U.S. OPEN

September 1, 1994

Andre Agassi

ANDRE AGASSI: After I lost my serve that last game of the third set that I felt like I needed to go to the hospital and get that 90 pound bullfrog surgically removed from my throat. I was just playing good tennis holding him out and all of a sudden I get to that third and he played good tennis and I felt like for him to win the rest of the set he played a level better than I did, but that game in particular I felt I should have held and when I didn't-- to keep my composure was key for me. It said a lot for where my state of mind is right now.

ANDRE AGASSI: That's the nature of sports. It's, you know, really you're only up one service break, that's how you look at it. I mean, Guy is on the other side of the net saying, I'm down two sets,, he's not thinking about that, he's thinking if I can break here, I can get him thinking and you never know what can happen. And to explain that, you know, casinos will lose lot of money, you can't really do that.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, me and John have this telepathy thing going. I ask him where I should serve, nobody else can hear, and do what he says and then I win the point.

ANDRE AGASSI: Not verbally, no, but I did know where he wanted me to serve.

ANDRE AGASSI: Sure I'm serious.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, you know what he wanted me to serve the first serve outside, but then I rebelled against him and went up the middle, missed it long and I said, all right, John, I'll go out wide with this one.

ANDRE AGASSI: That was key for me. I lost -- three or four games being up 40-15. That's not good, You know, and when I was down 15-40, to come back and win that game, I just felt that gave me a lot of confidence, made me feel like, hey, don't stress it out here, play your tennis, stay on this guy and make him beat you in five sets if that's what he wants to do, but don't give it to him, that was the key for me because I could have easily been down two or three-- so I just really felt good about the score at that point and tried to just use the momentum in my favor.

ANDRE AGASSI: It's very possible. There's no question about it, because sometimes it's worse to be beating somebody so handily and you get to a point where you have to close it out because-- especially a player like Guy who can potentially come back and make it to the quarterfinals and further. That's a scary position to be in and say if I give this guy any room, he's experienced enough to jump all over me. And so, I -- you always feel like you'd rather have the fourth set 5-6 serving for it and then you feel like, hey, we both played our butts off out here and I'm serving for the match and can you stay focused and intense, but I couldn't get convinced the match was over with and I probably should have played that game a bit more conservative. I felt like I went for too big a shot, but to just to turn around was most important, I think. I'd feel better about the win now had I held serve at 5-4.

ANDRE AGASSI: Couple things that work here. I know he's been having problems with his knee. Move him around, I wanted to make sure he's hitting a lot of balls. I know he's dangerous off the forehand signed, especially the running forehand. I know he liked to hit big bombs up the middle. Things you know about playing him time and time again or seeing him play and today with the wind being a factor, I think that was the important thing, making sure I was moving my feet and not making careless errors. That's where the match is won and lost on a windy day, unforced errors and I was talking to Brad before-- high percent of first serves, make sure I'm moving my feet and not making careless errors and just pick my level of play up from there.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yes, it's tough to tell when you beat somebody 3-2 and you never played before. Coming here today was a key match because had I come here and struggled and Forget may be getting the lead on me and me kind of not feeling good about the way I was playing, you know, that would take its toll mentally on me, but Guy can play some big matches and he's playing, quite honestly, some of the best tennis. Wimbledon, second round, upsetting Jim Courier. Don't think that wasn't going through my mind when I saw the draw. He's the kind of player that can do that. So to go out here and beat him proves to me how I've been feeling for the past few weeks, especially in Toronto and the practice I've been having.

ANDRE AGASSI: I love playing here at night. The energy -- I really feed off of it and it's also nice because not all the other guys are sitting in the locker room watching you and making comments figuring out your game. Hopefully they're out having dinner.

ANDRE AGASSI: I expect to have my hands full. This is a guy that can absolutely do every part of the game well and some areas outstanding. Serves big, is not scared to come in and has great lands in the net, solid backhand and solid forehand winners, both backhand and forehand, moves well. On paper, this guy is basically unbeatable. But I played him in Toronto and I like the way my game fits into him. It is a -- some -- a lot of great tennis when we play, at least this year that was, and I'm excited for the challenge. I feel like it's nice going out there knowing that they have things to worry about too. It's going to be fun and it's going to be a good match for me to get through for the rest of the tournament.

ANDRE AGASSI: I wasn't having a conversation with Brooke, no.

ANDRE AGASSI: If you ever want her press conference, ask her about it. I don't know anything about it.

ANDRE AGASSI: As far as watching or actually playing?

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, you know, really only sports that you can play without it being a physical thing. I'm not -- so, you know, time off is meant to rest and recuperate, golf and quite honestly two, three in the morning I'll bowl some as well. So anything that's not too strenuous. I enjoy competing at pool, I enjoy shooting pool, you know, I like -- can't think of it, ping pong.

ANDRE AGASSI: Bowl, too.

ANDRE AGASSI: Guy?

ANDRE AGASSI: When he plays me not to serve over 120.

What advise can I give him? Guy, I'd like to sit down and ask him to give me advice. This guy has been around. He knows these guys. He knows what he has to do. He knows their capabilities. There's nothing I need to say to him.

ANDRE AGASSI: I mean, he helps me out all the time, quite honestly, you know, 60 -- I would say about 80 percent of it is dealing with what I need to be focusing on and maybe 20 percent you consider what the other guy's game is. You know, and you spend every pre match thought on getting your strengths under their weaknesses. That's no mystery.

ANDRE AGASSI: Oh, really? Oh, no, we're not engaged, no.

ANDRE AGASSI: Marriage is something I --

ANDRE AGASSI: I mean, to lose the third the way I did and come back in the fourth, I feel I'm really focussed on the right things when I'm out there, which is my strengths and doing what I do well and making the guy have to beat that. And when I'm doing that, I like my chances against anybody and I feel good about being out there.