U.S. OPEN

September 5, 1995

Michael Stich

MICHAEL STICH: No, I know how he plays and I just think I got off to a very bad start. He played really well. He didn't make any unforced errors; then I was just after, from the third set on, I was just in charge. I changed my style. I went for more, and I had my chance in the fifth set, that breakpoint for 2-1 I just gave it away, unconcentrated, and I played a poor game. I made two -- I made a doublefault. Missed an easy volley and he played a lucky lob, let us say, from a volley that bounced on the line, but he hung in there and, you know, he won. I think it was very even match taking all five sets, but unfortunately, I am not in the next round.

MICHAEL STICH: I don't know if it is very good because he doesn't have any reach, but the problem was I wasn't serving well at all and he played everything inside the baseline and I played everything to him behind. He came in on shots normally he wouldn't come in, but everything that came on the service line, he just took advantage of. It just came in and, you know, played his shots and I just didn't get my rythym, but as I said, from the third set on, I think I was in charge of the match. I had my chances in the fifth set, just didn't take them. But nothing was him as the way he plays or anything. It was just, you know-- doesn't make any difference, actually.

MICHAEL STICH: No, he beat Enqvist. He beat Bjorkman. He beat me now. He must have been playing really well. But I still think after the second set, I should have won the match today and I, you know, I am playing loose shot on breakpoint; gave it away in the fifth set, and that is a disappointing part, but after two sets, being down two sets to Love I kept fighting; I hung in there. I needed to turn it around and more disappointing it is when you come off the court as a loser.

MICHAEL STICH: I don't under understand the question.

MICHAEL STICH: I -- off days, what do you mean was an off day? When you have good days, you have bad days, you have good days. When you get up and you have bad days, can you tell me why? I can't tell you why that is. But it just happens, and I don't want to say that I had a bad day today because then I wouldn't have lost in five sets. I just played two very bad first two sets and that is it. But that has nothing to do with an off day or on day, or whatever.

MICHAEL STICH: No -- yeah, probably. I just felt so much in charge of the match at that stage of the match and having an easy shot for a easy forehand passing shot, I just didn't make it and maybe it was -- I was too confident and making, yeah, be very easy mistakes in my service game there, he took advantage of it. I had so many chances in the fifth set. I came into the net; had the volley on my racket; just didn't make it. You know, that is tennis.

MICHAEL STICH: I just could talk about this match today and I don't think that, you know, taking the fifth set that he really, really won it, I mean, it is always difficult to say. As I said three times now, I make those mistakes; I gave it to him. That service game, that break, and he took advantage of it and you still have to serve for the match. You still have to serve -- hold your serve; that speaks for good mental condition, but I have nothing else to say about that.

MICHAEL STICH: No, I played two good matches. I had a tough one the second round, but I was very confident, feeling good and, you know, it sounds like you asking those questions, that I played bad today. I don't think I did. Overall, I think I played a very tough match. I hung in there. I played -- nearly got out of the situation and, you know, I was just playing confident. But so was he. I mean, first two sets he was really in charge and -- but I felt so good that I thought I believed that I would go further than that.

MICHAEL STICH: I don't care about that right now.

MICHAEL STICH: I think it was great atmosphere. I think they wanted me to stay in there, to hang in there. Once I did that, winning the third, and fourth set, you know, I was playing great tennis and I think the people appreciated it and then when it always comes to a fifth set, I mean, it is just mixed feelings, but I played a great tournament here last year; maybe I made some fans, I made some people who like my style of tennis maybe those people were out there today, especially.

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