US OPEN

September 1, 1997

Scott Draper

Q. I'll just clarify, were you up 3-Love?

SCOTT DRAPER: I'm not sure it was 3-Love. I was definitely up 4-2. Might have been up -- I think I broke at 2-1.

SCOTT DRAPER: I can't remember. 3, 2, I'm not sure.

SCOTT DRAPER: I lost my serve at 4-3, came back to Love. Then he held, I held, he held, I held.

SCOTT DRAPER: Well, I guess so. I mean, that's part of the game, I suppose. I definitely felt that I was getting on top. He definitely was showing some signs of fatigue. I came off a third set 6-1. I was on a roll. He was a little bit unsure. He lost his game plan. I could sense that. Definitely wasn't in my favor, but that's tennis. I didn't come back and finish off the job. It's my fault. Disappointed.

SCOTT DRAPER: Well, I think one of the factors was that when I went off after the long rain delay, I was calm on the court, very sure of what I was doing. I tried to go back with the same attitude, tried to be relaxed, just keep playing the way I was playing. He obviously had a chat to his coach and came back to his original game plan he was playing the first couple sets. You know, it's very difficult to come back and just pick up where you left off. That's my fault. Bad experience, I suppose. You know, I definitely had a chance. After all that, I had 6-4 in the breaker, serving. You could say that the rain delay was a big factor, but then again, I pulled it back, up 6-4 in the breaker, had a chance to go to five again. Wasn't as if I lost the plot after the rain delay. I was in control, lost my serve. Got back on the job, 6-4, he hit a great return. Hit the first serve pretty well down the middle, cranked it backhand to my forehand. Couldn't make the pass. Hit two huge first serves. Couldn't hit early enough to get in the court. Had a long point to lose the match. Just the way it went. That's the way it goes.

SCOTT DRAPER: He played great, you know. He was taking the ball early, getting on top of my second serve. I wasn't making enough first serves. I slowed down my first serve in the third and fourth to try to counteract that. I think he was playing great tennis. I was a little off. I picked up my game a little; he went off. That's why it never went to five sets. It was a good match. It was a pleasing loss for me, you know, as pleasing as they come. I was two sets to Love down, nearly made five. It was a good effort in some ways and disappointing in other ways. I've got to try and take all the positive from it.

SCOTT DRAPER: Jonas is a very much a confident player. When things are going great, he can really get on a roll and play some serious tennis. He can really take a ball early, come to the net, he's very athletic. I think if you keep him out there long enough, mix it up, he's definitely vulnerable in some areas, not to mention he's a fantastic player. But if you can keep him out there, I suppose. If he's playing well and gets on a roll, he'd be very hard to stop. You keep him there long enough, mix it up, anything can happen.

SCOTT DRAPER: Going back to Orlando. I'm playing Beijing, Singapore, Hong Kong, probably finish the year.

SCOTT DRAPER: No, I haven't. He's played an alternate day that I have. I've been practicing. He's kicking everyone's butt. He doesn't play today, does he?

SCOTT DRAPER: Not sure. Not sure. I'll just go back and have a shower, think about things for a minute.

SCOTT DRAPER: Well, Pat has a terrific serve and volley, incredibly athletic, very competitive, very determined, and doesn't make too many unforced errors. He doesn't go for anything silly. He blocks his returns deep. If the guy is coming in, he blocks them to the toes, sets up his pass. Basically just keeps the ball deep. When the ball is deep, Pat is very difficult to pass at the net. I mean, there's not too many people that cover the court as good as he does. He's just worked on his fitness and his speed and his game to an extent to where you've got to beat him. I mean, you've got to get there and play great tennis and beat him; he's not going to give it to you.

SCOTT DRAPER: I don't know what to say. Agassi at the moment, he seems to be playing fantastic. Seems to be getting back to his old form. He'll be a tough opponent for Pat if Agassi is on. Returns well, sees it early. He will attack. He'll go for shots. If he's on, Andre can do anything. Over five sets, Andre hasn't had a lot of matches. If he's pushed, kept out there long enough, you don't know what's going to happen. It will be in Pat's favor. Pat isn't going to hand it to him. Andre is going to have to win it. I just hope that Pat comes off with a big win.

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