US OPEN

August 30, 1997

Greg Rusedski

Q. Very impressive again. How do you feel about that?

GREG RUSEDSKI: I'm pleased with the way I played today. First set we both had a little bit of jitters there. We were trying to get used to the new stadium. We both served particularly well, so neither one of us had a chance to get anything going. But after I won the first set tiebreaker, started to make more solid returns, started to make him play more balls. I was just pleased with the way I played the last two sets.

GREG RUSEDSKI: That wasn't bad. I was trying to get the new record. I'm pleased with that. I mean, if I play Mark Philippoussis in the second round, maybe there will be a new record.

GREG RUSEDSKI: It feels quite big, but it doesn't feel -- it doesn't feel like you're at a tennis court. Almost feels like you're at another sort of event when you walk into that stadium. It feels like a football match a little bit, the way the size of the stadium is and everything. But it worked out well. I can't complain.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Just ten minutes before we walked on court, because Alex pulled out with, I think, a left thigh injury.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I never played on stadium court at the US Open. I thought it would be good fun. I thought my opponent would be a little more nervous than me, so it worked out well.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I don't mind. If people just talk about my serve, they're missing out on my returns and my ground shots, so I'll surprise them a few times maybe.

GREG RUSEDSKI: They have improved a lot. I was a little bit disappointed with them in the first set today, but in the second and third set, they got a lot better, a lot more consistent. I didn't take advantage of certain balls. I should have. My footwork was a little poor in the beginning of the first set, but it's definitely improving.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I am. I guess they should have built this new facility ages ago, maybe I would have done better (laughter).

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think it's just confidence from the year and more maturity on my part, because in my second round match, I was playing Marcos Ondruska. I got here at 9:45 in the morning and didn't walk on the court until 7 in the evening. In the past, that sort of situation would have been difficult for myself. Harder to get myself motivated and ready to go out there and play. But I think it's just more maturing as a player, just more confidence and just learning how to handle things better.

GREG RUSEDSKI: It's possible. There's been, you know, 145 that's been out.

GREG RUSEDSKI: The year 2000? Probably about 150 is probably the maximum you could get. But none of the players have really changed equipment. You know, everyone talks about the long bodies and the wide bodies, this and that. But none of the top players really use those racquets. Sampras has been using a racquet that was made nearly ten years ago. Philippoussis and myself, we just have regular, thin racquets. I think it's just the athletes are getting better, the timing of it. If you hit a 150 mile an hour serve, today I hit a few serves that were 136, my opponent put his racquet on them and made a great return. If you don't hit 150 down the T, the great players like Agassi and Sampras and Chang will make a good return.

GREG RUSEDSKI: You have to have the accuracy. If you don't have the accuracy, players are good enough that they can handle the speed today, so I don't really see there being a problem with the game, the fast servers and everything like that. You're going to have some matches which are going to be quick and you're not going to see so many rallies. But you're also going to have matches where you'll see a lot of good returns. Best tennis you usually see is when you have one person who is a serve and volleyer and one person who plays like a Chang or Agassi, are good returns. You get the contrasting styles.

GREG RUSEDSKI: A lot of aces probably (laughter). So you won't have the contrasting styles there. We are the two biggest servers on Tour at the moment. Whoever makes more returns and whoever comes up in the tiebreakers, usually we'll probably most likely be playing tiebreakers. It's going to come down to one or two points.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think Ivanisevic has a tremendous serve, but he's left-handed, which gives him an advantage. But he's not as mentally strong as, say, a Pete Sampras, as intelligent with his serve. Sampras doesn't have the same power and ability as Ivanisevic has in his serve, but he has the more smart idea, more or less. He'll place a serve, spin it, kick it, very, very well. Sampras, by far, is the most intelligent server out there. I'm trying to learn stuff from Sampras in that respect as well, where I'm mixing it up. Fair enough, I have my 140s, but usually when I have that, it's when I was 40-Love up in a game, not 40-30. 40-15, usually when I had a three point lead for myself.

GREG RUSEDSKI: You just watch him play matches. I enjoy watching the tennis on the tele. You get to learn what people's strengths and weaknesses are. I mean, he's won ten major Championships for a reason. He must be doing something right out there.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Exactly. I think it was both of us a little bit of nerves in the beginning. I think if I play a person like Philippoussis, I'm going to be more relaxed out there because he's going to be the one that's favored to win. It was the first time walking on stadium court as well, so that was another experience for me. I've never been in such a big arena for tennis yet.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think where I gained most of my confidence this year was February playing San Jose. I ended up beating Chang in straight sets, I beat Agassi in straight sets, then I was up a set on Sampras. I had my wrist injury where I had to sit out for two and a half months. I think from that point on I started to believe in myself more as a player. I think going into the grass court season, I was very confident as well. I mean, I only lost one match and it was to Ivanisevic, 20-18 in a third set tiebreaker from Wimbledon and I won the next week in Nottingham. To get to your first quarterfinals of a Grand Slam also gives you a lot of confidence. I mean, these are the tournaments where you make your mark as a player. It's great that you win other events, but you've got to prove yourself in the Slams. That's the most important thing. Hopefully I can do that this year.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I just had a wrist -- little bit of a tear in my tendon. But it was fine. It's absolutely fine now.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Left.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I had a word with him, "Are you sure you're my opponent today? I thought you had nice blond hair." He said, "No, no, there's not enough sun in Germany at the moment, so the dye is not working so well." I know Jens pretty well. He's a nice person. We get along well. We had a laugh about it before we walked onto stadium.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I do some flexibility, I do some Yoga. I think any sort of stretching or Yoga exercises can help out. All the pounding you take on the court, it just helps open up your body a little bit. Especially when you're tall. When you're small, your body can handle more on the hard surfaces. Being a taller person like Brian, I think it helps me quite a bit, with my movement and flexibility.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think it's helped a little bit. But I think it's a combination of my fitness trainer and Brian helping me out as well. It's just a combination of a lot of things coming together at the right time and just continuing to do them day in and day out.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Mark is a very good person as well. I think he's a very good player, very talented. I think it will be a good match. When we get on the court, it will be very serious. Off the court, we get on all right.

GREG RUSEDSKI: We chat, have laughs. That's fine. Hopefully he'll leave the SCUDS at home.