US OPEN

September 3, 1997

Greg Rusedski

Q. You looked very cool and composed out there.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I didn't feel it at 5-4 in the final set tiebreaker. I think I got a little bit nervous. I kind of let a volley go I should have taken in the air. After that, Richard played a good point and I got unlucky on that. Kept it together. Fortunately for me I played my two best points of the match down 5-6 in the tiebreaker. I thought it was going into a fourth set for sure. I still kind of feel like I'm still in the fourth set right now, rather than having won.

GREG RUSEDSKI: It was extremely difficult. I mean, it was very windy out there. Both of us started off by getting broken right away. I was pleased that I got the initiative right back by breaking straightaway. I think I handled the conditions better, made Richard play a few more volleys than he made me play. I got a lot more free points from him. I think I managed to handle the condition a little better.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I just blocked my returns, tried to chip them low, take a little shorter backswing on some of my ground shots on returns, not go for too much. Because the wind will play havoc with the ball sometimes if you don't put a lot of pace on it. A few lobs, he missed quite a few easy overheads sometimes as well.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I don't know. Maybe it's the new stadium. Maybe it's the new coach. I don't have a clue, to be honest with you. Hopefully it can continue.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, getting to the quarterfinals, I thought I could do that. Getting on to the semis is a little more surprising for me.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, it started a little. I'm still on such a cloud, I can't believe I'm in the semis. I guess when I get up and have to play on Saturday, I guess I'll realize I'm there.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Not particularly, but I think your adrenaline is going enough that if you win on Saturday, it will be fine for Sunday. I think it would be better like at Wimbledon, Friday and Sunday. I think it's because of the TV rights or something to that extent that they do it.

GREG RUSEDSKI: (laughter).

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I don't feel like it at all. Right from the start in '95 when I first came over, the press has treated me extremely well. They've always been very courteous, very polite. I think they've accepted me, the public as well.

GREG RUSEDSKI: It's been difficult. I mean with the tragedy with Princess Diana and everything. The whole country is in mourning right now. I mean, my prayers are with her family and the two children, William and Harry. I think it's been a difficult period for everyone. It's going to be more difficult on Saturday having to play a match while the funeral is on. So it's going to be very, very difficult, I think, in that respect.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think it's going to be a difficult task. But I'm just going to go out there and try my best, and hopefully I'll be able to handle the situation. I mean, my prayers are just going to be with her family and the kids. I'll be thinking of her and her family while I'll be out there. Hopefully try to do my best on the tennis court for them.

GREG RUSEDSKI: My parents right now are living in Canada.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, it's a little bit of luck. It's always been positive, taking opportunities when they arise, just trying to be positive and not letting things get down when things go against you. I think that's really helped me a lot in this two-week period so far.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think I arrived in San Jose when I beat Chang and Agassi in a row, then was up a set on Sampras. I really felt like I belonged, I could get to the top of the game. I think that gave me a lot of confidence.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think whoever wins, it doesn't really make a difference. They're both great players. Jonas Bjorkman is playing the best tennis of his life. Both return extremely well. I'm going to have to serve well. I'm going to have to do a lot of things positively.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I don't think it changed my thinking. I practice with Pete a lot. If I had to play Pete in the semis, I know what I'd have to do out there because we played a lot of practice sets together. It's definitely, probably, maybe a little bit easier having to play maybe Korda or Bjorkman. Korda proved that he can play as well as the No. 1 player in the world, or better, in that match against Sampras.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I was in Bournemouth getting ready for the event, playing on clay. It's a nice change (laughter).

