COMPAQ GRAND SLAM CUP

December 8, 1993

Michael Chang

MICHAEL CHANG: I have had my fair share of being up in those situations as well. I lost two tough matches in Frankfurt that way. I was up a set, 4-1, a set 3-1. I lost both of those matches, so, you know, what comes around goes around. Wally was down 5-0 in the U.S. Open as well, so I think he has had his fair share.

MICHAEL CHANG: It is tough for me to evaluate Wally's game because I haven't played him since '89. It has been quite awhile, and I know that Wally over the past year or so has really started to kick in his game quite well. I know that he is approaching his late twenties and people are saying, you know, how come all of a sudden in your late twenties you are starting to play your best tennis. He says I don't know; maybe it is like wine or something. But Wally, over the last couple of years, I think obviously everybody noticed that he has gotten a lot stronger. He has really worked on his strength, and I think that that has helped him out quite a bit on Tour, because the guys are hitting harder and faster, and he is able to combat that with just a lot of physical strength. But other than that, today was a pretty tight match; really could have gone either way, so -- other than that, it is tough for me to evaluate him because I haven't played him for so long.

MICHAEL CHANG: Well, I think that, you know, '93 titles-wise, I think was very positive. Five titles in one year for me is my best ever, and although the majority of them were smaller tournaments, I think that is a pretty good accomplishment, I think whenever you can win five titles. I'd like to, for next year, obviously I'd like to boost up my Grand Slam record; you know, the past couple of years it hasn't been all that great. So looking for bigger and better things particularly in the Grand Slams just because I haven't done all that well. I think I am approaching that particular time in my career where hopefully I will be approaching my best tennis soon, and I'd like to be able to peak well for the Grand Slams and be able to play my best tennis during those particular times, as well as throughout the rest of the year, when I can, but I think that what is nice at the moment is this is the last tournament of the year for me and to go back home and enjoy the Christmas season and holidays and stuff, and put in some serious time training and get ready for the following year physically and mentally and spiritually and every other way, because it, you know, the whole year is more or less kind of a grind. A lot of times it is who is able to last a little bit longer than the other guy. And, you know, it is just -- that is just about it. But '94, I want to do better in the Grand Slams.

MICHAEL CHANG: The new format?

MICHAEL CHANG: That is the first that I have heard of it. I didn't know that; I didn't know that they were planning to change it.

MICHAEL CHANG: It is a discussion -- well, I think it could possibly pose a few problems; the reason being is that, you know, when you have a round robin, obviously you are going to have to play a few more ties during the year and, you know, the schedule at the moment is so tight that it is just difficult to, you know, find time to balance between the resting and practicing and preparing for the next tournament, and I think that, you know, although Davis Cup is a particularly great event for the players, I think it will eventually take its toll on the players physically and probably mentally, because it takes away the few, you know, quite a few more weeks, you know, of their time, and I don't know how guys would necessarily feel about that; especially if they know that they are going to play every single tie. I think that the players are pretty pleased with the way that the World Team Cup is run in Dusseldorf, you know; I think Mr. Klosterkemper does a great job there, and that is a round robin format, but that is done in one day, each tie, and it works out well because the players are able to get in a lot of tough matches, a lot of practice facilities and stuff like that, but Davis Cup, what makes it so special, you go into another country or you are staying in your own country to play. I think if you were able to play in just one central location, I think it would give certain countries an advantage. Obviously, you know, I wouldn't suspect that if the U.S. were to play Germany in Germany, I don't think you would hear that Germany -- the Germans saying "Go USA," in a round robin thing. It is -- I think it is too difficult time-wise and mentally and physically for the guys.

MICHAEL CHANG: I haven't signed up to play the Australian open, but things, you know, things can change, but at the moment I am not on the list to play.

MICHAEL CHANG: Just like to take a little bit more time off, more or less. Tie it into Christmas and New Years, I am playing Jakarta which is the week before the Australian Open to defend my title there. Other than that, I would just like to have a little bit more time at home and celebrate Christmas a little bit longer, because we have got quite a few relatives coming over and more or less, it is just going to be a big Christian party more or less. I have a lot of Bible study and sing a lot of prayer songs and share a lot just what has been going on the past year and what people have been learning and stuff like that. That, to me, I don't get a chance to do that all that often during the year, so just like to take a little bit more time to do those things and give myself a little bit more time to prepare for the upcoming year.