GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE ATP CHAMPIONSHIP

August 12, 1999

Richard Krajicek

ATP: Questions for Richard.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: That's the plan, yeah (laughter).

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I think I played pretty good, especially in the beginning. Oh, Justin played very good. Till 3-All, it was a very close match. Then I came up with a couple good returns, he missed one or two volleys maybe. I got the break and that changed the match a little bit. Yeah, I think we had some good points. I was very happy with the way I played today. It's a good test for tomorrow.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: At this tournament?

RICHARD KRAJICEK: It's not been too hot yet, I think (laughter). I don't know. I know the first year I lost because of the heat. That was '91 or '92. It was really hot. Yeah, somehow I've struggled here. A couple times with my leg, that was also a problem. I haven't had too much good fortune. I think this is the first time I'm in quarters. It's a good feeling. I hope I can go maybe a little further even.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: It's good to know that -- I think I also know on the court that he has a bit of respect for me. So we go on the court I think as equals, or maybe I have a little edge, I don't know. But at least equal. I think a lot of times he goes on the court already with a little bit of edge over his opponent. He doesn't have that with me. That's a good feeling. I think the reason why I've beaten him the last couple of times is a little bit of luck sometimes. Last year Stuttgart, 7-6 in the third set, it could go either way. In general, yeah, his game suits me, and my game doesn't suit him. I attack him a lot. He doesn't like it. He likes to be the aggressor. Against him, I'm trying to come in as much as possible, make passing shots, not give him time to set up points the way he wants to set it up. I don't let him play his game, and I think the last couple times it worked out good. Every match is a new match. I have to start at zero-zero tomorrow. I hope I'm going to be doing the same thing. I'm going to attack him as much as possible and I hope I can win again.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: It's great. I mean, I remember last year in Toronto, we also I think all eight seeds were in the quarterfinals. It's unbelievable. It's not a good draw left. I think it's exciting for the players, you know. It's always great to play against somebody who is good, maybe you're going to have a close battle. I think that's exciting for the players. I think also for the spectators. I think everybody is a winner with these kind of draws. I think it's going to be a great day tomorrow with four good matchups. Still can happen that somebody wins easy, but in general I think it's going to be good four good matches.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah. Surgery last year, the knee reacted well to it.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: No, not yet, not really. You're not at the same time in the locker room. Today I arrived at 5 o'clock. There was nobody really left anywhere. Everybody plays at different times, so you don't really see each other. I don't have the feeling there's really a special feeling. Only with your opponent before the match, you just know you're going to play, so there's always a little bit of tension - not really tension, but some kind of different vibes between you, I guess. But in general, all the other players, if they are there, which most of them are not, you have a good talk, laugh sometimes. No, only with your opponent is there the special feeling.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: No. The only thing I can do is just work out as much as I can physically at home and just hope the weather is okay. I mean, in Holland and also here. It was pretty hot in Holland. It was like 80 a couple days in a row, so we had a real heat wave going (laughter), but that was good. I really got used to it. It made life a little bit easier. If it's really bad here, you have 100, big humidity, you cannot really prepare for that. You just tough it out. Just try to get in as good of shape as possible and hope the weather is good where you're training, then also, like I said, you have to go through maybe a few tough moments in the matches, but just always believe in yourself that you can win.