XXVI OLYMPIC GAMES

July 24, 1996

MaliVai Washington

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: Well, you know, you have a couple. I think there were maybe two games where I had, you know -- there were maybe two games where I had double breakpoint against his serve, and, you know -- I don't know, you can look at it two ways, you can say, geez, I can't break this guy's serve, or you can say well, I am getting closer. And I was just kind of, you know -- eventually, you get enough breakpoints, you are eventually going to break him, or you are going to hit a great shot or he is going to get a little tight and make some errors. And fortunately I was able to, I think, when he was serving for the second set, I was able to break him and, you know, he missed a couple of shots. I think he got a little tight. I think the key was I just played good in the tiebreak. I think, you know, 2-3 or something like that, I hit a forehand winner, then I hit a volley winner, then a backhand winner. Then I am up 6-2. The tiebreaker was the difference. I didn't want to stay out there any longer than I had to. I love the warm weather and all, but, I don't know, that noontime heat was a mother.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: Well, you know, the difference in the Olympics is most tournaments I think you get like a tennis crowd out, you get tennis fans out, whereas here, at the Olympics, not only do you get tennis fans out, but you also get, I think, a lot of people who just decided that they wanted to see tennis. Maybe they wanted to see Andre or me or Richey or some other guy. I think there were definitely some players for Jan, or some people in the crowd pulling for Jan today. So you get the avid tennis fan, then you get the guys, the people who just want to see some sporting events, which is kind of like the way I am. I love sports, I don't care what it is. It could be judo, badminton tennis. I love going seeing sports. And I think maybe some of them don't know or -- you know, I think that the average tennis crowd thinks it is supposed to be quiet and a certain time to clap, and you don't chant, and you don't have cow bells, whereas today, you had the USA, USA chant, and you had more like a soccer crowd almost, which is kind of good. I like that. I mean, especially being here in Atlanta. I mean, it pushes you up when you hear the crowd going. I mean, like the uproar when I hit the forehand winner down the line in the tiebreak to go up 4-2, I mean, I don't know if I ever heard an uproar that big in my life. I mean -- and we crossed over and Jan, I couldn't understand what he said, I think Jan said something to me. He was just, like, smiling, because, I mean, it was just -- the volume out there was so awesome.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: It always makes a difference, because when you get that crowd on your side, you know, the other guy's feeling the pressure, your adrenaline is going, sometimes that -- you know, one the intangibles sometimes that makes the difference. Second set or the first set, it was just kind of one break and, you know, just served it out. The second set I was down a break. And sometimes it is just those little things, you know, that can sway a set one way or the other.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: I think it has been. And I think it is just going to continue to get bigger and better as tennis becomes more of a tradition, I think, in the Olympic games. It is just going to, you know, take on that feeling that you get when you are at the Grand Slams. I think in a tennis player's career, you know, growing -- with me growing up, I wasn't watching tennis in the Olympics, I was watching other sports because tennis wasn't there. So when I am a kid, my ultimate goal is being in the finals of a U.S. Or, being in the finals at Wimbledon or something like that. I think now tennis is in the Olympics and has been for the last couple of Olympics, you have a lot of kids making that their goal, reaching the finals of the Olympic games, winning a gold medal, along with the U.S. Open, the Wimbledon. So I think over the next - you know, this Olympics, the following Olympics, I think the Olympics here in Atlanta is going to be huge for tennis around the world, and definitely for tennis in the States, especially if we can, me, the guys or the women, can come out with a couple of medals.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: I think for me the biggest event is kind of like the event that I am playing. That is big for me. And right now -- or when I was at Wimbledon, that was Wimbledon. And now that Wimbledon is over, you kind of put it behind you, smile about it sometimes when you think about the whole experience. But, you know, geez, now I am at the Olympics and, you know, the feeling you get when you are in the Village or when you are in a restaurant somewhere or when you are on center court or practicing, you know, geez, makes you feel like winning the gold medal would be the biggest thing in the world. I think now that I have been here a few days and won a match, I think I can get the feeling or grasp the feeling that athletes have been getting for decades when they come to the Olympics.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: I know any player that is not here in Atlanta, I know they are not having as much fun as I am. I don't care what they are doing. They could be -- no, I wouldn't say that. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: 180 miles or --

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: And what did you say at the end?

