U.S. OPEN

September 7, 1996

Goran Ivanisevic

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Slow - I mean, second game he didn't do anything, two doublefaults, two easy mistakes. He just stand there and won the game. I gave him two many presents today and I didn't have too many chances. I mean, he served unbelievable. Every time when I had breakpoint he came with unbelievable serve. Second set, same thing, present on my serve and you can't do that against him. If you give him too many presents, you are gone, especially if he serves like that he was serving too good. And then suddenly I got a chance take break. He got a little tight; made doublesfaults. I had passed him once; then I won the tiebreak and then instead of pushing harder on his second serve I get into the match again. He was a little down and instead of breaking him at this 2-All, I don't know what was the game, I let him get through that game and this game was another little present, you know, Love-40, deuce and then two easy mistakes, and you can't do that against Sampras, otherwise no chance, especially when he serves like today, no way.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: He was -- I don't know if he got tired. He was real down after the third set. Then I should jump straight on, but you have to put some returns. That was my chance, when he was missing some first serves, I didn't -- I was not able to put returns back and that is it. And then after when he gives you the chance, you don't take it, that is it, you know, thank you very much, I gave you a little chance you didn't take it; now it is my turn and then came with some great serves. I can't do anything when he put the first serve. I can just guess and try to hit return back, but that is it.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: A little wind wasn't bothering me. Just little upset because this first game of the second -- of the first set when I served, he just stand there waiting for my mistakes, two doublefault, two easy, one fault and one volley, I can't do that, especially semifinals Grand Slam. I am not allowed; especially against him. And then he just -- you give him that, he gets confident and he is just rolling, playing like unbelievable. Try to stay with him in the beginning and it is more difficult for him.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Okay, I mean, I forgot, but I didn't have a chance to break. He was serving too good; then I had 15-40 in the second set, two aces, I didn't see the ball, and then he broke me again. I didn't put too many first serves. I missed a couple of forehands and now same story. Three breakpoints, I came to deuce, again, two easy mistakes, I mean.....

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, I felt, I -- especially when I won that game, when I won that point 6-4, now I said, okay, if he misses first serve, you never know, maybe he is going to get a little tight. He did, a little tight. He made a doublefault. Then 6-5, like pushing the ball and I knew he is not going to attack. I knew if I have short ball, I should hit, that is what I did and he missed it. And then I won. But I was not able to return his second serve. That was a key point, the second set when he started to serve not so good to try to take advantage on his second serve, but I was hitting too many -- too hard and all the mistakes, instead of putting in and trying to rally with him, because he was a little down; then I let him back in the match, then it is tough. He is No. 1. He is not going to let it go.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: If he serves like this, he has a great chance. I mean, he serves unbelievable. I mean, he is very -- very tough. I mean, Chang is playing good tennis, but I think he has good chance if he is playing like this.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I knew it is not such a big deal, you know. I mean, I knew he was going to be strong today. Nothing to do. He had one day to recover. It is not -- he just throw up in that match, not a -- he didn't die, if you know -- (audience laughter). This is semifinals, so you have to come strong, so I knew he is nothing to going to bother him today, that match was past and he came through and pretty strongly.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I have great memories, I mean, I came this year, I made my best tournament semifinals. I mean, I am disappointed, sure, that I lost today, but, you know, it is nice. I won a couple of good matches. I beat Stefan. I think I show some good tennis these two weeks in this tournament and I am happy, so next year going to be a new stadium maybe I will have a better chance.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: It is tough to read the serve. You have some players they throw the ball -- if they serve to my backhand, they throw one side -- if they serve, I mean, inside, they throw the ball the other. He throws the ball always the same, then he switches, it is tough to read, tough to pick his serve. That is why he is one of the best servers in the game, you know, don't hit so hard. He hits with a lot of wrist and a lot of slice. Those serves are the most difficult to return.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, I had a chance, but I slipped my chance. I got him back two careless mistakes in that game, 4-3, deuce, I mean, I hit two good serves. I hit little miss-hits return and twice easy mistakes and that is it. He is not going to let the match go. He let it once, not twice.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Next I am playing Monday in Bucharest. Then I am playing Davis Cup after that.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Very frustrating, but what can you do? I mean, I don't know, I can only jump from the bridge, you know, on the way to the hotel (audience laughter). But I don't know, maybe it is still some hope for me. This year is past with the Grand Slams and next year.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Nothing, try to take these chances with the guy that the guy give to me and try to put it in. If you do this, if you make these chances, then you are going to win. I was not able to make these chances and I lost.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Not preparation. Just tennis. Tennis is a tough sport. You are alone. There is -- no one can change you if you play bad. It would be nice if you play couple of bad games and a new guy comes in, but you can't do that. You are there alone and it doesn't -- I will have to try to find the reason why and try to -- I fought back. I gave everything what I could today and was not enough.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Everybody is, but you can't do that in the Grand Slams, especially now in this times. Everybody playing good tennis and always in the Grand Slams somebody is going to come through, so you can't say Sampras/Agassi final here or in Wimbledon, this one's final, now, nothing is sure, you know.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I am bad at predicting. Every time I say I say wrong, so... (audience laughter). Let them play it.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: He is my friend, so I just wanted to see the tournament and I took him there to see the tournament.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I didn't bring him there for the spiritual thing. I just bring him as a friend and there was a big story like I am some guy that is a crazy man (audience laughter). That there is -- he stay with my father. I stay in a hotel. I just saw him when I play, and nothing to do with -- he is a friend and good friend and never he was at this tournament and I enjoyed it. So I did better without him here. I don't know what is wrong.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Not to make any problems. I mean, we don't like so much, Europeans to stay too much in the States, you know, Americans they don't like in Europe too much, you know, so, but this year I enjoy it. Before I was making too many problems. This year I have more fun and that is why I am playing much better on this hard courts and enjoying more the states.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Much more.

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