ATP TOUR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

November 12, 1997

Yevgeny Kafelnikov

Q. Yevgeny, how do you feel after this first match? Obviously you played well?

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: It's a good feeling because that's the best start that I had in three years. You know, I won first match in the tournament. You know, next two matches I will play with -- I will play with relief; won't have too much pressure, whatever happens. But overall I think I have a good chance to make it to the semifinals.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: The conditions are different. Different court to compare with what we had with all the indoor season. We played on Teraflex. The surface was a little bit difference; the balls not so high. But here this week, you have -- we have to get used to the surface. I'm sure this match helped me. Tomorrow I will feel the court much better than today.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: No. I felt pretty confident on the court today because I played him twice, I beat him twice. I knew his game. You know, on the one hand, I was really, really happy because I had the advantage, I felt like. Winning in two sets, though those two sets was very close, it could have gone the other way. But I'm glad I made it the first time through.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Basically, you can do anything you want. You can serve and volley; you can play from the baseline. That's why we had so many exciting points today in this match. From the baseline, serve and volley: everything was in the match. I feel like if I play normal way, like I'm playing right now, you know, it's hard to beat me.

YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV: Yeah, I consider. Like I say before, Chang is the high favorite to go through in our group. Whoever wins this second group will be the second one. I think now my chances now are 90 percent that I will go through.