PILOT PEN INTERNATIONAL

August 25, 1998

Steffi Graf

Q. How did you feel you played this evening?

STEFFI GRAF: I felt good. I felt well the first set. I had played extremely well, and the second set, when she started to settle down a little bit, and we had some good rallies. I thought I was playing well.

STEFFI GRAF: That is a long story. I have -- to make it short, it has been difficult. Naturally, if you don't play as many tournaments, as I have done, and been basically out of the sport for so long, it is really difficult to find the patience to really go out and just settle down and do matches and get one tournament after the other.

STEFFI GRAF: Physically, I am absolutely fine. I have no troubles, so I don't have to watch out during the match or during the practices. I really don't have to watch it at all. I take good care of it before and afterwards. Once I am on the court, I don't think about it. There is nothing I need to worry about.

STEFFI GRAF: Not really, no. I mean, I found that I served reasonably well. Maybe could have had a couple more first serves, but I didn't make a lot of mistakes on the return. Just, in general, I don't think I really made too many unforced errors, so kind of was pleased with the first match.

STEFFI GRAF: You know, every tournament I played, I had a great first round match and I played terrible the next match. So I am not going to say anything. But, you know, every match that I play like that I am very satisfied about and it does take me a step forward, and so I just need to continue doing what I am doing right now.

STEFFI GRAF: Since when?

STEFFI GRAF: Well, I think when I started I really started in -- I started playing two weeks before I played the tournaments in England, just trying to play; at that point I wasn't sure if everything was holding up. I mean, I have come a long way, and I am very pleased where I am right now.

STEFFI GRAF: No, I am concerned about the level of play, and that is my goal to stabilize that, but not really in terms of results, no.

STEFFI GRAF: It seems that during practice I have been doing the right things I have been really working hard and feeling that I am doing the right thing and getting stronger, and I just haven't been able to show that during the matches.

STEFFI GRAF: First of all, you have to start somewhere, and obviously, I want to play that kind of tennis against the top players, no question. Right now, I am taking match by match and hopefully it gets me to the point where I am going to play the top players.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, I mean, no, I am just trying to tell myself before the match play every point, don't really think too much, which I have been doing maybe. I have been worrying too much about certain strokes, how to play them. I just wanted to go out and play freely which I really did today. That was my main goal to relax out there as much as I can.

STEFFI GRAF: It has never been my goal and never will be. Honestly, I don't care about those things too much.

STEFFI GRAF: I think I played really couple of good -- I mean, there were a couple of games where she had chances in the second set in the beginning she had chance to go up 2-Love. She had another time she was leading 40-Love, and at the important points, I think I just -- I really played the points. I didn't really make the mistakes, I felt that she needed to win the point, if she really wanted to make the game. I think I just played the right shots when I needed to and seemed to, you know, just use the right tactics, seemed that she didn't like my slice so much, so was trying to work on that.

STEFFI GRAF: They are very different styles. Amanda is somebody that, you know, I have always had difficulties playing her because of her style of play. She is a very consistent player. She makes you play every point, and Anna, she takes more risks. So different styles, but definitely two equal players -- don't really make too much of a difference.

STEFFI GRAF: I haven't really had it very much because I was accustomed to playing matches and tournaments and realizing that I am kind of starting off really after basically one and a half, two years of basically not playing. It was really difficult because I do realize that, you know, I get tentative out there because I haven't really played enough and I feel maybe I just haven't given myself enough time. So I mean, that is the things that go through your mind instead of just going out there and playing. So it is just that I have put a lot of effort in coming back, and obviously, I want to do well too.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, now I do or what? Yeah, right.

STEFFI GRAF: No, I was just pleased. No, but -- you know, you always get some kind of image. Now, I always had the one that I was one with not a lot of emotions, but I don't see that, you know. I have always handled certain shots or something -- but people want to see it once and sometimes they don't want to see it. But I guess today because, I guess I was, you know, probably on a couple shots I did feel really happy and maybe because it has been a little difficult the last few weeks, I enjoy playing well. And, obviously enjoy being out there on the court more than any other time.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, I mean, I think it has a little bit to do with that, but I think I have never really been the no-emotion player either.

STEFFI GRAF: It is one thing that I don't worry about right now. I am right here playing this tournament and that is all I care about now. Like you said, it is a very open field. I think the Open, there are a lot of players right now playing really well. It is going to be an exciting event because, you know, you have Lindsay playing really good tennis; Martina may be struggling a little bit, you know, Monica really playing well. I mean, it is such a wide field that, yeah, it is going to be exciting.

STEFFI GRAF: Yes, it was very nice. (smiles).

STEFFI GRAF: I have to say, you know, I am still not used to it. I still like -- even yesterday, you know, to get a standing ovation when I got on the court, it was really, really nice, I have to say. Yeah, difficult for me to just stand there and be -- I was trying to not get emotional about it. But it has been great the respect that I have received and the appreciation and, you know, it feels me good -- it feels great.

STEFFI GRAF: I don't know how much I need to lift it as how consistent I need to be. I think that is really the main focus for me right now, to gain -- I think I have got the shots, I have got the strengths. I just need the confidence and the consistency.

STEFFI GRAF: I don't know, I haven't -- no, I think it is just playing the match itself. It is not really concluding it. Is that what you are talking about?

STEFFI GRAF: No, I think that has not been the problem. I mean, when I started playing the first few tournaments, I definitely had a lack of fitness. It was very obvious for me. I seem to be getting stronger and stronger. I am sure I have still something left I think I can improve on. Otherwise it is just the playing the match, to have the concentration all the time and that has been a little bit the problem.

STEFFI GRAF: Actually not really, no. (kiddingly).

STEFFI GRAF: Well, I mean, you believe what I have been going through to enjoy being out there? I do - believe me. So it has been taking a lot to come back and I do enjoy being out there a lot.

STEFFI GRAF: Nothing I care about. If you want to do well you have to play anybody, don't really make a difference.