U.S. OPEN

August 27, 1996

Andrei Pavel

ANDREI PAVEL: My opinion about Marcelo Rios?

ANDREI PAVEL: He's playing pretty fast. He proved before he's one of the top players. I've been injured for a long time. I played against him in 1992, Juniors, French Open. In second round, I beat him that time. I won the French Open Juniors. I had an operation on my elbow, an operation on my foot. Now I've kind of come back. I have also a coach now, and I'm working hard with him. For me to qualify here, win three rounds in the quallies, playing against Marcelo five sets, was a bit difficult. I played a good first set, but then he was all over me.

ANDREI PAVEL: Not only the fact that I won the first set. I'm playing the same tennis as all the top players, but it's just a bit of confidence, a bit more conditioning, I'm going to be up there, too.