U.S. OPEN

September 5, 1992

Todd Martin

Q. Todd, had you played in the stadium before?

TODD MARTIN: No, first time.

Q. Can you describe what it was like out there with the crowd behind you?

TODD MARTIN: Well, no, it is not describable. You watch -- I am a big fan of tennis and I watch a lot. And especially when I come here and not much to do, and you know, when you are busy playing tennis, and so I watched a lot this week and last year, and you know, you see Connors playing, you see how much energy is going on throughout the whole stadium, and you don't think it is going to be the same when you are there, but then if it's a good match, the people appreciate the tennis, and they sort of get behind usually the underdog and that was me.

Q. What did it feel like to have the crowd behind you?

TODD MARTIN: At the end, you know, when he had match point against me and we had to stop, and it was-- sent chills up my spine, because you know, in essence, we are entertainers just as much as anything, and I am just happy that the people appreciated what Pete and I were doing.

Q. How disappointing is it for you that you were close, but just couldn't pull it off?

TODD MARTIN: You know, initially it is more disappointing than having get blown away. But, you know, I have to be proud of what I accomplished today, because I gave myself the opportunity to win and if I can keep doing that against guys of Pete's caliber, then I think I got a pretty good career ahead of me.

Q. When you were up a break in the fifth, did you think you hit within reach?

TODD MARTIN: I thought I had it within reach when I was in the tiebreaker in the first. You know, I figured if I could stick with him through a set, especially the first, which is probably the set most people concentrate on most, I knew I was in it the whole time. I knew I was a few shots, a few points away from winning, but you know, I knew that that break wasn't going to be what won that match for me. I knew I was going to have to play, you know, at 2-Love, I knew I had to play at least four more good games. Unfortunately, I didn't play four good enough games, and if I had, I would be in here first. Pete would be second.

Q. What happened in the third set?

TODD MARTIN: I gagged. Choked. No, I mean, he really played horrendously in the third set or from like 2-All until 5 -- 2-All in the second until 5-Love in the third, he was not a good tennis player, but the fact that he hung in there in the third, especially, shows how great a tennis player he really is. And he kept on fighting and made me play balls where some guys would have just packed in it and said, let us play a fourth set. I got lucky at 5-4, I played a good game, but you know, he -- then he got tight a little bit, and I had relaxed a little bit. My legs were like noodles. I had no real bearings about me and it's the first time in that situation, so I guess maybe that is expected.

Q. Were you surprised he played back so much?

TODD MARTIN: That he played back so much?

Q. Yes.

TODD MARTIN: I think he was possibly was more surprised that I-- that I played back as much. But no, I realized Pete has been making some improvements in his game from the backcourt, and he is definitely using that a lot more. And the fact that his serve was not going all that well early, I think, and the fact that I was returning pretty well, made him more comfortable in the backcourt.

Q. Thank you.

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