US OPEN

September 7, 1999

Jiri Novak

Q. Do you think this is pretty big news back home?

JIRI NOVAK: You know, I was already six or seven weeks in the States, so after the match I am really happy I can go home. I'm not happy because I lost, you know. But I think it was pretty difficult match for both, you know. We know each other very well because we are practicing all together, and I think it was tough match for both. I start to play very nervous. I lost the first set. After losing in the first set, I was starting to play much better and better, and I think that I was little bit better on the court, but I had already break in the second set. I was serving 5-4 for the set, but I just lost the concentration. Maybe I was just a little bit, again, nervous, and then I lost the set 7-5, so it was very important point in the match because it could be the once and all and the match starting again. But then I start to play very well. I forgot that in the second set was very important point that I was -- it start rain. You know. Because I was play much better and better and I was leading 4-2. I had 30-love when he was serving, but then I missed the just two points. It was score 30-All. We just left the locker room, you know, for 15, 20 minutes. So I think it was very important for him because it was starting play much better. He won the second set. From beginning of third set, I think I was playing much better and better. I won the third set and fourth set. I was 4-1 up and I had two breaks, you know. So I think that in the second, third and fourth set, I was much better. I had, again, I had a lot of breaks, you know.

JIRI NOVAK: No, I don't think so because it was very big experience for me, you know, because it was for the first time, and I was playing in the Grand Slam tournament. So I think Slava and me, we were very, very nervous. So, I think it could be another tournament, some small tournament. It could be much better play, the game for watching people.

JIRI NOVAK: Yeah, sure. We were sitting together like five minutes before the match, you know, because we were in the locker room and we were talking about his coach. We are friends all the time.

JIRI NOVAK: All the stuff, you know. (Laughing).

JIRI NOVAK: Yeah, sure, I'm going for a tournament in Basel. I was there three years ago and playing very well. I beat in second round Boris Becker in quarterfinals, so I was playing very well just in the Finals. So this is for the second time when I get in the tournament, so I'm very happy that I can go there and play the best tennis.

JIRI NOVAK: I was playing a lot of tournaments there. I was playing Basel. We were playing Davis Cup in Soulix. I'm going for the second time to Basel. I'm liking the country. Is good.

JIRI NOVAK: Sure. I'm going everywhere there is a title, you know. (Laughing)