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US OPEN


September 8, 1999


Richard Krajicek


UNITED STATES TENNIS ASSOCIATION, Flushing Meadows, New York

USTA: Questions for Richard.

Q. On paper in some respects you should have won this match. How difficult a loss is this?

RICHARD KRAJICEK: It's not too bad, except for the first set. That's really was a little bit my own fault. 5-4, serving for the set, I was pretty much in control. Yeah, the other sets I think I played pretty good tennis. It was very close, obviously. Fifth set, I say Yevgeny really picked up his game, served very well. I broke him four times in the previous two sets. Yeah, he really recovered pretty good from that, actually. Except for the first set, I should have won it. There were some close points and it was just a shame what happened after that.

Q. The crowd seemed to really be with you. How important was the crowd out there?

RICHARD KRAJICEK: The crowd was good, really into it. It's a nice stadium to play. They're a little bit closer to the court than on the Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was a very good atmosphere. Even though it wasn't full, we had the feeling it was pretty full. I think they got their money's worth. Very interesting match, especially the last set.

Q. You won more points than he did, yet you lost. Does that happen to you very often?

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Doesn't happen too often. It was pretty obvious. I broke him more times. I basically did everything more. He just played I think two better tiebreakers. First set he played much better, of course, 7-0. The first set I think he also played a little better. The second set I had my chances. Yeah, I could have maybe -- maybe I could have or should have won the second set tiebreaker. Yeah, he just played well, and I missed especially second point in the breaker in the fifth, missed a relatively easy backhand volley. I gave him 3-Love straightaway. That was, of course, an easy position to play from. He was always ahead in the breaker from there.

Q. Does it mean much to you to be in the record books with the 48 aces?

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I don't know. Do I get semifinals for that in next Grand Slam (laughter)? No, I'd rather hit how many he hit, 15 or something, and be in the semis. Yeah, I was serving pretty good. He made me serve good. He was punishing, especially in the end, really punishing my second serve, even though I was serving pretty good. He's got a great return. I had to serve well obviously. With his return, only got broken once. I must have done something right.

Q. How many players out there do you think could have prevailed against you the way you were playing tonight?

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I don't know. Enough. I think a couple, for sure. The thing that happened is I play a really bad game in the first set. I think a lot of players would have broken me at 5-4 the way I played. I had two double-faults. I think he had one good return. I think I missed a volley or something like that. There was a big psychological key because I beat him the last three times. That would have been good. If I had one set, straightaway you would have thought like, "Here we go again," something like that. But then, yeah, in the -- actually in the second already I picked up my game. He played well. I don't know how many players, yeah, could have beaten me tonight. Yeah, I have to think for sure a couple. You have Andre and, I don't know, Pete. I was playing good tennis. I was serving big. Like I said, I mean, he only broke me once. That counts for something. It's half of the match is winning your serve. I broke him four times or five times, but only two sets.

Q. Richard, do you concentrate more on the Grand Slams or are you interested in your ranking? Which is more important?

RICHARD KRAJICEK: For a while I was interested in high ranking, which I had a bit of a sight for No. 1. At the moment, I'm just trying to play good tennis. I haven't done too much in a while. I'm very happy that after a couple of really bad months I played my best tennis in those couple of months here in the US Open. I don't try to focus too much on the Slams, but of course they're the most important tournaments in the year. I also found if I only think about the Slams, I put too much pressure on myself. Obviously I'd rather win a Slam than be highly ranked. Maybe No. 1 I like more than maybe winning a Slam now. I don't know about that. But anything besides No. 1, I think a Slam is much bigger, more important. Especially with next year's ranking, only the last week of the year counts, the rest of the weeks don't count anymore because it's like a race. Whoever wins the first tournament of the year is going to be No. 1 for one week, so on and so on. I think next year even tournaments are going to be more important, Super 9's, but especially the Grand Slams.

Q. How do you feel about a tiebreak in the fifth set of a Grand Slam tournament?

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah, I think it's interesting. It brings out another part of the game. Actually, you have advantage. It's whoever is the fittest. It's just a little bit longer. But I think a tiebreak can be very interesting. He was 6-2 up. I saved three match points. I think, yeah, you can have nice drama in a short time. I'm not against it. I'm not for it. I mean, I like both ways. Something to say for both systems. I think it's pretty interesting. Today was for me bad because I lost already two tiebreakers. Things were not looking too good for me. But I don't think I can complain about that. It's fun and it's part of the US Open. I don't think they should change it. I don't think a lot of tournaments should go to tiebreaker, but I don't think the US Open should change. It's the way it is. I like it like that.

End of FastScripts….

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