WIMBLEDON

June 26, 2002

George Bastl

GEORGE BASTL: Well, I looked at him, you know, for over three hours, so (laughter). I started to know what he looks like. It really didn't change much at that time. You know, I still, you know, tried to do the basics - stay with my game plan, you know, try to finish him off.

GEORGE BASTL: Well, yeah (laughing).

GEORGE BASTL: It's a nice story (smiling).

GEORGE BASTL: Well, yeah, I gave myself chances because, you know, I've been practicing on grass for the last three weeks here in England. Played a few warm-up tournaments. You know, I knew coming into this match I had won already three matches, and so my confidence was good. I knew my game was improving match after match. You know, I thought I would have some sort of a chance.

GEORGE BASTL: Well, I tried to, you know, stay aggressive, stay inside the court. Whenever I would have an opportunity, try to, you know, put pressure on him and come forward with some heavy, heavy shots.

GEORGE BASTL: Well, you know, Pete varies his serve so well, it's difficult to see any pattern in his serving. But, you know, the point before, he served a double, so that put us to 30-All. You know, I was talking myself into if I have a good sight on the ball, just have a good crack at it, like I did for the four sets before. Really, I haven't changed any way I approached those two points, it was the way I approach the whole match prior to that.

GEORGE BASTL: Well, I think was a first serve he served. I'm not sure about that. And, again, with his type of serving, it's more -- you know, you pretty much try to do what you can do. So, I mean, it just happened it was in my striking zone, and I had a good swing at it.

GEORGE BASTL: The third and fourth set, beginning of the fifth, his level of serving I think went up quite a bit. It put more pressure on my serves. So I felt he was getting more dangerous as the match progressed.

GEORGE BASTL: Well, I cannot answer this question. I haven't met him two years ago. You know, I personally think I've improved in those last two years, so...

GEORGE BASTL: I think still at Wimbledon it's like he's, you know, favorite tournament. It's true, he's got this aura about himself. But, I mean, besides I think losing last year against Federer, I don't know, in the quarterfinals, he still has a pretty good record coming into it. I mean, I try to put that aside and just, you know, try to deal with, you know, playing against him without all this around it.

GEORGE BASTL: Well, it was still -- I think there were quite a few people watching. I mean, I felt okay. I never played on the other courts, so I don't know how it would feel on those courts (smiling).

GEORGE BASTL: I played hockey till I was 16, 17. Yeah, then I just, you know, stopped. I had to give up one or the other. Kind of, you know, gave up hockey and played tennis.

GEORGE BASTL: I met him a few times, but I congratulated him for his team winning the championship. But we haven't really spoke about this match or anything in particular.

GEORGE BASTL: No, I did not.

GEORGE BASTL: Well, quite up there, you know (smiling).

GEORGE BASTL: You got me there. I don't know.

GEORGE BASTL: You know, the beginning of the match, it's always , you know, you play against Pete. You know, the first few games were important for me where I could, you know, settle and go into a rhythm and start to get, you know, familiar with the surroundings, the whole atmosphere.

GEORGE BASTL: No.

GEORGE BASTL: Yeah. I heard that when you asked the question to Pete before (smiling).

GEORGE BASTL: No. I thought the other court, like glasses. What is that court, Court 1, used to be Court 1?

GEORGE BASTL: I thought that was it.