U.S. OPEN

August 31, 1993

Andre Agassi

ANDRE AGASSI: It is difficult to say. I didn't really feel sharp from the first point to the last point. And I was just trying to fight to stay in it, but when you are down two sets, I think it takes a lot of energy out of you to get back into it. I experienced that against Pete in Wimbledon and seemed like we had a few mental errors in the fifth set, but I think the first set could have swung my way. I had chances, the fourth set could have been 6-1, 6-2. Just didn't feel -- I never felt really sharp, that I was ever putting it really away, you know.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, really the shot I was having trouble with was my backhand today. I didn't feel like I was moving it around as well as I could. The wind was swirling. I felt I was guiding it. It kept floating long down the line. I count on that shot a lot. I felt when I started to play better from the baseline I was hitting a lot of big forehands, running around, just trying to explode on the forehand and that seemed to work for me. Then when the match got close I think maybe I got a little tentative. I started just thinking, make him work. Don't make careless errors. Then, all of a sudden his confidence went up and mine went down.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I mean, I watched this guy play the finals of last week. I knew he was playing well. I knew he was serving big. I felt like I had a good read on his serve, believe it or not, which I focused a lot of attention on. You know, we had a game plan, but you know, if you are not sharp, it doesn't matter, I mean --

ANDRE AGASSI: I felt the momentum, but the guy served huge at the right point there, the first game of the fifth. I really didn't have as many chances as I would have liked on his serve. The games that I lost my serve were against the wind and that is a tough game to hold. I felt like when he was on that side, he came up with some big serves. That helps out a lot.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, practiced for about a half hour during the Edberg match and, you know, I was just-- I actually felt surprisingly good. I felt like I was seeing the ball. I think the wind picked up a little bit. There wasn't that much wind earlier on, at least when I was warming up. Then when I got out there, I felt like, you know, I just wasn't, for some reason, seeing it as clearly. I wish I knew why. I don't.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, you know the darker it gets, you know, the tougher it is to pick up a serve, but you know, it is not an easy adjustment for either player.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, Bud, I don't know, you know, I mean, I feel like-- believe it or not, I felt better about this summer than I felt about any other summer in the past.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I usually get beat before the quarterfinals in Cincy and Indy, I never got past the third round there. And the only thing I have done in the summer is win in Washington -- actually, Toronto, but I did well in those two events, which I was pleased about. I felt good about the. Losses, I played tough and felt prepared coming here. You know, it is definitely a set back for me. I don't-- to what degree, I don't know yet. I need to just kind of get a little objective here and be able to maybe take a couple of days and just start working again. I don't really know what else to do except to-- just to work a little harder because, you know, it is just-- it is unfortunate to come here and want to win the tournament and get a surprise like that.

ANDRE AGASSI: Most of the time you know it right away. It is dramatic. You win, you feel like you are on the top of the world and you lose and you feel like I am right now.

ANDRE AGASSI: It will get worse if this guy gets his ass kicked in the next round.

ANDRE AGASSI: You know-- I mean, five sets takes a lot out of you but as far as healthwise, yeah.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, any time I try to play on my game, it has taken me in a different direction than I have ever been used to. That is a -- it is a big debate in my mind. How much do I just rely on instincts and how much do I really have as a clue as to what I am doing. I think either way I should win a match like this.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah.

ANDRE AGASSI: He is big on addressing the score; making sure you know what you are doing, when you are doing it. In other words, don't go for the drop shot at 15-All, but if you are up 40-Love that is fine, that type of thing. I made it very clear early on that I am not the player that responds well to a lot of thinking, but -- and I have also made it clear that getting more thoughtful out there is something that I want to add to my game. So it is a catch 22. That is something I got to work through.