GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE ATP CHAMPIONSHIP

August 13, 1999

Yevgeny Kafelnikov

ATP TOUR: Yevgeny's second straight semifinal here. He is now advanced to his third straight semifinal during the summer circuit. He won 10 of his last 12 matches. First question.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Yeah, it is definitely the fact, just going in my favor, yeah, the more matches I play; especially on this surface and the better I get. The confidence is growing with each match I play, no questions about it. It is definitely the reason why I have won so many matches in the last two weeks.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Definitely, no questions about it. Clay court season is over and I am sure that that time is behind. Just going to try to focus on the important tournaments. It is not so many weeks left until the end of the year. I think there is only ten tournaments left. When you have opportunities like that, you have got to accomplish the goal that you set out before for the year. My goal, especially for this year, to finish the year as high as I can.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Wouldn't be such a bad year if I will do it. This year it was a goal and let's hope and pray for some good things that can happen to me in the next month.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Definitely. I had the small room at the end of the first set and I capitalize perfectly; had two set points and was able to close out the match in the second one. It was a good thing and today was the situation, the weather was so hot and I was kind of a little bit struggling with my physical condition. I was a little fatigued from all those matches that I played last two weeks, but when the going gets tough like that, it is nice to get a W. Hopefully I can return much better for tomorrow's semi-final match.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I wouldn't say so. I don't know what would have happened in we went into the third one. But it is a bad thing when you feel like getting tired and the things weren't going as well as you'd like, you focus a little bit more. And to win a match like that, it is always nice.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I didn't know that. Last week in Montreal she reconsidered --

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: She finally decided she is going to retire?

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: It is always sad when such a female athlete announcing retirement. She had a great career - absolutely deserves a nice retirement.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I know Steffi Graf.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: We both won the French Open together in 1996. (inaudible).

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: From 2 to 4 I don't think that is what makes any difference. Then of course if I am ranked three or four in the world and being seeded number five, I don't think it would be right thing to do for the USTA to make seedings like that. I would be very disappointed. But, yeah, regarding the tournament, regarding the seedings, it is definitely -- no matter where Pete is going to be by the seedings in the US Open he is definitely deserve to be No. 1 in the seedings, even though he is two or three or four, doesn't matter, he still deserves No. 1. I am sure Agassi, Rafter and myself, we will be -- I am sure we will be four seeds in the US Open. I don't think that anybody can really have a chance to get close to us in the ranking because the gap is so huge.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Definitely, all four of us would definitely deserve where we are at the moment in the ranking.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Big honor. I hope -- I really hope that it happens this week with the way that I am playing and the expectation is well deserved. So like I said, the time when I became No. 1 it wasn't such a great year because I was losing many matches in a row, but it seems to me if I accomplish that goal again, especially in this tournament, it would be very big thing, very proud.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: No, I want to be No. 1.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Definitely it would feel better with the way that I played the last couple of weeks.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: It is the last step that I am going to accomplish this year. Definitely would be ultimate goal for this year to finish the year No. 1.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I really can't answer that question. I wish I would know the future so I could tell you right now. We will see. I am sure the guys who is winning the tournaments, who is playing well all the time, they are definitely going to be on the top of no matter what kind of system we have. It would be interesting.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I have done pretty well against both of them. I don't think I have lost to Michael in an ATP event. I think I am 4 and 0. Last time I played Patrick, it was Cincinnati. He beat me pretty confidently. At that time he was playing really well. He has confidence. Seems to me his game is coming back. He is a summer player. He always seems to pick up his game in the summer whereas all the other guys have holidays.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I wouldn't mind. Tomorrow is going to be semifinal. No matter what type of an opponent I will face, it would be nice to have a victory tomorrow. I don't think that I have a positive record against Pete. I have beaten him twice, but I got him in a big time, semifinal of the French Open.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: It was big. Semifinal French Open and it was the only Grand Slam that he is missing and probably will never win.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I wouldn't say it is fast. He definitely brings pressure on the court with his serve and he feels so much confidence when he does that so that nobody even really thinks that they have a chance to break his serve, especially in the fast surfaces. His physical ability is so outstanding, he covers the court well. Even if you make good return, he would be still there for the first one and he will still control the point. That is what makes him good because he is a great athlete and moves around the court very well.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Just kind of didn't follow it lately, the hit Yankees. I can't get too much TV coverage. Hopefully when I get in the New York area I will have more time.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I will definitely. I haven't gone to one, but I will try to do it this year. I will try to do it. I hope they move the ballpark somewhere to Manhattan.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: I did a couple of games. It wasn't live. It was taped, but I watched.