U.S. OPEN

September 5, 1993

Mats Wilander

MATS WILANDER: Sort of, but I think that big difference is against somebody like Pioline, you don't really have that much of a chance to get into a rhythm, and against Pernfors, I had a chance to play a streak. I played a couple of good games. And when I was playing good, you have a chance to break his serve all the time. But with Pioline you might feel good, but he hits a couple of aces and few winners and just takes a minute per game sometimes and I am not sharp enough to be able to take advantage when I have 15-30 every time. So I don't know, it is just a little bit too far for me today.

MATS WILANDER: When I am out there, it feels like it would be nice to know that I am a serving a little bit better and not miss easy shots at breakpoints, or game points or whatever.

MATS WILANDER: Yeah, I felt okay. I think it was just missing a night's sleep was the hardest thing, but that is the U.S. Open, I guess.

MATS WILANDER: I think so. I think he has got a very good game and I mean, he has got all his shots and going to play both sides and he serves well. I am not sure, maybe Courier hits with too much power and depth possibly, but no, he is a very good player and I think if he plays well, he has got a good chance. I can't really say if -- obviously will be the favorite. And I haven't played Courier so I am not really sure how good Courier is but...

MATS WILANDER: I don't know. I will go to Connecticut and hang out; whether I play tennis later, I am not sure.

MATS WILANDER: I thought I played pretty well in all three matches overall. I thought today I played maybe not as well as against Pernfors, but then again I lost my serve once in each set and I am used to doing that and I did that in both the other matches, just Pioline served a little bit better than I expected and just didn't really give me a chance to break.

MATS WILANDER: No, I mean, I enjoyed it. I think this is -- I mean, the Grand Slams are the ultimate tennis tournaments for any player, I would think, so it is the motivation. If you don't get motivated here, then you shouldn't definitely play anymore.

MATS WILANDER: Yeah, never fun to lose. I enjoyed it. Yeah, I did better than I expected, so --

MATS WILANDER: No, I think I was -- I was satisfied that I could stay in the match for that long and still feel pretty good at the end of the match and I was also glad that I could keep focused for that long, I guess. Then again, the day after it doesn't really feel like you played the night before. Physically you feel like it, but mentally the match, the day after the match, is gone. You remember a couple of points here and there, but eventually it will be just one of the good matches.

MATS WILANDER: Yeah. Yeah. I never got into bed, so --

MATS WILANDER: Last year I was here watching a little bit, yeah. The year before, I am not sure, I might have been here too watching it. I don't know.

MATS WILANDER: Miss sitting in the stands -- no, I didn't miss it. Then I would have kept playing. I don't really -- there is no reason why I play now because I miss it. I think that is another wrong reason to play just because you miss it. I just enjoy playing and it is -- I have a lot more fun to play now than it was five, six years ago. But when you don't put the same amount of pressure on yourself, but, you know, if you want to be in the position and you did what you thought you could do, then it is, I guess, a lot easier to have that attitude that I have now.

MATS WILANDER: Ask her what she means. I mean, hanging out for me is just being home and play tennis one day and golf the same day, maybe just take care of my family.

MATS WILANDER: I think that she is happy that, you know, that I have decided to play a little bit and she supports whatever decision I want to take. Ultimate decision is going to be mine. If I don't want to play, then it doesn't matter how many people want me to play. That is not going to happen. And if everybody thinks I shouldn't play and I want to play, then I am going to play.

MATS WILANDER: Yeah. Yeah. I think that the difference between -- actually the same player can hit such a great shot and then for a moment he can hit such a bad shot and it is very discouraging for me to be playing the way I played to play against guys that-- they can hit backhands winners at 150 miles an hour and then the next moment you hit a second serve and they hit a slice that hits the fence. And sometimes I walk around and say, God, this guy can't play at all and then sometimes, bang, bang, bang, and he breaks you and then you wonder what happened. So it has changed a little bit, yeah, I don't remember feeling as helpless before as you can do these days.

MATS WILANDER: Most probably, yeah.

MATS WILANDER: No.

MATS WILANDER: Yes.