U.S. OPEN

September 3, 1992

Andrei Cherkasov

Q. Andre, can you go over what happened during the first -- at the time of the first rain delay, when you were complaining that you wanted to stop the match then.

ANDREI CHESNOKOV: Nothing. I just take a shower, what happens.

Q. I mean, when you were arguing, did you want to stop it before it was actually stopped?

ANDREI CHESNOKOV: Yeah. But I was discussing it with the chair umpire for a long time. I asked, "Please, can you come down and check how slippery it is here." And he said, "No, you can play." I said, you know, "Believe me it is impossible to play because I feel slippery. I slipped every time. It is hardcourt. It is not a clay court, where, okay, when raining is felt, but I can play." But, I don't know, I think the chair umpire is always right.

Q. How much did that throw you off, the fact that you had to play on to lose let game and then go from there? Did that hurt you having to play at that point?

ANDREI CHESNOKOV: When?

Q. Did it hurt you to continue at that point, mentally?

ANDREI CHESNOKOV: I don't understand. You know, he was sitting on the chair like a stone, the heaviest one. I was asking him, please, can you come down. Can you check how slippery it is. Of course, but for me it doesn't matter. But maybe it doesn't make any difference when was the score, 3-1 or 2-1, 15-All.

Q. How well is he playing?

ANDREI CHESNOKOV: He played good game.

Q. Anything in particular?

ANDREI CHESNOKOV: I don't know. He was trying to keep his game. He was serving well; maybe he tried to hit balls very hard.

Q. What was the difference between you beating him five times in a row, coming before this, and him beating you here? Why the change? Why do you think he was able to beat you here and not before?

ANDREI CHESNOKOV: What is the difference? The difference is I remember when I beat him, first four times, my ranking was higher than his. But when I played a tournament in Indian Wells, I did play very well against him and I remember he looked on tennis court little bit tired, and, I don't know, just time has changed.

Q. So you don't feel like there is something he solved? Like you don't feel that he looked at it and said "I used to always do this against him and now I am going to try something new." You don't feel there was any strategy change, or --

ANDREI CHESNOKOV: I was trying to come back a couple of times to play something differently. I was -- also, except the last game I was trying to do something, but I cannot do anything. He just -- he has been better than I am today.

Q. Was he stronger than he was before when you beat him five consecutive times? Was he hitting harder?

ANDREI CHESNOKOV: I think I did play very well first set and if I was keeping to play like I was playing in the first set, I had a chance to beat him. But I don't think -- but then, I get very tired. Excuse me, what was the question again?

Q. Was he stronger?

ANDREI CHESNOKOV: Yeah, of course.

Q. Is he hitting harder?

ANDREI CHESNOKOV: He is number one now and he has a lot of confidence. And also I think, for me, it is difficult to play because I don't have enough confidence and experience for -- to play best of five sets, maybe, because I had a lot of injuries this year. And the time when I lost five times in a row first round and after when you lose five times in a row first time, it is difficult to get confidence. I was trying my best.

Q. What were your injuries, different things or --

ANDREI CHESNOKOV: No, I lost my -- I broke my-- I don't know.

Q. Knuckle?

ANDREI CHESNOKOV: Knuckle. And then after Monte Carlo, same, I broke again, and after Olympics, doctor, he made an injection to my vein and now I have a dead vein here and I didn't play after the Olympics, two weeks.

Q. Thank you.

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