AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2001

Andre Agassi

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

ANDRE AGASSI: No.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, you always -- it's always possible to lose. But I was kind of focused on what was going on out there, and I mean, down a set you're switching sides, you look up at the score board, you just got to ask one question and that's why. Why did he win the first set? That question was easily answer. He played some spectacular tennis. And I felt like at that stage I wasn't really doing much wrong. I mean I lost my serve serving for the set, the sun came out, he hit a few good shots. But I was telling myself to just at least make him continue that standard for the rest of the match. And -- but just trying to do everything possible in the first set. I tried everything possible.

ANDRE AGASSI: I have to say it's much more enjoyable watching him than playing against him. Sometimes you feel like you're watching when you're out there playing against him because he really hits some shots that you just can't believe a person can even attempt let alone make, and it's -- I mean it's great for the game, it's enjoyable shot-making tennis, and it's hard to play against. Because fundamentally, you can pretty much expect the opposite.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, up until that point, you know, he had made me a believer. But, again, you're out there for three out of five and when a guy is hitting the ball that big, you know, he takes such a big cut at the ball that if he's not in perfect position, you know, a swing like that can get away from you. So I did feel like if I could somehow get to his legs he's going to start making more errors. But I wasn't going to assume that that was going to get it done. I felt like at some stage I needed to step it up and I was trying everything I could to do that. Fortunately the tide turned. It looked like he was more out of position on a lot of the shots he was going for and I was getting some errors and got the lead and kind of stayed on top of him.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, they're -- they're nearly impossible to read. Nearly impossible. I mean, you think you have him on the defense and it's like he has you right where he wants you. So that's not easy to make a running flying backhand up the line on your back foot open stance 25 feet down the baseline. That's too good. (Laughter.)

ANDRE AGASSI: He has a lot of shot-making ability, no question about it. He's a strong, strong guy who can hit the ball big whether it's up high above his shoulder or low. But, you know, everybody has their strengths and weaknesses. While you can say he can improve by becoming more disciplined with shot selection, you also wonder what that would take away from possibly his greatest weapon, which is the unexpected and the lack of rhythm that you're allowed to get because you just, when you think he's going to play something solid he plays something bigger. When you think he's in position to really hit it, he lays off of it. That's a weapon in itself, just not really understanding what kind of shots he's going to hit. I mean if you give me his game, I would be ranked a lot higher than him.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, scouting is certainly a big part of it. You want to understand, you know, what players rely on in the biggest of situations, what their strengths are. And like I said, that's one of his greatest weapons because he doesn't really have something he relies on. He kind of relies on the unexpected and he hits shots that surprise you in the most crucial of situations. But for me, it's about understanding your strengths and understanding your opponent's weaknesses and their strengths, and going out there and doing the necessary things to keep the match in your wheel house, to keep the match on your terms. And your opponent is trying to stop you from doing that. That's what makes this sport so great, it's one-on-one and it's about matchups and how it plays out is sometimes day-to-day because things don't go as planned as always. But I'm going out there with a distinct plan of what it is I'm trying to do and then make adjustments if necessary.

ANDRE AGASSI: At the end of the third?

ANDRE AGASSI: I told him when the set was over, I was going to need a trainer to come out and tape my toe.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, you try to stay interested. I think this election time has been difficult for our country in many ways. But I think it speaks volumes for our country, that through it there wasn't, you know, anarchy and martial law on the streets. We kept it together and hopefully can recover from it before the next four years are up. But I stay very interested.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I think it's just styles and matchups. Paul Goldstein doesn't hit a lot of power on his shots so I was in position to control the points. Today on some of my best shots he would hit them even bigger so, you know, to a certain degree you have to kind of wait and react because if you step into the court and he hits one big one, it's -- the point's over. You have to make sure it's the right time and that requires you to be patient and disciplined.

ANDRE AGASSI: I think experience teaches you how to make your life a little easier out there, definitely.

ANDRE AGASSI: I mean, I guess it would have been possible for me to have not kept up a high level after losing a difficult first set, but I think overall it was just game on game and the question was was he going to be able to keep up that standard, and was I going to be able to keep up the standard. And, you know, that question always gets answered by the end. And today I started to maintain and pick it up as he was going in the other direction.

ANDRE AGASSI: This actually wasn't a blister. It was just starting to get hot and a spot on my toe, and it was more in prevention of a problem occurring.

ANDRE AGASSI: I think technology helps, certainly helps everybody in a lousy game to get better. Same token, I've heard talk about if we went back to the wood racquets, the points would be more interesting and so forth. I truly believe with the athletes nowadays and the size of the guys, the discrepancy between a big server and say somebody who returns well or a scrapper would even grow in its separation. I mean, with a wood racquet, you can still hit the serve 129 miles an hour. And if you lose ten miles an hour from 140 to 130, that's not as much of a factor as losing 10 miles an hour serving 112 to 102, not to mention if -- the problem with the wood racquet is if you hit it off center, the way I play the game, I take the ball early, take big cuts out it. There's a heck of a chance that's going to cause me a lot of problems. I think if I was playing with wood racquets today, I would find a way to win a lot of matches but it would probably affect me more than it would affect say a player like Pete.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I hope -- it's hard to really root for one American over another, because they're both worthy of seeing who's playing better today. But, you know, we had such a memorable match last year. I would enjoy the prospects of playing him again. I really look forward to that.

ANDRE AGASSI: I'm more fit now than I was five years ago. I think I move better and I'm stronger and I recover better. All in all, I like my physical position now more than I did five years ago. I think I'm stronger in my legs especially.

ANDRE AGASSI: From what I've seen, I believe he is actually. I mean I've seen him practice with a lot of the doubles guys during the weeks that we were together, and he still is one of the best on the court. Whether he can do it three out of five, I mean, and whether all those things, at some point you got to stop talking about it and do it. So I would like to see him try. I think he would have a heck of a shot.