If somebody had suggested in June I would win 11 matches in a row I'd have probably laughed. I remember being at Queen's Club in London, the weather was terrible and I was really struggling with my game. I felt I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. Then Jonas Bjorkman and I ended up sharing the doubles title with the Woodies and I ended up winning Rosmalen singles the following week. It was such an emotional time for me. But when I won in the Netherlands, I felt all the pressure lift and I started feeling good about my game again. When I look back on Wimbledon, I remember feeling dead about losing to Tim Henman in the fourth round, even though he's a good player. I knew I needed a break from the game and I went over to Bermuda with my girlfriend Lara and Little Killer and we trained with a mate on the island. I got out and played golf, went to a few shows in New York and got myself ready for the summer circuit. We worked hard in Bermuda and by the time I got back on the road again, I was ready to go. Even though I lost to Justin Gimelstob in Los Angeles, I knew my form was coming back. But I didn't realize just how close I was to my best form. The secret to my game is that the more I play, the better I play. And the US hardcourts really suit my game. I can use my kick serve and get into a good position to make a good first volley. That's what my game's about and when I'm playing well it's pretty much instinctive for me. The really eerie thing is that when I'm playing like this I feel as though I don't know how to lose. It's a big turn around from Queen's where I felt I had forgotten how to win - even when I was up in matches. Winning the Canadian Open against good opponents was a huge thrill and then following up with another win in Cincinatti was even better. I didn't know if I was capable of stringing together 2 big weeks after the US Open last year, but this is definitely the best I've played since then. I've worked hard and I've enjoyed myself off court. It's been great having Lara over here with me and my brother Peter arrived last week with a stock of Vegemite. Everything has clicked for me and I just want to ride this form into the US Open. I couldn't see myself playing this well earlier in the year when I had a lot of doubts about myself and my game, but it takes a little bit of luck to go with the hard work. I love the heat and the humidity in the US because I think I've conditioned myself to play well in it and stay out there as long as it takes. Returning to Flushing Meadow is something I've tried to put out of my mind until I've finished the next two tournaments - New Haven and Long Is. - and I won't let myself think about the Open too much until I get into NY. I know it's going to be tough and it's something I have to deal with, just as I had to work through the way I felt in the middle of the year. At the moment I couldn't ask for anything more. I'm playing well and I've been beating some very good opponents, including Pete Sampras. But all good things come to an end and I can't complain about my defeat by Guillaume Raoux on Thursday which stopped my run in its tracks. He's a very talented and very dangerous player and I couldn't find a way to break him down. I'm now back in Bermuda to recharge the batteries and to freshen up for the ATP tournament in Long Is this week. The #1 ranking is within reach if things go my way until the end of the year. A lot of people have predicted I'll get there, and that's nice of them to say that, but I'm just concentrating on chipping away, taking it one match at a time. If I have another couple of good weeks I know I'll be getting very close to that goal - being #1. Having got to #2 and now sitting at #3, I really want to experience that feeling of being on top. But I don't want to get distracted by the big picture. To get there, I've got to win matches and that's the only thing I can control at the moment.

One of the major lessons this year is that it's important to realise I don't need to constantly prove myself to others. I was guilty of that earlier in the year, particularly when I was back in Australia. All I succeeded in doing was to put so much pressure on myself that I didn't feel comfortable within myself at all. The big thing for me to understand was that I had to feel good in myself and concentrate on doing the things that work for me. I've managed to do that recently and I'm enjoying life on and off the court. At times it's easy to lose your way and when you do it's important to go back to basics and work your way through whatever it is that's bothering you. For most of this year I've been hitting the ball very well. It was just a matter of persisting until everything came together. We all need a kick in the backside occasionally and I guess I got mine kicked in the middle of the year. But it's incredible how quickly things can turn around if you want to keep working.

I've been told that Pete is still angry over the call he got on match point in the Cincinatti final, and, to be honest I don't know what he's got to be angry about My serve caught part of the line and was only just in, but that's all it has to be - it was an ace. The line call was not the reason I won. I had match point and I still had a second serve if I needed it. He'd have had a lot of work to do to win from there. It was just a huge thrill to win two big tournaments in a row and I guess the controversy over the line call took something away from that. In the end I thought "stuff it, it's my day and I've won." You always treasure wins over Pete and I haven't had too many. He'd beaten me eight times in a row and that was just my second win. Hopefully there's more to come. End

Sunday Herald Sun 1998