TMS - THE ERICSSON OPEN

March 27, 2000

Andre Agassi

ATP: Questions for Andre.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, I don't think it was concentration. It's tough conditions out there. The wind was moving so much. While I won the first set, I don't think either of us felt like it was necessarily a high quality of tennis. I kind of started the second with the same mentality, just try to keep the ball in the court, squeak this out somehow in two sets. I didn't execute a couple shots, and he got the break. I just had to get back to work after that.

ANDRE AGASSI: I think so. I think it can only get better with each match. It was a long layoff for me after Zimbabwe. I didn't even get a chance to hit a ball for close to a month. That's too difficult these days to expect to step out there. To a large degree, I was expecting a few tournaments. You know, I hope can I stay alive here long enough that I can really feel like I'm playing really well here.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, yeah, it certainly is that way in hindsight. I think it was more physical than it was really draining for me. I was hurt coming back. I couldn't play for a while. That's a problem. I couldn't do everything I wanted to do to keep my advantage with my game, with the way I was striking the ball. Kind of like I had to go back to square one on the court and start feeling the ball again, because the last time I remembered hitting the ball was a month earlier at 5500 feet altitude. It's taken me a few weeks. With the windy conditions, it will take me longer too.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, no. Australian Open was what I was really preparing for, and Davis Cup. While there was a cost to be paid, I feel like it was worth it.

ANDRE AGASSI: It will be great. The last time we were on the same team together was '92. We played and won it in Fort Worth. It's going to be exciting. I'm looking forward to playing with Pete. I think it's going to be great excitement for America and their interest in the Davis Cup. I'm excited to see how they respond to it here.

ANDRE AGASSI: I didn't hear any drums in Zimbabwe. I was busy concentrating. Hopefully I won't hear any cell phones either.

ANDRE AGASSI: That's good. It's good to hear. I didn't see it last night. It is nice to know he's feeling better. His standard of tennis raises everybody's. I think he's been great for the game. He has a lot more tennis in him. For him to get healthy, I think it would be great for him, great for the game. I hope he's playing well.

ANDRE AGASSI: It gets easier in the 14th year, tell him. 14th year it gets a lot easier. It takes a toll on you, there's no question about it. While everybody has great expectations and interest in how the new schedule will impact the game of tennis, there is a very significant cost that's involved. A lot of the players have played a lot. There's the same amount of tournaments in a much shorter period of time. When you add Davis Cup and the Olympics, it's a brutal, brutal, brutal year. Pat is a very physical player. You know, he doesn't ever go out there and take it lightly on his body. His body's always paying the price. That speaks volumes for him as a competitor. If he just stays healthy, I think he's plenty athlete enough to get through it.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, thank God I don't feel anything physically. I'm healthy, I feel pretty strong. But I think experience is teaching me what to really focus on and how to go about peaking for what it is you want to accomplish. It's not easy to go week after week of complete intensity. You know, like the NASDAQ, you're going to have a couple down days. Overall, you can't be a doubter.

ANDRE AGASSI: How can imagine that?

ANDRE AGASSI: Do something stupid. I don't know. I don't know. I'm not a high-risk kind of guy.

ANDRE AGASSI: It's a real moving target. It's never about figuring it out. It's about keeping things in perspective, not being hard on yourself if by chance you aren't feeling so great. I wouldn't say I have anything figured out. I will say, though, that I've gotten better at knowing how to prioritize certain things, knowing what to be concerned about, what not to be. It's a high wire act. It's a balancing act. You don't want to play too much; you don't want to play too well, too early. By the same token, if you fall short of kind of where you want to be, you can really go into some of the bigger tournaments without the same confidence that you might be looking for. It's not an easy balancing act.

ANDRE AGASSI: It's a moving target. You know, again, it's difficult to just commit to playing hard for a few weeks, recovering, resting, preparing, playing hard for a few weeks. It doesn't work that way. A lot of new guys coming up, a lot of young guys. Everybody's pushing each other out there.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, it is.

ANDRE AGASSI: I can't say actually you get up for it more. I think the level of respect for somebody's potential and capabilities maybe create those extra bit of nerves that might tend to make you focus and play a little bit better a little bit earlier. But there's a lot of great matches in the Round of 16. The Round of 16, you're talking about in a lot of cases the top 16 players in the world, great match-ups. Not just me and Rafter. Look in the draw, you'll see a lot of great match-ups. That's what's making it so interesting these days. That's why it feels so good to win a tournament like this. You're talking about the best players in the world.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I mean, I would hesitate to answer this if I wasn't asked long before I even met Steffi. The bottom line is, maybe excluding going back to Margaret Court, she's dominated on all surfaces. Her Slams speak for themselves. It's not easy to dominate. While Martina can win on all surfaces, I feel there was a definite dominance by Steff in each tournament, which is a phenomenal accomplishment. Again, with that quote, I hope you make mention that I've said it for five years.

ANDRE AGASSI: A helluva lot better than mine. It's incredible. It's incredible.

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