U.S. OPEN

September 1, 1994

Sergi Bruguera

SERGI BRUGUERA: Well, not everybody, maybe you.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Well, I have -- I think I have much more resource than a lot of people that they say they are hardcourt player. Finals in Dubai, semis in Milan, semis in Stuttgart, more points than a lot of hardcourt players.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Very good.

SERGI BRUGUERA: I was winning easy, and I thought it was -- he was like giving me the match because it was like 5-6, 5-2, and then Love-40 and then he start to serve very good seven match points I have, it was like six service points and just one would play, he play winner and then he start to play very well and I was a little bit worried that I should win the match all right.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Sorry.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Well, it's difficult to feel comfortable here, because everything is very big and it's hard to concentrate and everything is difficult, but, at least a tournament like this, you have to do it.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Yes.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Well, I believe that I can play well in hardcourt and clay, but not on grass, grass I was thinking that I cannot play very well on that, but after the way I played there and the way I beat and the matches, I played Davis Cup, gives me a lot of confidence for next year to go and try something.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Not really, I play -- I think I play more the same, the same, try to play the same as I play on clay, but I have maybe to improve a little bit more, to attack a little bit more, and -- but this -- it's hard for me, because I'm normally attacking watching the ball and watching where is the other player, put it here, put it there, here, you don't have time to do that and it's very quick all the time. And I have to find a way how to do it. But that's why I'm playing a lot of tournament, hardcourt, and practicing.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Yeah, I have good results always in hardcourt, except in America. Normally, America, when I play just two tournaments every year, and -- but I know I can win a lot of players here because I did it, so, I don't feel so bad to win.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Well, it's important like every other player is. Grand Slam is Grand Slam, it's always important no matter what, but every player has his favorite and mine is the French. I always look for the French and think about this. Because I grow up playing on clay and since I was 18, 19 years old, I played my first tournament on hardcourt. And when I start to play tennis, when I was 12, I didn't know indoor court exist. So how can I play there if I didn't even know there was courts like this.

SERGI BRUGUERA: No, I went -- I don't want to prove myself nothing, I wanted to it. I want to try to play well and -- on every surface and every match to be on top because you can be on top to play on hardcourt and not just on clay. There's a thousand more tournament on hardcourt than on clay and also much bigger. So if you want to be on top, if you want to play more relaxed claycourt season, you have to take points everywhere.

SERGI BRUGUERA: No. Now, no. In the first moment, I don't keep on come here -- like I go to the French. I think if I play well, I'm going to win everybody. I think also I can do. But here, if I know there's a lot of players that can beat me, I also know that I can beat them. But to win a lot of matches you have to be very consistent and even if you're not playing well, it's hard. On hardcourt I have to play well to win. If I play bad or I don't feel very good that day, normally, I'm going to lose. On clay it's different. I have more weapons and when I'm -- I maybe play better, have more weapons to come back or to try to win the match.

SERGI BRUGUERA: I'm not very happy, but I'm just playing normal. I'm okay. Not very happy, not very bad.

SERGI BRUGUERA: You mean in tournament or --

SERGI BRUGUERA: Oh, I like every kind of sport I like to play and to try everything. Basketball, soccer, that's the most I can play, but anyway -- I played softball last week and I like it very much, too. All kinds of sports. I like to go to the beach and take the sun. That's about it for me.

SERGI BRUGUERA: No, because I'm very used to this because it's normal and I have success on clay and I don't play the same on hardcourt or indoor. That's very obvious, so I'm not -- it's like this. But I think I'm not very bad on the other courts. I can play well sometimes, but of course not the same as when I play on clay.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Yes, I was MVP -- well, I make three times, three times I make it.

SERGI BRUGUERA: No, home runs, no. I hit and go to one base and the other hits and I go to another-- how you say?

SERGI BRUGUERA: Yes, I scored three times, but the fourth they catch me, the other two behind me miss it and then we change.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Steal?

SERGI BRUGUERA: Yeah, but I don't know why I -- I cannot do it. I don't know very good rules and maybe they thought I cheated, but I don't know. They make me come back.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Schenectady.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Three hits what?

SERGI BRUGUERA: No, four times on one base and then the others came back. They catch one out, two out, and was one out before me, and so three outs. I stay all the time on that base. Two times I hit like this.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Yes, I missed two and then I went like this and run for the base.

SERGI BRUGUERA: No, Costa played too, who was it -- it was a lot of players. Spanish, I think me and Carlos and a lot of girls played and so -- girls and mens tournaments in Schenectady.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Soccer.