GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE ATP CHAMPIONSHIP

August 10, 1996

Thomas Enqvist

THOMAS ENQVIST: Today I think I didn't serve well and I have to serve well if I am going to win against Michael, I think. I tried to play aggressive. I have to be on the top of the points all the time and I tried that and in the beginning I missed a lot of shots and -- but I mean, that is the way I have to play to beat Michael and it is better to go for it, you know, and miss it and lose anyway, so I tried to go. In the second set I think I played a really good set. I was stepping in the court a little bit more; played a little bit faster and was too bad I got a bad fault and in the third because I think in the last two sets I think I played good. I think I played pretty good in the third too. I just was a little bit unlucky losing my serve a couple of times. I had game points and I had 30-Love when I lost the first game, so I am happy with the way I played the last two sets, I think. Michael played really well. He ran a lot of balls back. I think today he was too good.

THOMAS ENQVIST: I don't see a big difference, actually. He is always a very tough player and when I go out on the court with him I have to play well, I have to play aggressive, try to play my game and today too bad I didn't serve too well because I broke him, you know, a lot of -- I think three times or something. But he is on a roll. He is winning a lot of matches. He is confident and he is playing good when he needs it, I mean, Michael has been one of the best players in the world for a long time, so he works hard and he is a very good player.

THOMAS ENQVIST: A little bit. Like I said, I tried to go out on the court and play aggressive, but I didn't play aggressive enough in the -- in the beginning of the points, I didn't put first serves in. I didn't, you know, hit the deep returns, so I could start to play my aggressive game. I went to far back in the court and Michael started to move me around; then it is hard to play aggressive because I was hitting, you know, from too far back, on the court and then I start missing, and I changed that in the second set and when I -- then I started to play well.

THOMAS ENQVIST: Yeah, I think so. I mean, he is working really hard and he is improving his serve a lot. I think he can do it, yeah.

THOMAS ENQVIST: I don't know about that. I don't think about it too much. I think it is the big step to talk about being No. 1. I think you have to be a top player for a while to be consistent top player for a while before you can start thinking about that. I still have to learn a lot of things before I am even going to start to think that. I mean, I am happy with the way I play right now and hopefully I can, you know, play good tennis here and play a good U.S. Open.

THOMAS ENQVIST: Yeah, I would say it was. I was really focused on this match and I beat him three times before, so I know I had a good chance. Obviously I was in very good shape, I played really good yesterday and the day before, so was confident going in and, you know, I think I did my best, but today I was not maybe playing that well as I have to do against Michael and he played well.

THOMAS ENQVIST: Yeah, I think I am happy the way I played this week and hopefully, like I say, I am hoping I can play good tennis next week and in Toronto I have a lot of matches in your body when you go into the U.S. Open.