AN INTERVIEW WITH STEFAN EDBERG
May 31, 1996 (after his win against Chang at Roland Garros)
4-6, 7-5, 6-0, 7-6(1)
Q. Obviously you were feeling like 20 again today?
STEFAN EDBERG: Yes, I was, again, even sort of 18, 19, I think. It was a wonderful feeling being out there today. I played some of the best tennis I've done for a very, very long time. You know, to beat Michael here, you need to play very well. He's a tough competitor.
Q. When was the last time that you felt as determined? It looked to us, you could really see your determination. You haven't seen that as much in your strokes and everything and demeanor on court.
STEFAN EDBERG: I mean, I feel excited playing here, being the last time. Since a month, two months ago, you know, I've started hitting the ball well. I'm playing some really good tennis. That really helps. I sort of have to motivate myself to get pumped up. It really helps my game a lot.
At the moment I'm feeling very good out there. I'm not feeling tired. I'm moving really well. That makes all the difference in the world. I think I'm serving a lot better than I've done for a long time. Little things like that make a difference.
Q. On the downside, this is getting in the way of Wimbledon preparation, this week. Coming in here, I know you want to do well, but also surely you have to be in the back of your mind really looking ahead to Wimbledon, because that would have to be maybe the highlight of this last year, I would think. How is this happening for you?
STEFAN EDBERG: Looking at Wimbledon, I really don't look that far at the moment. There's no point. Always the best preparation for playing at Wimbledon is playing on the clay and getting fit. That really does help your grass court game.
I'm really focused on what I'm doing right here, right now. For me there's no point in looking any further. I can look forward tomorrow. I'm playing doubles, and then Rosset the day after that. I'm really trying to focus myself on playing tennis, and I think that's really important.
Q. Stefan, when you split from Tony Pickard, he said that you were good friends and you could still chat any time you needed to. I was wondering if you had a chat with him about this match beforehand?
STEFAN EDBERG: No, not really. We've seen each other quite a bit here, playing doubles with ^ Petr, and Tony has been around here, but we chat about other things, too. Obviously he gives me a few tips, what he sees, sometimes when I practice, sometimes on television. He's helped me a little bit this way.
Q. Stefan, you're also volleying superbly today. Is that partly because you were serving so well and were able to go in with more confidence. It was really terrific.
STEFAN EDBERG: It does help. The serve really is the key to my game. I'm really feeling comfortable moving on the clay. I'm coming in behind a serve very quickly. If you serve well, your volleys are going to be so much easier. It has got to do with confidence, obviously.
I'm really hitting the volleys well, and I did today.
Q. Stefan, the final set at 5-6 where Chang disappeared off the court.
You said to Mike Morrisey, isn't that a perfect time? What did you mean by that?
A. I got a little bit annoyed at that time. It's 6-5 in the fourth.
ort of you're in the momentum. Suddenly goes out. There's nothing you can do.
You've got to go on and play. That's all you can do.
STEFAN EDBERG: Sure.
Q. You would trade the win of today with that loss?
STEFAN EDBERG: Yes, obviously, you would pick to win the final in '89. This was a good revenge, so to say. I did think about the final in '89. I don't know for what reason, but it came into my mind, after losing the third set, being up two sets to love.
I didn't really have chances to break him today. Once I sort of got to 5-All, I thought things were possible. I really kept on serving well game after game after game. Then I saw my chance in the tiebreaker.
Q. Stefan, can you give us your feelings after losing the first set and then getting even after the second?
STEFAN EDBERG: The first set I played pretty good, I thought. Not very well, but I played good. He was just too good in the first set, I thought. You know, he got up a break, and he was hitting some great returns.
I think he had a little problem with something, which I did notice. He lost the momentum for quite some time. Getting even with him one set all, that made a big - a big, big difference. After that, I sort of saw that I had a chance. Things really started to pick up.
I got the early break in the third set, and things really started to move on. After that, I never really looked back.
Q. Stefan, knowing that it's your last year on the circuit, are you practicing and pushing yourself less hard? Perhaps that's the reason you're more fresh physically and you're playing so well.
