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U.S. OPEN


September 4, 1995


Jared Palmer


NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

Q. Jared, you played Sampras at Wimbledon and Agassi here. Can you compare?

JARED PALMER: Compare what?

Q. The two and how they are -- are they likely to fare here?

JARED PALMER: I don't understand the question.

Q. It seemed like the first set you had quite a lot of chances, you ran close, then he got away from you, steadily, more. Can you assess what happened in the second and third sets?

JARED PALMER: Yeah, I don't know, he just -- he plays with a lot of -- he makes-- puts a lot of pressure on you and, I don't know, I think I had some chances, I just -- I didn't play the big points well. And that is what -- that is why he is the No. 1 player. He plays the big points well. And I had some chances to finish the points off. I didn't do that, and it is more than just the point that you lose. I think it affects the whole match. And then he just started -- he ran away with it. He just started dictating and had me on my heels a lot and I was having a hard time doing anything constructive and just wasn't able to stop the bleeding.

Q. Are you pretty happy, though, with the result? I mean, fourth round I think it is your best Grand Slam event?

JARED PALMER: Yeah, yeah.

Q. Sort of different. You were injured before -- I guess after Wimbledon, is that when you were?

JARED PALMER: Yeah, that was more precautionary, had sore knees, trying to figure out what it was.

Q. You had a good Wimbledon, good U.S. Open; second part of the year picking up for you?

JARED PALMER: Well, I didn't play very well during the summer. Just started playing well here, I don't know why. But yeah, I mean, I am happy. This is the furthest I have gone in Grand Slam. Never played in the singles in the second week before. So I am happy about that. But, you know, I think at some point I need to start playing these top guys a little closer.

Q. Playing better singles than doubles now? How did this happen?

JARED PALMER: Well, I lost first round in doubles. It is not hard to do better than that.

Q. Given the choice, this is probably where you'd want it, although --

JARED PALMER: Yeah. Well, I'd like for that to be a trend. I'd like to play better in singles more often.

Q. What is going on with you and Richey in the doubles? What do you think your chances are making the Las Vegas roster?

JARED PALMER: I'd say they are not good. I don't think -- it is hard to be picked when you don't win very many matches. I think Rich and I could still be competitive against any team for anyone match. But, you know, that is up to Gully. I am sure he will make the right decision. But no, we are going to play in the fall and hopefully we will get things going, yeah.

Q. I thought you played pretty good today. What happens when you play against these top players you play Pete or Andre; is it your game is not always as good or they are playing better? When you say you could play a little better --

JARED PALMER: I just don't -- for one thing I don't think I play a solid consistent match the whole way through. I feel like I have some ups-and-downs that you just can't, I mean, there is no way to beat those guys if you have lapses like that and I don't know what, I mean, you have to play each point like it is a big point and play no loose points and I just seem to play some really loose points and I just can't get away with that. Also I think my game isn't quite good enough to, I think, there are still holes in my game that the best guys can reveal or breakdown consistently more consistently than other players.

Q. How hard would you say Agassi hits his groundstrokes compared to other top players you faced?

JARED PALMER: Well, he didn't hit them that hard consistently. He can generate as much pace as anybody when he goes for it, but that is the thing about him, is he doesn't -- he takes the ball early and he has a lot of control over the ball. He doesn't have to hit it hard. He can take it early and move it around. I think Pete hits the ball harder consistently than Andre, but like I say, the ball is on you just as fast because Andre is inside the court a lot and pace doesn't bother him at all. You can hit a big serve or a big groundstroke right at him and he has got such good hands that he can -- it is like he grabs it and throws it back on the other side of the court. He is the best in the world at the moment.

Q. Do you foresee anybody playing with him at this point or beating him?

JARED PALMER: I think, yeah, I think Pete could definitely beat him.

Q. Other than the two of them --

JARED PALMER: It seemed like Boris played awfully well today. I mean, you can't count him out. I think, you know, at that left, there is just -- there isn't a lot separating the guys, obviously, he just comes down to the day, I think. A lot of these guys could beat him. It is just a matter of each day, how the guys are feeling and how they are hitting the ball that day.

Q. You said Andre is so tough because he plays inside the baseline; takes the ball so early. How do you beat somebody like that? Do you try to play deep or do you try to play short angles?

JARED PALMER: I don't know. I played in between which you can't -- Corretja played pretty far behind the baseline and played like in clay court style game frustrated Andre pretty thoroughly, I thought, for a while. He just ran out of gas and that was one thing and then I think also you can get to him by coming in a lot and playing the percentages that way, but you really got to play the percentages if you do that. You have to constantly make a pass, can't miss approach shots and make first serves and that is tough to do consistently against a guy who gets almost everything back. Like I said, pace doesn't bother him. You can hit four huge serves right at him in a row and you can be down and lose your serve.

Q. Did you expect all those people before you went on court. You had a smile .... (inaudible)?

JARED PALMER: I don't know why I smiled. You know, he always -- people Love to see him play and --

Q. These were even outside just wanting to get a glimpse of him before?

JARED PALMER: We were going out to play and people were lined up. It is just nice -- it is kind of electric to feel that. Even though it wasn't much directed at me, it was still nice to see it.

Q. You talked the other day when we were talking about Sargsian and that feeling when you first come out here you don't quite belong with the big guys, you mentioned that you weren't quite there yet; not feeling that you belong. Does that present a bit of a block for you when get out on the court with Andre?

JARED PALMER: I think it must. I don't know for sure, but I think that there has got to be something -- like today at 5-6 in the first set I played a really bad game; just missed some shots and just wasn't there mentally. There must be a reason for that, so yeah, I think just confidence and just believing it and believing in yourself is a lot of it in anything. That will make up for a lot. That is something that all the top guys have and have learned somehow.

Q. Jared, who do you think will be chosen for doubles in Davis Cup?

JARED PALMER: I don't know. I really don't know.

End of FastScripts...

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