U.S. OPEN

September 7, 1996

Steffi Graf

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, actually even if I really haven't been not starting too well, the way I always come back, it is pretty amazing and being down 5-4, 40-Love, that was even more difficult in the other matches and the way she was playing. But I just told myself to play every point and just try not to make any unforced errors; to let her win the point and it worked out the right way.

STEFFI GRAF: She was really playing great out there. She didn't give me many easy points. I really had to play them. I mean, I worked her around the court a lot. Obviously, whenever I was trying to be aggressive, I was making a lot of mistakes, but on the other hand, she didn't really give me anything and she made some incredible down-the-lines. I was really amazed that she was able to keep that high intensity for almost the whole match just in the beginning of the second set when she had for the first time a few unforced errors, but until then, she didn't give me anything.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, but I knew -- I saw it. She was probably letting up a little bit, but she didn't let up for too much. But then again, after she was down 3-1, maybe I didn't play games at that stage until 3-2, but she was hanging in there and she tried really hard and didn't let up to much.

STEFFI GRAF: Absolutely. I have been in quite a lot closer situations during these six matches, but I have been - I have been playing well when I need to and haven't lost a set with it yet, but definitely today, I really had to step up quite a bit and I thought it was a really good match.

STEFFI GRAF: I hope they are getting older soon so I don't have to answer that question anymore. Not really. It doesn't come to mind a lot because especially with her, the way she has been playing, you can't really look at her as a 15 year old. She has been playing so well and with the way, you know, she plays the point, it doesn't seem like you have got somebody really that young across the net.

STEFFI GRAF: She has a totally different game and I mean, the way she played today, I am sure I wasn't as consistent as she was at that age. Maybe I was taking more risks, but she was really solid.

STEFFI GRAF: Sorry.

STEFFI GRAF: No, I haven't really had very often. I am usually somebody that starts well from the beginning on, so that is not my character.

STEFFI GRAF: It is difficult to know what she is trying to say with that. I mean, at least I don't get it. But I think it is something, you know, if you play the top players or you play somebody that has been playing well in the tournament, I think it is pretty exciting to go play that person.

STEFFI GRAF: No, I consider Arantxa a rival because I played her like 40 times or something, that is, for me, a rival. Even if I have played Martina quite a bit now, but I think it needs a couple of more years to feel like a rivalry.

STEFFI GRAF: Oh, Monica! I thought you said Martina.

STEFFI GRAF: Talking about Monica. We haven't played that much either. I mean, there haven't been a lot of matches, but the matches we have played, they were some great finals, so I think you can see a rivalry there, yeah.

STEFFI GRAF: It should be hopefully a good one. What can I say? I just -- it is difficult to talk about it the day before because you don't know what to expect, really.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, I didn't really have to change my mind about anything. I was disappointed I couldn't play yesterday. I mean, I wanted to play yesterday even in the night. It didn't care to me. But, you know, I expected a good match and that is why I just focused on it this morning and was just hoping it wasn't going to rain. That is all I was thinking about.

STEFFI GRAF: There are some players around there that they use the court really well, but the thing is, you can be intelligent and don't have the shots for it, and -- but she has a lot of shots that she can use and that is why she can use her sense out there and many others, just don't have it. So, I think it is a combination of the possibilities to use them and having the mind for it. She really has both of them.

STEFFI GRAF: It is. Very. No, I didn't expect it at all. I thought we will probably meet up quite a few times. So it is pretty surprising that it took us another year to match up again.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, it would have been nice. It would have been nice.

STEFFI GRAF: It is difficult to say. I haven't really played her since last year. I have seen a little bit of her matches, not very much. You know, obviously if she wouldn't serve as hard, it will probably be an advantage to me, so I just have to see how it is going to go.

STEFFI GRAF: I don't think so. Because my opponents, I don't think they served that much better and I have still been struggling with it. So I don't think it will probably be that much of a factor if I would be starting slow or fast. I think it is really me that is going to put my mind on the court.

STEFFI GRAF: Thanks.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, how he pulled through was just basically incredible. I saw it from the fourth set, the end of the fourth set on and he was struggling, it seemed, in the fourth set, so to pull a match through like that, that is, I mean, the tennis wasn't what it was all about out there. So I mean, if you think that I am the other person who can do it, it is an honor to say that.

STEFFI GRAF: I don't want to (audience laughter).

STEFFI GRAF: I watched it 'til the end, yes, I did.

STEFFI GRAF: No, I mean, he felt sick. I mean, I have felt pain, but I haven't felt sick, so -- but just different, I guess.

STEFFI GRAF: Actually, I don't think those points were about inexperience on her part because she did exactly what she did at the point. It was just that I was trying to do more with it and at that point I didn't. Just basically at that time cut down on the unforced errors, so it is kind of maybe my experience, but I don't think really her inexperience.

STEFFI GRAF: I am sure when I get out there I will be -- it will be just as exciting as it has been. I really hadn't had too much time yet to think too much about the finals, but, you know, that is something that I started the tournament with hoping it would happen, and I am just going to go out, enjoy it and hopefully play well.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, I think because we have played quite a few times, maybe that was a little bit in the beginning the case, but as while she has been playing the last few months, I think that she realized that she can beat the top players. She did it here quite a few times. She has been beaten me before. Now she has gotten the sense that she can beat everybody. I think that is why she is going out there and thinking she can win and is not afraid of it anymore.

STEFFI GRAF: Center Court or which court?

STEFFI GRAF: I have to say it was Martina's match I played. I lost 7-6 in the third. I think that match probably -- I don't know for what reason, but it stands out the most to me. It is strange even though you have won the Grand Slam here the final tournament, but this match probably stands for me out.