U.S. OPEN

September 13, 1992

Stefan Edberg

Q. Stefan, how did you feel waking up today after having played three days in a row and now coming out play a fourth day in a row?

STEFAN EDBERG: No, I think after what happened in that long match I had yesterday, actually, didn't feel too bad when I woke up today. Obviously, I was a bit stiff. But what can you expect? I mean, I worked very hard yesterday, but mentally I felt great when I woke up. I mean, I had such a good win yesterday, and okay, I warmed up an hour and a half before the match, I didn't feel that great, but I could have-- sort of feel my muscles getting a bit better for each minute that I played. Actually, I felt okay going on court. Obviously, I was a little bit stiff. But then the longer the match went on, the better I felt, physically. So, you know, I was a bit surprised.

Q. How would you describe your road to this championship here?

STEFAN EDBERG: Bumpy. It has been-- I mean, I really earned it this year, I think, because I have worked very hard, and I have had some unbelievable tough matches. But I think that helped me a lot today. Mentally, I was feeling very strong today; the strongest that I felt all week, and I also served better than I have done all week, which really was very important today. Especially when you play Pete, because, you know, he came out very hot. He played very well in the first set. Then he didn't really have a chance in there. Then I sort of got my way into it, and you know, once I got that second set, I felt I was in it.

Q. In the tiebreaker, Stefan, you doublefaulted to put him right back in and are you thinking, God, not again. Then he doublefaults. What --

STEFAN EDBERG: Yeah, I mean, I hit that second serve, 5-3, I said, geez, not again. That is what I thought. But then he gave me a present back. And that was very surprising. You could take those points once in awhile. Then I hit a good serve to win the set. Once I got that third set, you know, he lost momentum.

Q. Stefan, after all the problems you used to have at this tournament, are you at all surprised that you can win this tournament twice in a row?

STEFAN EDBERG: That is a bit surprising, I must say that, after all the years I have had here. But obviously, last year did a lot to me; confidence-wise, believing that I can play well here, because the potential has always been there, because I am a good hardcourt player, and this year, I came in here feeling pretty good; hitting the ball well, and I-- at least I said to myself, give it a try, to try to defend it once again. And it is great, any time you can defend your title, in a Slam. I mean, not many guys do that.

Q. Stefan, he has a problem with doublefaults today, is it contagious or what?

STEFAN EDBERG: I am not sure. I think I put a lot of pressure on him today because whenever he had a second serve, I attacked him, and I served very well today. I felt very comfortable today, and I don't think I hit more than, sort of, six, seven doublefaults, not even that, perhaps. And that was the key, because I served really well today, because I have to-- if I am going to play Pete; otherwise, he is going to take advantage of it.

Q. He said in the fourth set, his energy was down, his head was hanging. He said he thought that you noticed that and you really picked it up.

STEFAN EDBERG: Yeah, I could see him sort of drop a little bit. Once I got that first break of the fourth set, you know, I really tried to focus on the next game; especially at-- so I could get-- at 2-Love, get a little bit of distance. That was really important. Then I won -- got two breaks up really quickly and I really noticed that he got a lot slower. He didn't move that well, but almost put myself a little bit into trouble again when I had 15-40, 4-1 serving because I noticed it and I stopped hitting the ball a little bit. I got a little bit tense but I came out of that game. That was important.

Q. Can you compare winning the Open or getting back to number one ranking in the same match; anything make it more important?

STEFAN EDBERG: Well, the more important thing to me today was to defend my title; that is what I was here for. Sort of becoming number one again, that is a nice present for me. That is the way I look at it. It is nice to be back there. But you know, at least I have now -- I have got a chance to stay up there. But then I need to really play very well the rest of the year because I won a couple of titles after here last year, but at least I have a chance. As long as I have that chance, I go out there and work hard for it.

Q. Did you honestly think you could win this tournament after the Krajicek match?

STEFAN EDBERG: Well, I didn't really look that far ahead at that time. You know, once I came through Krajicek, I knew I had to play Lendl, I thought I had a good chance there. Because in the last couple of meetings I have beaten him so I have a little bit of an edge there, but then I played Chang, I knew that was going to be really tough yesterday, and it was tough. Especially mentally. I had to really give everything I have yesterday, and once I came in today I had a different approach today because I said to myself, you played five hours yesterday; don't expect too much of yourself today, just go out there and enjoy it, and do what you can. That is what I did.

Q. Do you expect to play doubles in Davis Cup in a couple of weeks?

STEFAN EDBERG: That I expect, yeah. I will probably going to have to play three matches.

Q. Can you put yourself in Sampras' shoes for a minute. I mean, he played so well at the Slams--

STEFAN EDBERG: Yeah.

