IBM/ATP TOUR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

November 18, 1995

Boris Becker

BORIS BECKER: Oh, I wasn't so convinced that I'd make it finally. He raised his game to a very high level second set, and I think from my part, it was my best match of the tournament. I couldn't play any better and it was a matter of basically who, you know, who can make the point when he has the chance. He had me breakpoints in the third set and I came up with the good points and then finally, I had him, and, you know, I got a little bit ahead from the net cord and he made two errors, but it was a tough match to lose. It wasn't that he lost it, more it was more of the question that I won it and he played incredibly well, and, you know, I am very proud of my performance. It was the best of the week.

BORIS BECKER: Always is a great help. I cannot deny it. But I am repeating myself, but they were not making his life extremely hard. Of course, they are on my side and they are trying to support me as much as I can, but they are still trying to be fair.

BORIS BECKER: I watched the match obviously before my match, and Michael played extremely aggressive. Maybe he caught Pete a little bit by surprise. If he is able to beat Pete Sampras 4 and 4, you know, he must be playing extremely well tennis at the moment, and from my part, after I have to make sure I play on a level I did today and, you know, hopefully again make the important points.

BORIS BECKER: You always break the spell once. He is such a good player that it's a way -- a question of time, when he finally breaks the spell. He was this year close in a couple of Grand Slams to make it through again and to win finally. He had a very, very good year, and, you know, for him to be finally in the final, is a major step forward; especially indoors, and, you know, I have to really be careful tomorrow to play my game and hopefully beat him.

BORIS BECKER: On me it has. I had that thought already in the Kafelnikov match that that could be my last sets here, so I was trying maybe even a little bit harder just to make sure that I gave it 110% out there, and yes, I am seeing it in a way with a sad eye because it has been my favorite indoor tournament for the past five years and it happens to be the ATP final with the top 8. And I have had great matches here and I am kind of sad we are moving.

BORIS BECKER: I think he stays. He is not a caliber who comes and goes. He has so much potential in his game to be even ranked higher than he is right now. He reminds me very much of Andre's game in a way, just his serve is bigger. He plays extremely hard from the baseline without missing much, which is very rare. He takes the ball on the rise. He doesn't put much topspin on it, and I don't know how many unforced errors he made, but not many. He, you know, is already playing a couple of years. He had the last two, three years were up and down for him. Now he finally broke through and I think he is there for good.