THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 18, 1999

Boris Becker

Q. Good to be out there playing?

BORIS BECKER: I feel very good. I was praying this afternoon that I'm able to go out on the court; nothing is going to happen, no virus. I'm very glad to be able to finish the match on the court, and even better to have won the first round.

BORIS BECKER: Of course, it's very difficult. I've been practicing quite good, but a match is obviously very different than a practice. It's hard to tell because I've been playing so little. I'm surprised actually to be able to win today. Pozzi plays every week; he's used to tough matches. But I was able to play well on the big points, which is rare when you play so little. But I was able to pull it off at 4-All in the third set. That was the key.

BORIS BECKER: Yeah. First it's exciting to be on the court, and to top it all off, to have a win in the first round, yeah.

BORIS BECKER: Well, as you may have heard, I'm going to retire this summer. Until then, I want to give it a good show. I want to prepare myself for my last Grand Slam. I think that's enough reason for me to work again hard and to prepare myself like a professional, to give it a good show.

BORIS BECKER: I just felt that it's going to be my last couple of months. I felt like I had one more Wimbledon in me to be able to finish my career where it really started for me. Even though I (inaudible) 99 percent when I retired two years ago, I kept the last open just in case I do what I'm planning to do this year. Hopefully I'll be able to walk out there again this summer and play good tennis.

BORIS BECKER: I can't. I can't compare it. Obviously, I'm a few notches down. You know, it's still not easy to play me. On a good day, I'm able to play good tennis. Obviously, the more matches I have, the more dangerous I become. Hopefully I can have another good match in a couple of days.

BORIS BECKER: You know, I was thinking over Christmastime. I had a couple of weeks, almost two months off. What I'm going to do this year? Whether I prepare myself for Davis Cup, which was for me last year the reason to continue. But then again, Davis Cup could be long. We have a strong team. Obviously, we have a first tough round. Kiefer and Haas are a good team. Chances are we'll be in the semifinal. Then it's October. It's something I didn't want to do really. I have decided to stop this summer also because my wife is expecting my second baby. I thought that was a good moment for me to call it all off.

BORIS BECKER: I think I owe something to the tournament. They've been having a hard time with me the last couple of years. It was very hard to believe that I was actually here on-site preparing, the last minute something happened. I was really trying hard to give it one more shot this year. I'm very, very happy to be able to pull it off and actually win the first round. I think I paid back tonight.

BORIS BECKER: In Miami for the last four, five years has been a very special place for me. I always wanted to play and to do well here. I have a second home here, not far away from the tournament site. I've known many people here. I have many, many friends. They all came out and watched, as everybody heard. It was very important for me to go out tonight and to play well.

BORIS BECKER: A little. It is too personal.

BORIS BECKER: I'd say about three months.

BORIS BECKER: At the end of August. That's been the main reason why I wanted to quit this summer and play one more time.

BORIS BECKER: Not as much because obviously it takes weeks and weeks of practice to be able to play four or five hard hours. I'm trying to get there. I'm trying to be very consistent on the practice court, have my couple hours every day, play a couple sets each day. As the weeks go by, hopefully with a few more tournaments, I'll be able to get stronger and stronger. Hopefully in three months, I'll be able to play great tennis.

BORIS BECKER: No. I will stay more on the hard courts actually. I will play Hong Kong and Tokyo just to have now a couple weeks in a row.

BORIS BECKER: No. I play one or two clay events.

BORIS BECKER: I will play Queen's this year. I'll do it the old-fashioned way (laughter).

BORIS BECKER: No.

BORIS BECKER: Yes.

BORIS BECKER: No. I will play Munich, Nations Cup and maybe Rome if it goes well.