U.S. OPEN

August 31, 1993

Michael Stich

Q. You have lots to say about the officiality regarding Ken Michael coming out to talk to you, you want to talk about that?

MICHAEL STICH: No, I think just when I played I did a bad job. I mean, I had my chance. I blew it myself. There is no question about it. I'm missing the balls, but if he doesn't make the calls that he should make when a serve is out that much and he doesn't make the call. On the other hand, Henrik served an ace that is like ten centimeters inside the line, he calls it out just to make it up as justice, I think that is very bad. I think -- he gives me a warning for smashing a racket; that was fair enough. He doesn't get blamed for doing a bad job. I think had nothing to do with losing or winning for me. I just played bad. That is why I lost. It is not his fault. It is disappointing when you don't play well and you need every bit of luck and help that you can get and you just don't get it. It is very disappointing.

Q. When he served that ace to you knew you almost walked away and gave it to him?

MICHAEL STICH: I wouldn't do it with him. He wouldn't do the same for me, I missed the second shot on purpose, I mean, it was obvious that I did that. But he didn't realize it.

Q. When you said he doesn't get blamed for doing a bad job, how do you think he should be blamed?

MICHAEL STICH: I have to pay for bad behaving. So I don't know what those guys do. I know it is an tough job. I don't want to be sitting up there; no question about it. It is not, you know, it is not like -- that we are always right. The same thing; it is not like every ball we call is going to be in; it is going to be out. We are mistaken also, but especially on this surface we can see the mark time and time, and especially on important points, like breakpoints, and he just doesn't overrule; then just to make it up to you, he overrules on a point like 15-Love where it doesn't matter at all. I don't know what there should be. He just tries to do his best job. He can probably had a bad day as I had today and that is okay, but it just doesn't help.

Q. What about the conditions on court 16, and does it bother you that you didn't get stadium or grandstand?

MICHAEL STICH: No, I mean, you have to take the court you get and I think Henrik played really well; probably the best he can play right now. I just played very poorly. I had my chances again and just didn't take them, and that was the story about the match.

Q. Was this place-- you haven't had two good years here. Is it something about it, the hard courts or --

MICHAEL STICH: I don't know. I mean, I played here well in 1991.

Q. You sure did.

MICHAEL STICH: I should have gone even further. Last year losing against Brad Gilbert is impossible to play on hard court. Henrik, first round is tough. He served really well. I don't know how many aces he served, but quite a few and I just didn't play as well as I wanted too. I mean the first round is always tough. The further you get into the tournament, the better you feel. You saw Stefan struggling out there on center court. It is tough. He played well, and it just was not my day.

Q. You broke him when he was serving at 4-2. You think that would have turned the whole thing? He had 3 breakpoints.

MICHAEL STICH: Yeah, I think I would have had a great chance coming back if I make that break on 4-3; he started serving better at that stage. He looked like he was getting a bit tired and as I said, there was clearly a bad call from the linesman and he served two times very good to my backhand side on breakpoints, he played two good points, but it was a very close game; could have turned the match around.

Q. Anything else in English?

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