1998 REPUBLIC NATIONAL MONTE CARLO OPEN
MONTE CARLO, MONACO
April 22, 1998
B. ULIHRACH/N. Kiefer
6-4, 6-2
An interview with:
NICOLAS KIEFER
Q. Nicolas, today your match against Bohdan, were you surprised at the result? How did you feel that you played today?
NICOLAS KIEFER: Last year I played against him. Three sets. I didn't play so well. He played okay. I had a lot of chance. He was better today. I didn't play so good like yesterday.
Q. How did you learn from the beginning of the tournament and this particular match of the game on clay?
NICOLAS KIEFER: From these two matches?
Q. Yes.
NICOLAS KIEFER: I mean, what can you learn? I didn't play my best tennis. Monday against Mantilla, I played I think very good. I think it was my best match on the clay court. Today, I had a lot of chances. I was up a break, 2-Love. I don't know what happened. But it wasn't my day.
Q. Is it difficult to keep the same level on this surface?
NICOLAS KIEFER: Yeah, sure.
Q. So it's different than like fast surfaces where you can keep the same level?
NICOLAS KIEFER: Center court is a little slower. Court 1 and Court 2 are a little bit faster. But that's not real easy.
THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS - 1998
KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA
March 22, 1998
M. RIOS/T. Haas
6-4, 6-3
An interview with
TOMMY HAAS
Q. What makes the difference today if you compare this match with the last match that you had against Rios in the U.S. Open?
TOMMY HAAS: I think the only difference is a couple of big points. Today he broke me in the first set, then I had breakpoint again to come back in the first set and I missed an easy slice return. Those kind of shots you can't afford. Second set I was up 2-1, had 3 breakpoints, and actually kind of easy overhead to put away. Obviously, I only missed it by a couple of inches and the game is gone and your whole momentum, mentally you change. If you make that point you are up a break 3-1 and you are pumped to go maybe win the second set. Same thing happened at the U.S. Open when we were in the fifth set. I had a breakpoint in the first game. Can't take that chance. And breakpoint at 1-All in the fifth. Didn't use that one either. So, like I say, it is just a big points. That makes the difference between the good players and the ones that are still behind 50, 60s.
Q. Do you feel some kind of friendly competition with Nicolas Kiefer as trying to be the next great German player?
TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, trying to get to know each other much more. We have been spending some time in Scottsdale, in Palm Springs, and now here we had some German Davis Cup training. And we are both looking forward to play maybe for the Davis Cup, which is next week.
Q. Are you similar personalities in any way?
TOMMY HAAS: No, I think we are all different.
Q. What about your friendship with Marcelo?
TOMMY HAAS: He comes down to the academy a lot. We practice down there once in a while. Obviously, he bought a place there, so, you know, we don't talk too much. But we get along.
Q. Did you play golf against him?
TOMMY HAAS: Not that I remember. Maybe one time with Nick Bollettieri and some coaches. Yeah, maybe it was a couple of months ago, maybe.
GREG SHARKO: Who was the better golfer.
TOMMY HAAS: I don't play golf anymore. I quit. So I think he is.
Q. Second set, 0-40, Rios serving.
TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, 2-1.
Q. You missed a chance to break him. Then you lost your --
TOMMY HAAS: Yeah.
Q. -- serve --
TOMMY HAAS: Almost the same, you can't take any chances, next person has the next chance and he takes it right away. If I win that game, I am up 3-1 and have the chance to go up a break. So, like I say, the big points --
Q. I think he is a very smart player, Rios.
TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, definitely.
THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS'94
Key Biscayne, FL
March 17, 1994
P. RAFTER/J. Grabb
1-6, 6-4, 6-1
AN INTERVIEW WITH
PATRICK RAFTER
Q. Patrick, what happened at the start of the match?
PATRICK RAFTER: You know, I went out there and missed a few volleys. I couldn't get any penetration out of my serve. I was putting all of the effort into it and I couldn't get any out of it. I thought maybe that was just a warm-up game. And then, you know, I couldn't find any feel, couldn't calm the ball, he got on top of me, he played very well, you know, and he made me pay for all my mistakes. And then -- that was really the beginning of the match, as it turned out.
Q. Is he one of the cagier players you've played?
PATRICK RAFTER: Pardon me?
Q. One of the cagier players?
PATRICK RAFTER: How do you mean "cagier?"
Q. American word for crafty.
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, maybe. I didn't really notice it. He played some good shots. He was playing very well in the beginning, I thought.
Q. How much of a distraction for either him or you, was the problem he had in the second set with his foot or ankle, was that -- how much of a distraction was that; more of a distraction in the end to him than to you? Besides, sometimes it's difficult to play someone --
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, it had a lot of nerve -- all I know is that I have to get the ball back into play. I was getting very tired. Then he started moving okay, all of a sudden, you know, on my -- when I'm serving for the second set, he starts moving. I think, oh, here we go. He's just toying with me, I'm tight, I can't get out of it and I'm just trying to push the ball back into play. It is such a relief to win that, incredible relief. I was in all sorts of trouble.