Q. -- Came up short. Do you feel anything for him? How would you rate what he did this year?

STEFAN EDBERG: Yeah, I mean, he has been playing some great tennis. He has won two tournaments before coming in here. He really has been on a run, the best run of his life, I think. And I knew that when he came in to the final-- but the thing is when you have won so many matches as he did, once something starts to go wrong a little bit, it can go very wrong. I had that in my mind because once the wheels come off, it happens to everybody, you know you are going to lose the edge. That is probably what happened to him today a little bit mentally.

Q. You were down again and again in the fifth set in different matches. What do you think your toughest match or closest fall was?

STEFAN EDBERG: Definitely yesterday. I mean, Chang had me 3-Love and 15-40 and he had me 4-2 on a break, yesterday that was the toughest match for me, I believe.

Q. You said yesterday that you were mentally tough today because of the matches--

STEFAN EDBERG: Yeah.

Q. -- When do you think you really needed it today. At what point?

STEFAN EDBERG: I really needed it in the beginning. I really tried to stay with him in the beginning because I always know -- I mean, he came up serving really well. I said to myself just try to stay with him for a while and I did. Okay, I lost first set. That didn't bother me too much. But I stayed with him in the second set. I had this Love-40 game, three break chances and I missed a really golden opportunity when I missed the backhand volley. But I stayed with him and once I got to the second set I stayed with him.

Q. Were you awake last night to know what happened to him? Did you hear that he had stomach problems?

STEFAN EDBERG: Yeah, I heard somebody telling me yesterday, because I didn't really watch much of the match. I watched second set yesterday, that is all. Obviously, if you have stomach problems, that is going to affect you a little bit the day after, so I knew that coming in. But on the other hand, I had an hour match. That is going to be a little effect too.

Q. You were sure you would play, though?

STEFAN EDBERG: Yes, definitely.

Q. The other day Stefan, you were kissing the net. Today, especially in that third set, when you went down 4-5, it seemed the net was against you or maybe the fates were against you today. Did you ever start feeling I mean, you started to hit the net and you seemed to be frustrated?

STEFAN EDBERG: Yeah, sometimes -- I mean, I stayed pretty cool today compared with all the other matches. I think I couldn't get too involved today. I mean, I have to save my energy a little bit today, I felt. Obviously, I had opportunities. I missed a couple of easy shots, but so did he, so I tried really to concentrate on playing one point at a time today.

Q. Stefan was your energy level-- Were you even more motivated this year coming here not only defending the title, but having not gotten Wimbledon back and the Olympics?

STEFAN EDBERG: Yeah, the Olympics was not very good at all. But I worked very hard before it. I came to the states this summer; trying to get back playing good tennis again because it has been a little bit of a struggle this year. Things haven't gone that really well and I haven't played as well as I know I am capable of doing, but it has really picked up here. I mean, I played quite well in Cincinnati. Then I won New Haven. I think that did a lot to my confidence and I still played well at the Hamlet. So I knew I was well prepared for the Open and I knew if I could play at least I would have a chance here, but I knew it was going to be a lot tougher this year than last year.

Q. Do you think with hindsight the work you did in the Olympics; although it didn't pay-off there--

STEFAN EDBERG: It probably paid off here.

Q. -- It paid off here?

STEFAN EDBERG: I am sure about that. Because sometimes you need to build months beforehand and I just played badly at the Olympics, but I played well here, so you don't really --

Q. What adjustment did you make in your serve after all these harrowing doublefaults?

STEFAN EDBERG: After yesterday I found the rhythm on my serve towards the end of the match. My toss--

Q. Toss?

STEFAN EDBERG: Yeah, I think so. That changed it a little bit, and I find the rhythm, because the serving is all timing; nothing else.

Q. Did you lower the toss a lot?

STEFAN EDBERG: Maybe a little bit. Not a lot. I had to do something, because it was way too many doublefaults yesterday.

Q. Could you have made this run three or four years ago?

STEFAN EDBERG: Would have been a lot harder. Probably not.

Q. Stefan, the other night Andre came in here and said to be a better player he has got to be stronger. You are not exactly known as one of the guys that rips the ball.

STEFAN EDBERG: No.

Q. And yet you are number one. How important do you think sheer brute strength is in tennis?

STEFAN EDBERG: No, I think I am physically one of the strongest guys on the tour, and I depend a lot on moving ability on the court. I don't hit the ball that hard. I really don't. If you compare it with the other guys, I hit it a lot more heavy, maybe, but I am more depending on moving on the court. That is the key to my game and obviously my serve. Those are two elements I need to do well in order to do well.

Q. Jumping the net, is that going to be your new trademark?

STEFAN EDBERG: No, I have got to find something else. I can't use it any longer.

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