US OPEN

September 9, 1998

Patrick Rafter

Q. Is that as good as you play?

PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah. I can't play much better than that, I don't think. Just volleyed very well, served very well, I could go on. Yeah, it was a great day for me.

PATRICK RAFTER: No.

PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I just handled the conditions really well today. I think that has to do with growing up playing in the wind, because where we live it gets very windy, I played there for a long time since when I was young. And for Jonas, probably they don't get that sort of conditions in Sweden quite as much. I've learned how to deal with them.

PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, I don't know why. I mean, the conditions are great. I said I've got a good attitude, my attitude's changed. I'm just a lot -- everything's taken off. I just feel very light within myself. Moving well. When I move well, I play well. I said I'm serving well, volleying well. Everything's -- I don't know why. It just happens. You could ask me this question during Queen's last year, you could ask me, "Why are you playing so badly?" "Well, because I've got so much pressure." Everything goes in cycles.

PATRICK RAFTER: No, not really. No. I've done that a couple of times in tournaments where I've got out of really tough first round matches and proceeded to lose the next round, a match down the road. So I was aware of that. I think, you know, Arazi -- my good tennis was right there. Says something about the way Arazi played me, how well he played.

PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, I was very grateful to get on the big courts last time, before this big stand was here. Last year I had the opportunity to play quite a few matches here. You know, I can't really recall the smells, the smokes, all those sort of things from the previous years because I really wasn't here long enough. The distractions, I mean, I don't -- I don't see many. The crowd can be very loud, but today was a good match. And when the spectators see a good match and good tennis, they're very receptive to the players.

PATRICK RAFTER: Well, first of all, he has to get there. I think -- let's not try to jump the gun here. He's got a very tough match against Kucera, and he knows that. If I do happen to play him, it does help for me to know that I have beaten him recently. I won't go on the court feeling as intimidated as I had before. You know, but I'm still going to be very intimidated. He's just that sort of player. He's a very good player. But it will be nothing like what I felt before.

PATRICK RAFTER: Well, what I did learn is if I'm playing well, then I can compete with all the guys. And that's very rewarding for me to see that. Before, when I thought I was playing pretty well and going out and I was losing, I thought, "Oh, gee, I thought I was playing well." And it just showed me how bad -- all my weaknesses. Against Pete, I was playing well, and I ended up winning that match. It's a good feeling to know that I can do it.

PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, mate, time will tell. As I said, let's not try to jump the gun too much on it.

PATRICK RAFTER: That's a good point. I hadn't thought about it yet. No, it's -- I don't think that will play any part in the match. So far, it's been very kind. So I'll try and keep it that way.

PATRICK RAFTER: I just felt like -- I had a few weeks off in Bermuda after Wimbledon. I just hit the ball really well, I thought. It feels really good. I just came into the tournament feeling like I was hitting the ball well. LA, I was playing well. But, you know, I wasn't too concerned with my loss. I can remember in LA, they said, "You're not disappointed." I lost to Gimelstob. They came -- I had a smile on my face. I'm not going to cry over this. You know, I'm playing well. It's going to come together sooner or later. It just shows that it did.

PATRICK RAFTER: Uh-huh.

PATRICK RAFTER: It must be from what you see. I don't know, I just go up there and pick my spots and I go for it. He did break me the second time he had his chance. I got a bit nervous, I guess only signs of nerves for that match. He makes you nervous because of how well -- how well he fights and how well he returns. He creates that with a lot of players. He did that to me today.

PATRICK RAFTER: I don't know. I'm pretty happy with the way things are going right now. If it continues to be as successful as it is now in 16 months, I'll be just as happy. I don't know.

PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, the first six months were pretty slow for me. The second six months have been very, very rewarding. You know, it wasn't just Newc. I think people keep losing sight of that. It was definitely Rochey. Rochey was telling me exactly the same thing. Newc just happened to hit the right spot at the right time. I don't know what it was. I was just -- I was ready to listen to what he had to say. I think it was -- I was coming to the lowest point of my career, then all of a sudden to the highest part, that quickly. My tennis was there. It's just the mental side was really holding me back.

PATRICK RAFTER: "Just enjoy yourself again, don't put so much pressure on yourself."

PATRICK RAFTER: No. The pressures are what you create for yourself. It shows how easy you can turn it off.

PATRICK RAFTER: I guess it was the lowest part. I guess I had nothing to lose. I was hanging onto things. I felt during the French Open, I had to try to do the same. It's what I did the year before. It's important that you just go with how you feel. I was trying to create the same atmosphere at the French Open last year what it was this year. It was a completely different tournament.

PATRICK RAFTER: Against Martin Damm.

PATRICK RAFTER: Yes. I was enjoying myself all of a sudden. I won the first, I lost the second, I lost my serve at like 5-4 in the second. I was really down on myself. But I just was able to switch out of it and not throw my racquet. I was really under control. The whole mental side was all of a sudden different. Before, I would have really panicked.

