NEWSWEEK CHAMPIONS CUP

March 11, 1996

Bernd Karbacher

GREG SHARKO: This is Bernd's second match of the year, started off a little slow, but good win over let Rusedski.

Q. It looked like you were very excited today to win it at the end?

BERND KARBACHER: I was very satisfied because like Greg said, I didn't win so many matches and I was nervous and not, like, a little bit scared to win, I mean, when you win a lot of matches you know what to do. When it is getting close and if you don't win a lot of matches; then you are getting tight and nervous at the end and that was -- you could see like I had three opportunities to pass him at the matchpoint and I mean, I waited three times, but at least I won it.

Q. Is his serve as severe as a lot of folks say it is?

BERND KARBACHER: The first serve is really good. I mean, his second serve is -- on these kind of surfaces, it is returnable. But on the first serve, if he is hitting the first serve, it is almost impossible to reach it and you just can't guess where he is hitting the serve and then you try to get the racket to the ball and that is it. And it is really one of the best serves, but it is, of course, on medium slow hard court, it is much more difficult for him than if he is playing indoors on fast carpet. There is wind a little bit, sun, and all this circumstances are not-- it is more difficult to serve well outdoors.

Q. Is there a particular reason for slow start this year? Have you been injured or anything?

BERND KARBACHER: No. I just -- I mean, it is always when you start a new year, you never know how you play. You look where you are standing, you don't -- you have no confidence because you just played the first match and I lost some -- the first match this year I lost 6-4 in the third against Patrick McEnroe then I lost to Ivanisevic in the first round at the Australian Open, so had some tough matches and some very close matches, and that doesn't help you. You start slow, and you lose and then you lose a little bit of confidence and then you -- you need some important close matches, like today, that builds your motivation and your confidence up, and then maybe next draw I will play much better.

Q. Does coming back here help your confidence at all? You have had a lot of success, one of your first big successes at this tournament.

BERND KARBACHER: Yes, of course, I always -- when I come here to Scottsdale, Indian Wells, Key Biscayne, I like these tournaments. It is outdoors. It is nice weather. It is a great atmosphere. There are a lot of people watching the matches, so it is really nice and I always looking forward to these tournaments, so at least that helps already, because you love to play here, so when you come there you feel comfortable; you feel happy and you play better tennis and if you go to a tournament and you say, oh, boy, it is so cold and the weather is so bad this, area, everything is bad, so this one is really nice.

Q. You mentioned you played Ivanisevic. He is kind of a celebrity around here because of his record of failure. He is really playing better this year in your thinking?

BERND KARBACHER: He won every tournament almost. I mean, what do you expect to say? Should I say, "no, he is not playing good?" He won everything indoors. It is just -- I think it is for him -- it is -- I mean, he has huge confidence now for sure, but it is also difficult because he had -- probably he is coming here today, and he has not too much time to get used to the surface, to the wind outdoor. It is a totally different match. I think when he is winning the first round and maybe the second round; then he can play really well, but he is playing so unbelievably good. Almost he starts off like Muster last year.

Q. Who do you get next?

BERND KARBACHER: The winner of Medvedev/Burillo. They play tonight.

Q. Do you have a preference?

BERND KARBACHER: Yeah, I mean, I never won against Medvedev and I beat Burillo last year, so I would love to see him win, but I guess he is not the favorite.

End of FastScripts........