U.S. OPEN

September 11, 1994

Michael Stich

MICHAEL STICH: You know, first game was -- I didn't get too many first serves in the first set overall. I was very bothered by the wind today because it was just, you know, against a guy like Andre it's tough to play. Puts pressure on you once you start, stay back moving backwards and backwards, he gets all over to you. It is tough. Second, third set I had my chances, moving much better; had my chances moving better at the net; put it to him -- tried to put my game to his game. I think it evened up a little bit, and I think the thing I didn't do too well was returning; that was the key factor. I think first two sets made probably five unforced errors. He played really well.

MICHAEL STICH: No, as I said, I had trouble with the wind today. I hit like two good backhands. I was just not in the right position to hit the third one, and every time I tried to go for my backhand, I just was not-- had not the right standing to the ball. So I missed too many balls on that one. And if you play against a guy like Andre you just have to make-- especially my backhands down the line, if they would have been a little better, I would have had much more chances today. I think that would have been a good shot against him.

MICHAEL STICH: You know, the thing is, you are playing-- once you are playing against the wind and then with the wind. Against the wind, you try to hit it as hard as you can. He just played very long, very deep into the court; so I didn't have a chance to get in to the net against playing against the wind. Then all of a sudden you play with the wind just trying to hit the ball, it is going wide. Just to find rhythm, he has an advantage because he puts so much topspin on his shots, forehands, and backhands that the ball's dropping in. I am just trying to take much more risk in playing my shots and most of them just went wide, so was just not -- was just not able to get the ball deep into the court to be able to stay with him on the rallies.

MICHAEL STICH: I think he played terrific tennis. I mean, throughout the whole two weeks I was very happy for him because it was something that he probably dreamed of for a long, long time to get off the shadow of a couple of American players, and he just deserved it. He was the better player today. I can be proud of myself, I didn't give it to him. I tried to fight as long as I could. I had my chances second and third set, and if I would have won the breaker; probably the match would have. Turned, he was getting tired. I saw he was getting a little tired; little tense. If I would have maybe won that set, I would have had a better chance.

MICHAEL STICH: No. I have to say, Bumpy Frazer said at the end, I think it is just-- a stupid comment to make "the most famous tennis player in the world." It is just -- he is famous, and there are lots of good tennis players out there. Don't take one guy out of it because he just won the U.S. Open. If he would have had like tennis Grand Slam in Germany, we would have said it, but you don't say things like that. He is a great tennis player. He is an American. The tournament is played in America. Everybody is behind him. That is what is difficult to deal with. I wasn't bothered by that at all. That is just -- I mean, he is just a great player. That is about it.

MICHAEL STICH: No. That is what she said. The crowd was behind him, no question. He is an American. The tournament is played in America. The people are rooting for him. That is just what you have expect when you go out there. I wasn't bothered by it.

MICHAEL STICH: I just said it.

MICHAEL STICH: Yeah. I mean, I didn't talk to him for a half hour.

MICHAEL STICH: No.

MICHAEL STICH: No. I mean, I just know what it must be like to do it. For me, probably what he did today here is for me probably what I did in Germany. I won all tournaments in Germany. I can be very proud of that. Unfortunately, we don't have a Grand Slam in Germany, but you know, I just -- I am disappointed that I didn't win, no question about it. But as I said, I can say I gave it the best shot I was able to do today and I walked off the court with my head up.

MICHAEL STICH: No, not today. I was very focused on what I wanted to do. It didn't disturb me at all. The match started off very badly; he made two very bad calls against me and the crowd just going on. It is an American chair umpire. Tournament again is played in America, so just are taking advantage of that.

MICHAEL STICH: No. It was not today. Sometimes it does, but today it didn't.

MICHAEL STICH: No. I think I was either -- I didn't understand the question right at that time or I was misinterpreted. I don't think that the top players getting calls in their favor. I think the top players-- what is bad enough, sometimes don't get warnings or don't get fines when they say certain things or do certain things. I don't think they are getting any calls in their favor. If that would be the case, then we -- I mean, if there are chair umpires that do it; then we have a big problem. I just think that, you know, he did the best he could do and he did a good job. I wouldn't be sitting in that chair and doing this final. He must be nervous and a little scared. So those calls didn't decided the match. Just something you get upset about; you have to get rid of.