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: Well, I think in the men's game the serve is always big and especially in my game the serve is the big part of my game because when you are getting lot of free points, some aces, and some short balls, that just makes life a lot easier and I mean, I am always working on my serve.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: This is the best year of my career bar none. I think even maybe even taken away the Wimbledon success, this, I probably consider this the best year of my career. Because, you know, there have been some exciting moments. This is exciting here in Atlanta. Playing Davis Cup was, geez, as exciting as I don't know what. It stinks when you are playing Davis Cup and you don't come through, but geez, I mean, I'd like to be a part of the Davis Cup team as player, doubles player, water boy, trainer, it doesn't matter, just the whole Davis Cup experience for me is phenomenal. So you put the Olympics, Davis Cup, Wimbledon together, I mean, this is, you know, it is decent. It is fun.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: It is not -- it is definitely not like my home. It is not like it is usually is on the road. But, you know, it is a dorm life. Kind of reminds me of being at a U event for the two years that I was there. Eat in a big old mess hall; eat with a whole bunch of other guys. You got to learn to interact with, you know, other guys in tight quarters so it is a little different, but I will have to admit, I did stay in a hotel last night. I mean, the village experience is great. Geez, yesterday I ways was coming out to watch Andre's match. I kind of ran into that little transportation glitch they have been talking about (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) and, you know, it took me a good hour and 45 to get from the village to here, so I showed up about the middle of Andre's second set and I couldn't risk that today. I mean, as soon as that happened I was like, I got to, at least, the nights before my match, I got to at least stay near the court, because last thing you want is, you know, two-hour trip to the courts before you are playing.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: Yeah, I mean, that is my game. That is the basis of my game being able to, you know, approach a match different ways; whether it is serve and volleying or staying back. I mean, I didn't play -- I had a -- I would have liked to have played a little differently. I would have liked to have been a little more aggressive. Maybe that is a tribute to Jan's game. He was able to keep me at bay a little bit with his strokes or with his serve, but, you know, ultimately I think I'd like to be a little more aggressive than I was today.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: Oh, man, I was practicing with Richey a little bit this morning. We warmed up together, and I could just see it. He was -- he was a little tentative in moving. We actually hit a couple of balls yesterday afternoon, and I actually thought he was moving a little better yesterday than he was this morning, and, you know, that is -- I mean, I know for him, that has got to be a big disappointment. When you come to an event this big and are not able to give 100%, sometimes you can -- injuries you can just kind of fight through them or if you are sick, you can fight through it and the crowd will put you through, but if you just can't go, you know, there is nothing that can make you go sometimes and obviously that was the case with him with pulling out.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: I hadn't really thought about it. I think we had played once a couple of years back, Andre and I. I think we would be a pretty good team together. He doesn't play a whole lot of doubles, but I think he has had some doubles success, so, you know, I mean, whether it is Richey or whether it is Andre, we get out there and you give it everything you got.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: Well, I mean, I think first we should probably wait to see what Richey's decision is, I mean, no one even brought up playing with Andre with me at all. So as of right now, I am still playing with Richey until unless he says otherwise.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: People jeer at me a lot more. Elbow me more (kiddingly). No. I think people -- I don't know -- maybe recognize me a little more. I don't know. They talk about the streaker more. I can honestly say I get more questions about the streaker than I get about my tennis performances there which shows you where peoples' minds are at.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: Yeah, I am prepared to play two matches in a day. If a pro tennis player can't play two matches in a day maybe you shouldn't be out there playing pro tennis. I could handle two matches, I am sure... Whatever. Right now, the priority is Richey's leg. If we can get that straight, and then I think -- I know his injury. I mean, I have had something similar to that before. It is a struggle, so we will just see how it goes.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: Avoiding the heat in the third set was a big part of winning that tiebreak. I didn't want to play a third set, but, you know, I don't think anybody wants to play a third set out in this heat, but, you know, even still, I felt good about playing a third set because I don't know, I just feel good about my conditioning. I always know when I am feeling the heat a little bit, the guy I am playing against, chances are, he is feeling it a little bit more than I am, so I don't know, did Wimbledon have anything to do with it? It didn't really pop into my head. Lately I think I have been playing some pretty good tiebreaks, so when it gets to a tiebreak, I am usually feeling pretty good.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: I have seen some judo and some baseball. I saw Korea and Italy. I didn't even know Italy had a baseball team. I'd like to go see some of diving -- or some swimming some of the aquatic events. I don't know what it is, like the swimming and aquatic events, but people go nuts over it. It is absolutely amazing. I wanted to get chance to see some badminton continue. I was talking to one of the badminton team members and she was schooling me on badminton a little bit, so I mean, I don't know, I am not extremely interested in seeing the -- I mean, the Dream Team is great, but, geez, I see them all the time during the season. I'd kind of like to go to some events I have no idea about like the judo, geez, those guys -- well, those women, I mean, they are good. I mean, I don't want to get out there with them. So just a lot of events.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: Henry. Actually, I should call him Mr. Henry. I met him. He is maybe the biggest person I have ever seen in my life. That will be unforgettable.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: Mr. Henry. I call him Mr. Henry, Mark Henry. I don't know, I, you know, all the athletes there, to get to this level, they have accomplished a lot and they have worked there butts off to do it, and I mean, I just like to see athletes -- sometimes I am just in awe of the other athletes,. Some athletes I don't even know and I am just in awe of them. I am like, wow, you know, look at -- because I know what I have gone through over the years to get to this point and I am sure they have gone through just as much, or even more. Or I was watching gymnastics last night, look at the little girl - I don't know how old she was. She was a teenager, the whole gymnastics team, that was just admirable just watching them. I was in awe just watching them. I couldn't do a tenth of the stuff they do out there. I don't even know how they put their bodies in those configurations.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON: I don't know. I mean, I am me. This is me. Whether I am in the Olympics or out of the Olympics, that is kind of up to everyone else to decide if it enhances my role model ability or -- yeah, that is up to others, but I hope, you know, I mean, every time I go out on the court or when I am off the court, I hope I can project a positive something because that is me.