COMPAQ GRAND SLAM CUP

December 4, 1996

Andre Agassi

ANDRE AGASSI: I like to see my commitments through. I mean, it's one thing to adjust a schedule in preparation. It's another thing to change the schedule because you're not feeling right. You know, I wouldn't feel right about doing that. Plus, I really like this tournament. I think it's a great tournament. You never know when it turns around. You never know when you get through a match and start hitting the ball a little bit better. I believe it was a good decision to come here.

ANDRE AGASSI: I think that it's definitely more of a European Tour. There's more tournaments that are accessible. It's a little tougher being in the states. It's part of what we have to do now. I think it is difficult. It is tiring. It makes it much more difficult to play Davis Cup. Quite honestly, I was disappointed to see the Masters leave New York. I mean, Hannover is, what, the eighth biggest city in Germany or something. It doesn't make sense. If you can't fly there direct, why are we playing in that city? I think we should play in Paris or play in New York, a big city. I was disappointed to see the Masters leave New York. I think it is tiring to have to go back and forth a lot, but now we know how the Australians feel.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah. In my mind I'm planning on six weeks to just get myself into form, get ready for the new year. I think all the Grand Slams are over with this year. It's tough at the end of the year to get, you know, motivated for more smaller tournaments. I think this tournament is one that's worth getting up for, but I just didn't play enough to be anywhere near to be able to do that. Being in Hannover, not being able to play there, getting sick, I was pretty bummed about that. The next week and a half, it just hasn't been well since. I certainly am taking the time off in the hopes and desire and plan of getting strong, getting fit, getting my game back to where it can be. You know, I seem to thrive in kind of digging myself in a bit of a hole, getting excited to come out of it again. It's nothing that concerns me, but something that I certainly need to address.

ANDRE AGASSI: It's possible in Davis Cup. I might start the year playing Davis Cup. I haven't -- I'm not for sure on that yet. San Jose, Scottsdale, Palm Springs, Key Biscayne. You know, none of it's worth it if you just keep running yourself into the ground, if you keep having to play events and keep chasing your tail. It's much more enjoyable for me and everybody that watches me play, maybe not to see me ranked as high, but maybe step on the court and be ready to play.

ANDRE AGASSI: I'd been thinking about it somewhere between the Open and Hannover, just trying to deal with the other responsibilities that I have in my life, between the Foundation events, all the work I'm doing off the court, that's important to me as well. It's not quite as important to get ready for the smaller tournaments outside the Grand Slams as it used to be. By the same token, you know, you've got to use these events to keep yourself in form, but not wear yourself out. I just feel like it's been a struggle most of the year. I thank God that I won the gold medal. That is something I'll never forget about this year. But, outside that, it's been a struggle. To me, I just want to, you know, put it behind me and get ready to move on.

ANDRE AGASSI: I think the best moment was certainly the gold medal - there's no question in my mind. I think the worst moment has been a combination. Probably I'd have to say Wimbledon. If you had to point to one event. It's been a combination of never -- always being on the verge of getting your game back, after the injury the last year, then struggling to find your game. You find it in Key Biscayne; move to clay; struggle on the clay. Then you struggle on the grass. Then you get it together for the hardcourts. Then it's over. Now, it's to the indoors, and I just didn't have quite the same intensity addressing this fall as a couple years ago. But, you know, I'm going to put it behind me. I have no doubts in my mind.

ANDRE AGASSI: It's tough to say because, to me, motivation comes from the pinnacle of our sport, which are the Grand Slam tournaments. I didn't have a problem trying to get ready for those. I mean, certainly the Olympics is also a strong motivation. But, there is definitely a lack of motivation on the goal of trying to win a couple tournaments this fall because, to me, if I don't play my best tennis, it's not worth it. It's just not. I want to get -- to give myself the platform to succeed to a level I haven't done before. That means time to train; get ready. I haven't quite given myself that since the Open, or, at least, I haven't taken advantage of it. Now I plan on doing that.

ANDRE AGASSI: Today I was just thinking about trying to make contact, honestly. Broke back in the second. It's possible to maybe win the second, find yourself in a position where your confidence comes around. More than anything, it's a fast surface, and I was worried about just making good, clean contact, which would have been quite an accomplishment for me today.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, no. Brad with my tennis and Gil with my training. That will be plenty. I don't need any miracle cures. I just need to get back to good old fundamentals.

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