U.S. OPEN

August 28, 1995

Brett Steven

BRETT STEVEN: I saw him because I hit the first serve. I could remember, he made a return and I hit it rather short and I went behind him and he figured on me going to his forehand side to the open court, and it looked like he went and caught the edge of his shoe and his ankle -- I think his left ankle just rolled underneath him. And it is something I have done before. I think probably everyone in the draw has sprained their ankle at some stage. I know that during the match we played in Indianapolis, he had trouble with his shoes and that the sole came off. I don't know if it is the shoe or if it is bad luck. One of those things. When he went down, I really didn't think he was going to get up and play. It looked like at that stage he was in a lot of pain. And he, to me, looked like that was it. And even, you know, the expressions on the referee and the other supervisor Brian Early, made out like maybe he is not going to finish, and so I was sort of thinking along those lines and I had to then, sort of, when he got his ankle taped and he came back out it looked, you know, of course, he didn't look 100%, but it looked like he might still be out to play the match. That caught me by surprise and I was really a bit tentative at that stage and luckily I hit a pretty lucky half volley to save breakpoint and then won that game, and from then on in, I was -- I felt a little bit more comfortable playing against him. Then I just needed to move him around. I mean, he was killing me at that stage. It was really bad luck for him. I was sort of getting back into the match in the second -- in the third set, but before that, it was all his, you know, match. He was playing great tennis, and concentrating perfectly; he wasn't playing bad points, and I really think he would have gone on to win tonight. It is just one of those unfortunate things.

BRETT STEVEN: You have to. Otherwise you will end up like I was as I started off making mistakes, but there is part of me out there who felt sorry for him and wanted him to stop because it look -- it looked so miss-matched at times. He was just, you know, he couldn't go for shots and part of me wanted him to just to stop in which he did in the end. It is tough. It is really difficult because I had to change my game a little bit because I didn't want to just give him one shot winning a point so didn't serve and volley very much. I just wanted to get the first serve in and maybe place it so he had to move, and then try and maneuver him in the rally situation. I knew if I could do that, he had to just suddenly go for a winner and his chances of pulling them off in a row was slim.

BRETT STEVEN: Playing a lot better tonight. The difference with Goran tonight was that he never let up in any games. I have played him two weeks in a row and in Cincy and Indy; he would give me games - while he was ahead, of course; not while he was behind. I would get down a break and then we would go on serve throughout the whole set. He would win it 6-3 or 6-4, whatever it was, but there were a lot of games on my serve where he was giving me games; whereas, tonight he was in every single game, I felt. He really -- he was not giving any free points away. He was concentrating well. I think at one stage in the third set I finally got a loose point from him. I felt kind of good about that because, to me, he was back to a little bit more normal, but, you know, still at that stage, I was really in an incredibly deep hole. I mean, he really, to me, was dominating in all facets of the game; outserving me, of course; returning a lot better than he had done in my previous two matches and just really concentrating well. I really think he would have won tonight and he would have had a very good Championships tonight. I feel bad for the guy because I think --

BRETT STEVEN: A good Championships; I feel bad for the guy, but that is tennis. I have been injured before and, you know, it happens.

BRETT STEVEN: I just said, what can you say, I said "bad luck." I really meant it, but, you know, it is not much else you can say. You can't -- I am still in the tournament and he is having to fly home. I think he even had high expectations of doing well here.

BRETT STEVEN: I got a flight back for tomorrow. I have to cancel it. I just thought it was a bad draw for me. Because I was feeling good coming in and playing well in practice, not that I was expecting to lose but I was, you know, it was very tough draw and I played Goran like I said in the last two weeks, and played better in the second match, but still I felt like he was always sort of in control of the matches. But now I am still in. I don't know who I even play. I hadn't even looked remotely past the first round.

BRETT STEVEN: Well, you know, that is okay, I guess, you know, whenever you take a seed's spot in the draw, it tends to open up, so we will see. You know, I got -- this is my first one ever in the U.S. Open, and it is not as I would have wanted it.

BRETT STEVEN: No, probably go home. It is pretty late.

BRETT STEVEN: I will go home. I have played both those guys. In fact, I played Patrick in practice this week and Nicklas in doubles two weeks ago, so I am not -- I am pretty familiar with both of their styles of play.

BRETT STEVEN: Thanks.

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