NEWSWEEK CHAMPIONS CUP

March 16, 1996

Goran Ivanisevic

JOE LYNCH: Goran stopped one round short of his 7th final of the year. Still leads the ATP Tour with a 33 and 4 match record. First question for Goran.

Q. We didn't see the replay, but you thought they caught the service line. Was that the serve at set point, you thought it was ace and it caught the service line?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: They called a footfault; yeah, and it is too bad. I mean, second footfault all this year and he finds the perfect moment on the set point when I thought I have the match in my hands and if I win the set, I thought I could win the match.

Q. Didn't they call a footfault against you earlier in the match today?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, he called it two games before, but that was not so important. The same friend of mine there.

Q. Do you feel you lost to a less talented player today?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: No, he is a great player. I have always tough times playing him and I had a bad record against him, but I didn't play very good today. I was a little tired and he played -- is always playing good against me. He is putting a lot of balls in and he makes me play and hit the winners and I was missing a lot and I thought I don't have too many chance until -- then after I broke him back I start to play good, and when he start to choke badly in the tiebreak and then my friend called me footfault. But he is talented. He is not -- I mean he beat Pete. He beat me a lot of times and he beat a lot of good players, so he is a good player.

Q. Are you sure the serve was in?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Nobody called anything there.

Q. Well, I asked the umpire; he said that they wouldn't call it because the footfault was called first. He said he didn't know if it was in either.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: He didn't know what he was doing there. He didn't know who played. If you ask him who played, I don't think he knows and I think he doesn't -- no clue. He thinks he is indoors, somewhere, I don't know. Too much sun today for him.

Q. Did that affect you for the next two points after that?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: It affects me, okay, I went for the winner next two points, I missed it and couldn't go in, couldn't -- it is always a lottery but I missed it. It would be easier for the ace; then it is the third set which I thought I had a better chance because I started to play better.

Q. What did you say to him? He gave you a warning after that.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: He gave me a warning, yeah. I said a couple of things, which I deserve to get a warning.

Q. Did you talk to him on the way out? I noticed you were walking on the way out with him; did he say anything to you and did you say anything to him?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: He didn't say anything to me, but I said a lot of things to him.

Q. The fans loved you when you hit those gorgeous forehands. Do you think you lose something by letting your emotions take over?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: No, no, why not? I started to play much better the end of the match. I had more fun and I was more happy and because in the beginning, I just -- I wanted to hit every ball a winner. I was very tired and I didn't enjoy it. So after, I had more fun and everything was going better for me.

Q. Goran, in spite of the fact that you were very angry and everything, you were a gentleman when you shook hands with Paul. Is that because you are friends because you are able to separate the umpire --

GORAN IVANISEVIC: He is a nice guy and he is a good friend; nothing to do with him. He didn't call me a footfault. He is the friend of mine, so I always shake hands. Doesn't matter who I am playing. Plus he deserve it. I mean, he played good tennis and why not. I didn't shake hands to the umpire. He didn't deserve it.

Q. What would the umpire do in that situation? Can he overall a footfault?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: No.

Q. Then why were you mad at him?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Because he didn't know -- all the match he was just up there losing the match a little bit, you know, like I said a little bit too much sun. It was also, for me, a little bit too much sun, but also umpire is not a bad guy, but just today, I don't know. Today, everybody was bad, also me. Just today, like that.

Q. After this rare loss, how do you prepare for the Lipton?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Now I take two days off and then I start to work more on my condition and preparing - nothing special. Just go to Miami Tuesday and hit some balls there and try to play good at Lipton.

Q. You still keep your mental outlook?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, I mean I lost the match and I did great. Never here in the semifinals and everything was fine, and so I lost today because he played better and that is it. And I am still mentally positive and waiting for the next tournament.

JOE LYNCH: That leg shot too.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Working everything. Play-of-the-day too.

Q. Did you see it?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I didn't see it. But the man is going to get me the tape.

Q. You said you were a little bit tired. Is that because of too many matches this year?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, I think I had a lot of matches this year. And today it was pretty hot and I was, in the beginning, a little flat. I couldn't start it. I didn't know what to do. My serve was not going anywhere. Then I start to serve and volley to get a little breath back into my system and then it was -- after it was a little better.

End of FastScripts........