Q. Wouldn't it be harder than you might have expected for him to have been as injured as he at one point seemed?
PATRICK RAFTER: He pushed me; he made me fight hard.
Q. For the second straight match between the legs points have come into play for you?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, that's nice, bit of improvisation, I suppose, I don't know, Bob is going to have a word to me after about it. That's what I thought of at the time.
Q. Patrick, your thoughts on being in the semifinals; your feelings about it, you must be pretty happy?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yes, I'm ecstatic. It is a great privilege to be playing in the semifinals of this event. Such a big event and I'm really looking forward to it tomorrow night.
Q. Will this be your biggest payday?
PATRICK RAFTER: Probably, I haven't seen the check.
Q. You know how much it is, don't you?
PATRICK RAFTER: No, I don't.
Q. How about your thoughts on playing Andre?
PATRICK RAFTER: I've played him before, I know his game a little bit and he knows mine, and we're going to have a good match.
Q. Are you going to hope he doesn't get hurt so you play your best?
PATRICK RAFTER: He can get hurt, I don't mind.
Q. How many players play in all white instead of wild colors?
PATRICK RAFTER: White. I seem to be a lot hotter the other colors, you know, that's all I have, that's why I play in all white.
Q. Because you are just a traditional guy or --
PATRICK RAFTER: I couldn't care, whatever they give me I wear.
Q. Is there -- how much satisfaction do you take out of winning tonight?
PATRICK RAFTER: Tonight, I don't take a lot at all. I mean he was on top, and I was under pressure and I was trying harder, who knows, I may have gotten back into it on my own, you know, it is more of a relief than anything. No satisfaction at all, unfortunately.
THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS - 1998
KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA
March 22, 1998
M. HINGIS/J. Kruger
6-0, 6-0
An interview with
MARTINA HINGIS
Q. Talk a little bit about your shutout, 6-0, 6-0; how did it feel?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I am pretty confident right now after winning Indian Wells. I just feel great right now. It is great being out there. And, you know, that if you really want to, at the important points you go out there and you make them. Especially I knew that -- I never played Kruger, actually, before. But after they said on the court that she is 21 in the world and she made pretty good results Indian Wells, she beat Coetzer. I knew she had a pretty good round right now. She is a player that could be really dangerous for me, so it was a good match.
Q. You say you are feeling very confident in how you are playing. It is a new confidence or the same confidence you have pretty much had the last year or so?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, last year was different, because I kind of had no pressure on me and I just could play my own game. But now I am a year older. Since one year I am No. 1. I am probably a little bit stronger, also. My -- physically, and mentally, hopefully, also a little bit further than I was last year. If you want to stay on the top -- at the top for a while, so you kind of -- and you are No. 1 for one year, you have won so many tournaments, so you can be confident a little bit.
Q. This question may have been asked to you a couple of days ago. When you heard that Steffi Graf was injured again, do you have any reaction to that? Do you feel disappointed or does it not matter at all to you?
MARTINA HINGIS: Actually, it is really not my problem. But I think it is a little bit sad for her. A lot of people talk always about, now when finally I am going to play her. But I never really got the chance to do it. So it is a little disappointing for me that I never got to play her. Especially I am in pretty good shape right now. Lindsay played a great match against her. But I feel a little bit -- maybe she is a bit disappointed that she wants to come back. With her body and the health is the most important thing for a person. I guess if the body is not working the way she wants it to, a little bit sad for her. But not for me. Tennis has changed since last year a lot. There are so many great other players out there, and it is not -- when she stopped she was very dominating, and it is not the same anymore.
THE 1997 LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS
Key Biscayne, FL
March 23, 1997
A. KOURNIKOVA/K. Studenikova
1-6, 6-4, 6-0
An interview with:
ANNA KOURNIKOVA
Q. Talk about what turned it around. You lost the first set pretty handily, came back. Can you talk about it?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I think it took me a little while to get used to her game, because yesterday I played Amanda, a totally different game. She was playing really, really well in the first set. She was just hitting all lines. I think she made like five unforced errors. Then I just started to play the point, you know, make her play a little bit, not try to go for winners. I think it made her move a little bit.
Q. Did you also get more confident mentally?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Sure, you know. After you win like second set, you feel comfortable, just keep going on, trying to do what you did in the second set.
Q. Are you surprised you're doing this well, happy? How do you feel?
ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I'm happy. I'm not surprised. I worked for it, you know. ?
N. KIEFER/P. Rafter
March 9, 1999
7-6, 3-6, 7-5
GREG SHARKO:
Q. One silly question. Why are you now not wearing a hat when you
play?
NICOLAS KIEFER: Why?
Q. Yes. You had your very short haircut; you now have a full head of
hair.
NICOLAS KIEFER: When my hair is short, I have to wear a hat, otherwise I get a sunburn. Now my long hair is protecting
everything.
Q. I wondered if you sort of grew out of it in more ways than
one.
NICOLAS KIEFER: Again.
Q. Were you wearing it before as
--?
NICOLAS KIEFER: When I want to wear a hat, I wear it. When I don't want, I
leave it.