GREG RUSEDSKI: I watched a little bit of Ivanisevic and Sampras, but I didn't watch that much.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think I was extremely disappointed in myself, losing the quarterfinals to Cedric Pioline. I think I was physically and mentally exhausted. I didn't know how to handle the situation. From today's experience, I learned a lot. I used that to my advantage, which is definitely positive. I learned it doesn't matter how tired or fatigued you are out there, you have to try to be fresh and have to be hungry to want to win every point. There's no excuses, because nobody remembers who lost in the quarterfinals, they only remember who usually wins or keeps on going on.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I'm not going to go that far yet. I'm not going to talk about winning the tournament until Saturday. If I win on Saturday, then I'll discuss it at the moment. I can't get ahead of myself.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think it helps myself and Tim a lot at Wimbledon. It gets us through the tough matches. I would have probably, if I was playing at the US Open against Stark, down 5-3 in the fifth, I probably wouldn't have won that match. I think Tim and myself handle the spotlight well. I think I love the support. I feed off the crowd. I think every year I'm becoming a better player. I think if I was in the semis at Wimbledon, I think I'd be able to feed off them more and it would help.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think it was interesting. I was trying to stay focused. I got a little bit nervous. Some of the crowd were behind me, shouting for me. The encouragement really helped. I think that made a big difference for me.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think I'll probably watch because, I mean, it's a sad occasion. I mean, she was a great humanitarian, did a lot of great things for the world. Just out of respect, I'll probably watch.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I understand that completely. I mean, tennis is not even important compared to that matter - to that tragedy. I mean, the tennis is so secondary, it's not really relevant. I mean, it's -- you can't even compare that. I mean, it's two different things.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Might go tomorrow night.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I don't go anywhere against my will.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I might catch a show with Lucy, if we have time to go out. I enjoy it when she takes me. Who knows. We've got to do certain different things once in a while, as well.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think there's a whole combination of things that has helped. Brian has been very good technically. He's helped me relax more and become a better player, so he's helped a lot. I have a new physical trainer, Steve Green, has helped my movement a lot on the court. I think my rivalry with Tim helps as well. The two of us push each other. One wants to get ahead of the other. I think it's the three things combined. Brian has had a big influence on that.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think we just practice four hours a day, hit backhands, returned serves, things we had to do. I think the work has paid off now. You just always have to keep working. I missed the first event of the year, never hit so many topspin backhands that I had terrible blisters on my hands. I think it's paid off.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think I have a lot of people who support myself and Tim. I have letters of encouragement all the time. I think the public supports both of us. They're very fair. They treat us, I think, as equals. I feel that way.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I definitely wasn't smiling after the match. I wasn't too happy. I played probably some of my worst tennis I possibly could. I had a good opportunity to do well. It's just nice to come here and move on and do well.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think it definitely gives me a lot of confidence. It served smartly today rather than trying to hit the hard serves. When it's a windy day, you need to get a lot of first serves in. I beat up on his backhand side, which really brought a lot of benefits today.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think I'm getting a lot more respect from players these days. By making my opponents play more balls, I'm getting easier service games. That's really helps a lot for me. I think players respect me. I mean, when I lost to Sampras in the Finals of San Jose, he gave me a very nice compliment, said that's one of the best sets anybody played against him. I think the players are starting to take a little bit more notice of the other parts of my game.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yes, and I lost the point as well.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, you don't need -- I'd rather have an ace at 70 miles an hour than lose a point and hit a serve at 142. You have to learn how to mix it up a little bit.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think I always wanted to put the work in. By putting the work in in December, to take another step forward, that was very important.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Had a lot of influence in that respect.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No. I wanted a coach who had played at the top of the game, knew what it took to get to the top. He won the Australian Open. He got to as high as 7 in the world. He knows the pressure and how to handle it. That sort of experience is invaluable.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I've beaten Richard four to five times, so I was confident going in. This is a Grand Slam event, Richard definitely is going to be more motivated out there. He knows he's got a good opportunity to win the title, having Sampras being knocked out. For me, I think it was harder than any of the other five matches we've had to play.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think I've been handling that very well. That's why I'm having such a good run at the moment. I'm keeping my emotions in check until maybe after match point is over. Sometimes I used to do it before match point was over, get all this emotion out, then I'd be shaking hands having lost the match.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I'm not looking that far yet. Taking it one match at time. An old cliche. I'm going to stay with that one.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Probably next weekend, I think. I think in a week's time.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Whatever happens. I've made a commitment to play in Bournemouth. We don't have many tournaments at home. I don't want to let down the public who bought tickets and come to see the event. I think it's very important to support your home tournaments.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I'm going to try my best to. Brian, it's kind of funny, because sometimes I have to find him in the locker room instead of him finding me before the match. He's so laid back sometimes.

GREG RUSEDSKI: He's probably doing some Yoga position in the corner.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I'm not really going to change anything much. I'm just going to relax, probably just eat at the normal restaurants I have been, really take it easy. You don't want to put anything new into the equation when it seems to be working. So I'm not going to be doing anything too different.

GREG RUSEDSKI: We just worked at some of his friends' houses, that people had courts on, Riviera Country Club, wherever we could get a court.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Definitely has. In the beginning, in LA, after putting in all that hard work, to come out and lose in the first two events in the first round was very difficult. I'd rather have spent Christmas at home, been able to be with friends and family, which would have been nice. But in the end, it's paid off. It's been nice.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I remember when I was playing, Connors' run. That was unbelievable when he was, I believe 39 or 40. He got to the semis. He won every single five-set match somehow. He came out. I used to love watching McEnroe win the title. I think it was a great match he played against Gerulaitis one year. There have been many great matches. When I was growing up, McEnroe was on the tele, that's who I would watch. It was always good for me.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Ridicule? I don't know if people gave me any ridicule about my game.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think a lot of players gave me respect for my serve. They thought, well, if I get a serve back, I have a good opportunity to win that match. I think they came out eager, because they knew they would have to get my serve back. I think players respected me a lot. I think they respect me more because my game is complete. I don't think there was any sort of thing as ridicule.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I've just tried to make my game better because I want to try to get to the top of the game. The only way to do that is to improve your ground shots, your return of serve, become a complete player. Even Sampras when he won the Open when he was 19 was not a complete player yet. Now he's the greatest player to ever play. He's worked hard and continued to become better.