PATRICK RAFTER: This year's US Open?

PATRICK RAFTER: How am I approaching it?

PATRICK RAFTER: It was obviously a little bit different in how I was coming into the tournament. Now I just sit back and watch to see what happens with the other two guys. Mentally, I think that's about all you're talking about. If anything, I'm probably a little bit more sheltered this year. Last year, I was sort of going down to Soho, going into a bar and having a beer, and then sort of hanging out the next day. This year here, I'm not doing that at all. I'm just having my dinners and going back. Just don't feel like it.

PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah.

PATRICK RAFTER: We seem to go in very similar patterns. I just said to him a few weeks ago, I said, "I've had a couple of good weeks here, mate. I think you must be due here somewhere." We tend to follow each other pretty closely. I can't -- I don't know if Jonas wants any advice from me. He can have all of it that he wants. He's a real confident player. When he plays well, he's one of the best players I've ever seen play. When he gets on the indoor season, I think his tennis is slowly getting better and better. I don't really want to meet him in the indoor season.

PATRICK RAFTER: Uh-huh.

PATRICK RAFTER: Whether I had the success here or not, apparently again it's been very positive back home with Cincinnati and Toronto wins. Even the Hamlet Cup, I was just feeling really happy within myself. I was going to go home with a smile on my face and deal with whatever I had to deal with, regardless of how it went here. You know, I don't find the Australian public a hard public to please, unless you put in a hundred percent. That's all I've ever done. That's all they've ever asked of me. The only pressures I've ever felt is when I feel their expectations. Again, that totally only comes from me. It's only a natural thing to me. When I sit down and watch the rugby, I watch the cricket, same feeling.

PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I think he was at his lowest point also the week before Wimbledon. And he came into Wimbledon thinking, "I've got nothing to lose." All of a sudden it started to turn around for him. The American tournaments haven't been good for him. But he's back to what he was a year or two ago. He's a lot happier. I can see him in the locker room, we're talking, we are confiding, we're getting back to being friends again. It's good. And he's going -- I think he's -- he might show his full potential here this week. And I think it is good for him. I think he's learning all the time, as well, how to deal with it. It has been tough, not for just him, but for me as well. You know, I like his chances here. Just the way he seems in the locker room. He's ready.

PATRICK RAFTER: We just had differences in what I wanted to do for this year. I wanted to play a little bit more doubles. He didn't want to. I said "Okay, I'm going to go with someone else." Maybe it wasn't dealt with properly. There was a (inaudible) with the Davis Cup. This issue has been brought up many, many times before. And we just sort of went our separate ways a little bit. And he was dealing with the big hype and everything of the Philippoussis thing, of '96 in Australia, which he was very big. And, you know, he had a lot of things going on in his life. There's many other things going on. Things have sorted themselves out. He's getting older, he's maturing, he's dealing with things a lot better. You know, he's ready. Next year I think will be a good year for him.

PATRICK RAFTER: She lives in WA, I think. She lives in Perth. That's like a long way to go (laughter).

PATRICK RAFTER: Not really. I think we've met each other once, once or twice. Obviously, we know all about her. Again, she's a very big idol in Australia. So -- but, no, I don't know why. It's like two separate tours of women and men. They've always been very separate. Now they're becoming closer and closer, though.

PATRICK RAFTER: Mate, I was playing my best tennis in Cincinnati, as well. So I'm pretty happy with things.

PATRICK RAFTER: I don't know, maybe just a little bit. But I think players also go out there and try to beat you now. The men aren't quite as intimidated as I think the women can get. Like Arazi, he wasn't intimidated against me. You know, he was very close to beating me. You know, you can lose to any one of the guys on any given day.

PATRICK RAFTER: I mix it up all the time. I have a different serve, it's a lot heavier. Maybe I spin the ball a lot more and let it work off the court. These courts are pretty favorable for those sorts of conditions.

PATRICK RAFTER: I don't really sit and watch them. I sort of serve the ball, I do what I do, I just turn around and go back. I don't really look at them to see how they're dealing with it. This is why these conditions here in America are very good for me. When I go to the indoor season, I do the same sort of serve. I get no response from those courts at all.

PATRICK RAFTER: Pete is a different kettle of fish altogether.

PATRICK RAFTER: He's been that great consistently. I've just been able to do something great last year. I had a great win last year. He's done it for the last six years.

PATRICK RAFTER: No. I've got pretty good rhythm at the moment.

PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah. The wind has been -- I look at the wind as an advantage for me. I don't look at it as upsetting. If it's a windy day, I think, "It's not real good conditions, but I can use this to my advantage."

PATRICK RAFTER: Not more than what I normally have with Pat. We always talk, have a laugh. We played doubles together in '96, so we do know each other pretty well. Nothing has been different since he's been working with Mark.

