IBM/ATP TOUR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

November 15, 1995

Boris Becker

BORIS BECKER: I have to put some water in the glass first.... It was probably the first 25 minutes was the best anybody has ever played me in this hall. It was just amazing because I came out pretty good. I won my first service game rather easy. Then I just -- I thought I had good timing and he was on fire. I mean, I have never seen something like that. Second set, I started to get a little bit more into the game. He didn't take all his opportunities he had, but he was still very tough because you are under so much pressure on your own service games all the time. He starts off with two aces, great shots. As I said, it just makes you aware that if you lose your own service games, you are basically out of the match right away. And it was like a freight train hit me today.

BORIS BECKER: Well, he plays similar to my game in a way. Just everything a little bit better. If he has a good day, he is almost impossible to beat.

BORIS BECKER: I had my problems with Andre as well. It is not like he is the only guy I have trouble with, but with Pete's game, with Andre's sometimes you have some rallies, and you feel like you have a chance, but when Pete is up a break and a set, you feel like you have no chance of coming back that set either or he makes three doublefaults, very easy mistakes, which he didn't do in the last couple of years anyway, so he is an excellent player.

BORIS BECKER: Like all the players he has ups-and-downs, but he doesn't go as down as most players go. When he is playing average it is still extremely good and when he is top, he is the best, so, you know, there was a time say the first six month of last year when he played just extremely well tennis. Then he got injured and couldn't play in a while and he picked it up in the summer winning Wimbledon and winning the Open, and, you know, what can I tell you..... I just got beaten up pretty badly. I am still bruised all over still.

BORIS BECKER: That is why he is probably the champion he is. Even when he is not feeling too well or when he is injured, he keeps on playing and playing and he has -- he had some losses this year, for example, on the clay court tournaments, he didn't do as well, or until Wimbledon, really he didn't have like a great year for his standards, but he keeps on playing. He keeps on competing all the time even when he is half, let us say, and, you know, that is why at the long run, he finished or he is just about to finish

No. 1 for the past three years, and that is why -- that -- yeah, that is what makes him so special, I guess.

BORIS BECKER: Well, Andre had a fantastic year as well. It is just that Pete won Wimbledon. He won the Open. He made the finals of the Australian Open and, you know, won a couple of tournaments along the way. And if you have that much success, you should be ranked No. 1. You know, who is better, I don't know. Both are extremely good players. But, you know, from his latest performance, he is ahead.

BORIS BECKER: Well, the one who puts water on the court is very important. The Americans have to watch out Thursday night that nobody is walking in the hall and puts water for 12 hours on the court. Of course, it is important that you have people who like each other on the team. That is very important, but on the other hand, it is as important if that you have good players who perform well under pressure and I guess the Americans have both. But watch out with that water.