US OPEN

August 25, 2003

Martin Verkerk

MODERATOR: Questions.

MARTIN VERKERK: He cramped and I won the fourth set, I don't know how much it was, but something like 7-6. I don't know the tiebreak anymore.

MARTIN VERKERK: 11-9. I saw him already at 4-all in the fourth that he was tired, but I couldn't get my level that much up to hurt him in the fourth. So it was more fighting than playing well. But, yeah, in the tiebreak he put all his energy in it, and then he lost the tiebreak, and then he went to the toilet and I saw that it was 15-30. I hit, yeah, a ball actually through the middle with my forehand and he didn't work. I felt okay, I have a break now. At least I have the break. It will be tough for him mentally and physically. I hit a return at 30-40 just in the court and he fall down. So it was a real bad cramp. Everything, his back, his legs, shoulder, everything.

MARTIN VERKERK: No. I mean, it's cramp. It's terrible cramp. But the first thing that I was, was happy, because I thought that he would stand up again, and, I mean, recover of it. So I was not thinking, "How bad is he?" Then he laid there. I walk to him. I saw his back was cramping. It was not like -- because sometimes players have that, they cramp but they can go on. So the first thing I thought was, "Okay, stay focused and finish the job." But then after five minutes, he was still laying there. His eyes were all over the place. Then you think, "Hopefully, it's not that bad." But it was cramp, and you get over cramp. I mean, it's not like an injury or a heart or whatever. It's always scary because he was looking really bad. But, yeah, that happens.

MARTIN VERKERK: Yeah, I was playing not so good. But it's tough for me. Of course, I made finals of Roland Garros, and since then everybody wants to beat you. Yeah, it's tough for me. A lot of -- I mean you're No. 16 seeded. The pressure is on you all the time. That's a new thing you have to learn. The one thing I had again was the competing part, that I'm always had. But the last couple of weeks it was a little bit like I wanted to play good, show everybody that I was 16 in the world, or 15, whatever. Yeah, not competing so well. And now I feel that my level can go up a little. But at least I fight for it. That's where I'm -- that's what my game is, good serve, good backhand, and fight like hell. That's what I do. That's why I won this match.

MARTIN VERKERK: When he was cramping?

MARTIN VERKERK: No, no, no. The coach came on the court, from the guy. I find that strange because it's the same when my coach jumps on the court when I want to hit a serve. It's strange. I don't think that's the rule. I mean, of course I saw how bad he was. Then you think, "Okay, let him go," because I saw that he's never gonna play again. So if his whole family comes on the court, I'm okay also with that (laughter). In the beginning, you're like, "I mean, that's not the rule. I want to win." I fought for to win the fourth set. Yeah, your first reaction is, of course, it's bad, but your first reaction is, "Okay, I killed him, actually." Then you see him laying there. Then it's bad. Then you think of his health. But the first thing you think is, "Okay, I won the match because I'm fit."