?
RAFTER: I am not lobbying, but you can always ask your question.

Question: A great weekend in sport when you think that an American who overcame cancer two years ago has won the Tour de France and an Australian has become No. 1 in world. What sort of inspiration and legacy do you hope
those sort of performances give to the kids?
RAFTER: Yeah, well, I mean, the answer-I am just hearing more and more about it, even today, about the trials an tribulations he has come to. He sounds like a remarkable person, a remarkable man. That is just huge for anyone who has been down in luck in health-wise as well. But, for me, what I have done for tennis in Australia, I really don't know, as I said, but I just hope to keep a positive impact on everything that I do.

Question: On a bit of a lighter note, there has been a bit of a call over here from some athletes to change the Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oye, Oye, Oye, it is probably about the only thing you hear - what is your impressions of that war cry?
RAFTER: Yeah, they have got a couple of really good tunes at the moment. But the Oye, Oye, Oye has been an Australian thing for so long and it has stuck with an Australian thing, tradition, I guess. But, yeah, it would be-it seems quite funny: Oye, Oye, Oye. I think if we can get something a bit more mungled (sic) than that, can't we?