PATRICK RAFTER: No. I mean, I wouldn't -- I don't know. I mean, I've got people around me here, you know, that give me that advice who know my game, like Rochey and Fitzy who I've worked with. They're the two people. He's got his work to do, I've got my things to do.

PATRICK RAFTER: Not really. Again, that really hasn't entered my mind. If I do get ahead of myself sometimes, I have to sort of pull myself back. As you said, sometimes you can get that thinking going, "If, if, if." It's pretty important to stay in the present here. That's what I want to try to do. I'm not going to probably answer your question quite as well as you want me to. You know, over the summer, I've probably had the best results out of everyone. Whether that makes me the No. 1 player for three weeks in a year, you know, that's not the way the system works, that's just the way it goes. But Pete has shown over consistent years why he's No. 1. If I do happen to win this tournament, that puts me in a very good position to become the No. 1 player in the world further on in the year, so I'd love you to ask me that question later on.

PATRICK RAFTER: I used to have that. Especially last year, I was -- when I made the five finals, I never really came up the next day and produced good results, except here at this tournament. Now, I don't know if it has to do with my attitude or what it is. Now I just go out there thinking, I'm playing well, all the negative thoughts, whatever thoughts creep into your mind, just put them aside because they're going to have to beat you on the day, because you're playing well enough to be with them. That's the way I address every match now.

PATRICK RAFTER: Kucera's biggest strengths, very good return of service. You know, effective, very good groundstrokes along with that. Potentially able to serve well. Just a fantastic mover. He's got very good balance. You know, I think -- if he returns well and puts pressure on your serves, that's when he'll start serving well. That's a dangerous position to be in. That's where Pete has to be careful tonight. If he gets off to a good start, it's going to be tough for Kucera to track him down.

PATRICK RAFTER: You know, I was doing that throughout most of the third set. Your mind starts wandering again into the future. What am I going to be doing tonight? Am I going to be happy, sitting back with a smile on my face, I'm in the semifinals? When you start thinking like, that that's when you start thinking negative thoughts.

PATRICK RAFTER: You just have to try to bring yourself back to reality. Catch your thoughts. Get back to what I have to do here, the job, concentrate. I've been doing that very well this week.

PATRICK RAFTER: No, I haven't seen him that mad about a call or anything. The whole thing was taken way out of whack, though.

PATRICK RAFTER: What do I mean? I mean --

PATRICK RAFTER: I thought the ball was in. I think the replay, some people have shown replays for the ball to be in. You know, I think the whole situation with the media just took that thing right out of proportion.

PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I think so. He knows I think that way, as well.

PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, he's a bit upset.

PATRICK RAFTER: I don't know. I don't really know. I think the Australians do recognize him as being one of the greatest players ever. I don't -- I don't feel that with the guys, you know. Just whatever happens happens. That's the attitude that I have. I've spoken to Rochey, seen Rochey. He doesn't see it one way or the other.

PATRICK RAFTER: No, I don't know. I'm going to go out for dinner, out for a beer, then I'm going to relax and chill out. If he's on when I get back, if I feel like watching, I'll watch it. I'm not going to go home to watch it. I'm not going to send Rochey here to sit by the courts to see if I can pick up some tips.

PATRICK RAFTER: Again, that doesn't matter.

PATRICK RAFTER: I've been fantastic this whole summer. I've -- I've hardly had a beer. I think it's just -- for me it's a great way to just relax, you know. I just have -- you guys all think I'm an alcoholic or something (laughter). It's just totally in moderation. Wow, I've got to have a glass of water tonight and chill out.

Anyway, when McEnroe said you were a One-Slam Wonder, what did that do for you?

PATRICK RAFTER: Well, initially it may have made me a little bit upset or whatever. But, you know, this thing -- I don't know how much out of context this thing has been taken. Again, I've been asked this question a million times. I keep defending John in this, because he's come up and made his comments that it was taken out of context. He just said that I hadn't done very much since that, he wondered if I'd ever win another one. You know, I think if I do happen to win this one, there will probably be a lot of flak on John. Unfortunately, he's got to deal with that.

PATRICK RAFTER: -- my record?

PATRICK RAFTER: I don't know. This One-Slam Wonder thing, for me, it's a big achievement just to win one. People think you're going to win another one. I don't care. I'd love to win another one. The point is, I've achieved so much already. I don't feel I have to win another one. One-Slam Wonder. To win a Slam for me is such a big achievement. I don't know. Maybe a One-Match Wonder would hurt me, if I won such match out of the blue.

PATRICK RAFTER: One-Beer Wonder.

PATRICK RAFTER: What is my beer brand? I have to be careful what I say here, I think.

PATRICK RAFTER: I don't know what I'm going to have tonight. I'm going to have one beer, chill out. Am I allowed to do that? I hope I'm allowed to do that.

PATRICK RAFTER: Definitely, I'll be there.