STEFAN EDBERG: I've been working pretty hard in the last two months, I would say. A good thing is I've been playing tennis I think every day for the last two months. I really haven't had a day off. I've been doing things that I did used to do.
I think by winning matches and playing matches on the clay, winning a lot more matches than I did in the beginning of the year, I've started to feel better week after week. Now I'm feeling really good. I just want to keep it going as long as I can now because I'm feeling physically fit and mentally very well.
Q. Stefan, two questions. First of all, how did you sense -- when did you sense in Michael that was going wrong? How did you sense that he was hurting?
STEFAN EDBERG: Well, he lost some speed, I thought. I wasn't sure what it was, whether it was his stomach or whether it was his groin. Something happened at some point. I did notice it. He didn't play so well for quite some time.
Then he picked up speed again in the fourth set. He must have been feeling pretty good in the fourth set to play the way that he did.
Q. And in winning today, does this make up for 1989?
STEFAN EDBERG: Not quite, no. Still a long way. Another four matches would make up, yes.
Q. Would you say this is one of your best singles wins?
STEFAN EDBERG: Yeah, one of the better ones, definitely. Especially playing the way that I did and beating Michael here, you know, you need to play very well. He's one of the best players - he is in the world at the moment.
Q. What do you think about the next match against Marc Rosset?
STEFAN EDBERG: Well, I feel good about it. I played three really good matches. If I can keep up the work that I put in, obviously I have a chance.
I feel if I can beat Michael, obviously I feel I can beat Marc, too, but he's been playing very, very well in the last couple of weeks. He's picked up some momentum, too. I will not underestimate him because he can play very well. He's a good claycourter.
Q. Stefan, what is your opinion of so many attacking players in the last 16?
STEFAN EDBERG: I do think this year, for some reasons, the court, even today, it played slower today than it did the other day, there's no question about it, but the balls are quick. It's very dry out there. It does help guys that really go for their shots. I'm positive about that.
Q. Obviously you had a hundred percent of the crowd behind you today. How did that inspire you, if at all?
STEFAN EDBERG: It was very exciting. I felt that I did have the crowd behind me. That obviously helps a lot.
I'm telling you, it's so exciting playing out there because I'm playing well, you have the crowd behind you, and it's such a good feeling. I'm really having a good time out there.
Q. Stefan, it's your last year. You will also play in Basel where you're a record man.
STEFAN EDBERG: It's not for sure, but it's a good chance. It's one of the tournaments I've played well in the past. It's depending on what happens.
Q. Stefan, there was always a kind of Swedish team spirit. Do you meet the other guys here, talking together? What do you say to Bjorkman?
STEFAN EDBERG: We see each other because we're in the same locker room here. We haven't seen much of each other because we're playing every other day. He came to congratulate me after the match. It's good to have a little chat in the locker room. He's played some good tennis here, too. It's nice to see.
Q. It's not like it was before with Mats?
STEFAN EDBERG: Not quite the same. It was very special when I first came on the Tour. We're still very good friends, all of us. We get along very well.
Q. Stefan, was something a good preparation for this tournament?
STEFAN EDBERG: Obviously, yes.
Q. And would you like to play against Thomas Muster? You hadn't the chance last time.
STEFAN EDBERG: Yes, I would like to. That would mean I was in the semifinal and he will be, too.
Q. Stefan, when did you announce that this was your last year? Did you expect to have the crowd so much always behind you, or you are a little bit surprised day by day?
STEFAN EDBERG: I think I'm a little surprised, but at the same time, you know, I notice by watching older players, I think you're popular, being a youngster, it's something new, you go through five, six, seven, eight years, in the middle, once you get older, people start cheering for you. I've noticed that.
I thought I would have some cheers, yes. It's the same with Connors; he was extremely popular once he got past 30.
Q. You said once you regret more and more to have missed the final in '89. When did you start to regret really? When the people ask you every time?
STEFAN EDBERG: I think it's come in the last couple of years. I mean, at that time I was 23, I was still -- I still saw myself having more chances. As years go by, chances of winning here are getting slimmer. That's just a matter of fact. It does get tougher, but it's possible, there's a tiny little chance.
I will see what happens here. If I'm playing the way I am, it is possible. I know that.