MONTE CARLO OPEN

April 23, 1997

Michael Stich

Q. Michael, for those of us who know how well you can play - what an attractive game you've got - it's almost sad watching you out there now. Is it a question of the shoulder or is it a question of self-belief?

MICHAEL STICH: Today it was also a question of my stomach, because since last night, I was sitting on the toilet constantly. That didn't help. Everything combined. If the shoulder is not well, the mental side is not well. If the mental side is not well, the physical side is not well. It's like a circle, one comes off of the other. Just sad for you to see that. It's disappointing for me to play like that. It's not easy right now.

MICHAEL STICH: 3-1, give me that. 11 games, not 12 games (laughter).

MICHAEL STICH: It doesn't slide away. Probably my first serve percentage was about, I don't know, definitely under 40 percent, so that doesn't help against a guy like Richard. I was not able at all to control the point of the match. I had strategy in the beginning that I just wanted to get the first serve in as much as possible. You know, unfortunately, I got rid of that strategy right after I got broken for the first time. Instead of sticking with it, I just tried to come in more. Richard passed very well. I didn't have enough pace on the ball to hurt him.

MICHAEL STICH: Yeah.

MICHAEL STICH: No. It was not intended in the first place because, you know, it's a long way through the claycourt season, would be a long way for the claycourt season for him. He's also got married and expecting a baby, so the change is for him a bit as well. He's supposed to be there for the French and Wimbledon, definitely.

MICHAEL STICH: That's the impression you have; not the impression I give. Probably you're right. It's difficult when you're not on the top of your game. I know how well I can play and I know the way I play right now. I still try. Not like I give up. I'm still running for the ball and trying to win points. Doesn't make it easy when you play badly. Doesn't make it easier to get into your head that you can win a match if you're playing like that. That is probably one of the reasons why it looks like I'm, whatever, not trying. You know, I'm trying; otherwise, I wouldn't be on the court.

MICHAEL STICH: Like the weather has been the last couple of days, the courts are very hard; balls are pretty fast, good for that kind of game. Once he's serving well - didn't serve extremely well in the beginning of the match; after that, he started serving much better. If you come from a tournament a winner, it's very easy to adjust to a new surface. He's having a lot of confidence. I think he played reasonably well.

MICHAEL STICH: I don't know. I haven't seen him play at all. I played him today. That's not - how do you say - doesn't show how well he can play because he didn't have an opponent that really took him to the limit. I think with Richard, it's very simple to say as well, when he serves well, he's always dangerous on every kind of surface. If he doesn't serve well, a big part of his game is gone. He definitely improved his backhand. That helped him last year at Wimbledon. To defend a Wimbledon title is a different thing than just going out and winning a tournament. I don't think he should go out there and try to defend it; I think he should go out there and try to do as well as he can.