MICHAEL STICH: I knew he couldn't keep that kind of level he played in the first set. He just -- I think he didn't make one unforced error in the first set. Just played every turn -- every passing shot; everything. I told myself try to concentrate on your serve; don't worry about his service games, don't worry about your returns, just try to get your service games in. That is what I started to do, starting to serve much better and unfortunately I didn't have too many chances on his service game, but you know, as I said in the tiebreak, I was close. If I would have had that on my side, I think the match would have changed.

MICHAEL STICH: Sure. Otherwise -- I think he knows where he's hitting the ball. I am not that small.

MICHAEL STICH: No.

MICHAEL STICH: As I said, I was trying to just concentrate on my service game, trying to get couple of more first serves in and once I did that, I knew I had a chance in that second set. And I was pumped up, I was pumped up all the way. If you get, like, run over like I did in the first set, it is tough to-- I mean, get off your feet. And in the second set, as I said, second and third set were very close. I had my chances, I could have probably taken it, but he was just better on the big points.

MICHAEL STICH: I like him. I don't know him too well, but I like him. If you were to be standing out there next to him, he was just like a little kid. I mean, just like, you know, didn't know what to say, didn't know what to think. He was just so happy, and I just think he is a nice guy. He wasn't able to cope with all the things people brought up to him, and everybody was trying to make his image, companies, television, people, ATP, players, whatever, and I think the image he has is not the person he is. And that is all about it. I think to get rid of that is very, very difficult thing for a young man, and seems to-- he seems to be able to do it now a little bit better.

MICHAEL STICH: Two things, I am disappointed I didn't win, but I am very happy, I am very proud of myself that I made it to the final that I played good tennis, and hopefully I made some fans in the states with this tournament and I will be able to come back and try it again next year.

MICHAEL STICH: I think I can expect to have myself as a professional, to do that sometimes it is difficult, but I knew what I was to expected to going out there, that the people were going to root for Andre, and I just stayed focused and I am just proud of myself that I didn't give up, that I didn't give the match-- lost the second set, I was still trying to fight and still trying to get back into the match and I think he too worked very hard for the match. That is what counts for me even not having, you know, big chance to win looking back. But I always was waiting for that chance.

MICHAEL STICH: On my wrist.

MICHAEL STICH: Yeah, sure.

MICHAEL STICH: No. I wouldn't listen because he hit me on purpose, so why should he say sorry?

MICHAEL STICH: Hey, I mean, he tried to pass me a lot of times. I was moving well at the net, he couldn't get by. As I said, I am a pretty tall guy, it's not so difficult to hit me. He went for it, it was a big point.

MICHAEL STICH: Afterwards, yes.

MICHAEL STICH: They were probably not his big serves, it was probably mine. Not me, not being able to put the return in, but when it is windy like this it is very tough to play return on his serve, because you know you have to be aggressive, you have to really hit the return because otherwise he is going to be all over you with the next shot. On other hand, you play the ball just safe in, at least to have a chance to win the point and the rally, and sometimes I went for the return, I couldn't make it. Sometimes I just chipped it. He played a good point, so, his serve is very difficult to deal with, kicks wide to the back, looks slow, looks very, very easy to return, but it is pretty tough.

MICHAEL STICH: Playing tennis.

MICHAEL STICH: Lots of tournaments, enjoying myself and trying to stay in the top five.

MICHAEL STICH: Next is Davis Cup.

MICHAEL STICH: As I said, the second set probably could have been it if I would have had a little bit more luck in the break. He had that one let cord. He had for 4-2, but as I said, I thought in the third set he was getting a little bit tired, a little tense and I knew if I could maybe get to 30-All, maybe have a breakpoint I would have had a chance to break him. From that point on, if I would have got that set, it would have been very difficult for him to keep his level he played up to then, but he was just better on the day and nearly everything he did, and that is why he won.

MICHAEL STICH: No, sure, I mean, it gives you self confidence. You know that you can play good tennis and it is going to help you for sure.