U.S. OPEN

September 10, 1994

Michael Stich

MICHAEL STICH: Sure.

MICHAEL STICH: I didn't win yet, so I can't tell. But I am feeling very happy that I am in the finals. It is much more than I thought of coming into this tournament, and yeah, it is one match to go. I am trying to give it the best I can.

MICHAEL STICH: Maybe I am playing better than the past years or the guys are playing worst than they did before.

MICHAEL STICH: Yeah. As I said, I think I found the style of game I should play on this hard court, and I am really-- I am trying to find the right tactics here with the opponents I am playing. It just worked out very well.

MICHAEL STICH: Just the fact that I am not rushing all my shots. That I am staying at the back; that I try to play like four, five, six shots; then just pick the ball to come into the net and be aggressive; not like as I used to do the years before - try to come in fast to the net as I could, and just rushing a lot of balls and making a lot of un unforced errors.

MICHAEL STICH: Don't worry about it.

MICHAEL STICH: No. It really doesn't matter. I am in the finals; I can't choose anyway. I don't have a great record against Andre. Actually, I never beat him. But you know, being in the finals, just should pump me up so much, and being ready to give 110 percent. If my opponent is better than I am, then I have to accept it. But I am willing to give 110 percent, and that is what I am trying to do.

MICHAEL STICH: No, I mean, today I was just happy I could go out at 11:00 because I knew what time I was playing, and I was very nervous when I came out. It was Karel and probably the stadium is packed; then it makes it even more nervous because the people expect-- a lot of people expecting a lot of good tennis. In the morning, the stadium was like quarter full, maybe not even, and people just coming in. So it was like, you know, it was like the warming up session for the day, and I didn't -- I didn't really mind.

MICHAEL STICH: I had a lot of good things happening this year as well, so I didn't think about the bad ones.

MICHAEL STICH: Yeah, but I think I am old enough to put those things behind me. It is not like I am thinking about it two months and saying, oh, you played so bad. I lost against somebody who played better on the day, and I learned to accept those things. It still-- it was very disappointing, but it was not the end of the world. Everybody was trying to tell me how bad I am playing in the Slams and I can't take the pressure now I am in the finals, so it is, you know, all these experts call themselves experts; they are not experts.

MICHAEL STICH: You know, it is the last Grand Slam and I tried to do as good as I could. I played very well, and you have to have those weeks when it comes together for two weeks; you have to have the luck; you need luck. You need to play well. You need to have a good draw sometimes, and all the things came together those two weeks, and here I am. Next time I might play, you know, I could have played first round against Andre; could have been out in the first round, so I mean, everything worked well those two weeks for me, and I am very happy about it.

MICHAEL STICH: No, not right now because I am already starting to try to focus on the next match because it is one more match, but for sure, when this tournament is finished, you go home; then you feel like yeah, I am proud of myself. I am proud to be in the finals here having a chance to go for the title and it is just a great feeling. And when you have some days off you can just think about it; then it makes you feel very good and just gives you a lot of confidence and the next tournaments are going to be much easier.

MICHAEL STICH: Just came to me. It appeared. No, I didn't do too well in the last couple of years, and I knew the way I was playing like last year, so I thought I should change something, and I tried it in practice; I felt very comfortable with it. The two tournaments I played before I played here I played that style and it paid off. If I would have lost probably like once first round and quarterfinals, it would have not changed it. It paid off. It worked and so I kept it and it is doing pretty good.

MICHAEL STICH: Yeah.

MICHAEL STICH: It is, sure. You can't fulfill that expectation you put on yourself, but if I wouldn't be a perfectionist, I wouldn't be in tennis what I am right now. I have to try to play the best tennis I possibly can and if I come off the court and say that is the best tennis you are capable of playing, then that is what I really want to achieve by the end of my career; that I have a match where I say, or a tournament where I say that was it; you can't play better than this. To do that you have to be a perfectionist, and to try to improve and to do everything better than you did the day before.

MICHAEL STICH: I think it is easier to get a little bit of more relaxed once you get to the quarters and semis because you achieved already something. But you know, the first round is always difficult because people expect you to win; you expect yourself to win probably, so once you get like through the first two or three rounds, it is just a good feeling, everything is like a bonus here, every match you win afterwards. For sure, I mean, the match normally not getting easier, but it is just, you know, just a feeling to be there to be in the semifinals; just a great feeling, so that gives you a little bit of you know, confidence. You need to go into the matches and not to think about, you know, it's a semifinal; I have to do well, I am playing a good opponent; just having fun and enjoying it to be in the semifinals.

MICHAEL STICH: No, I am just going to spend the night as I spend every night, and just try not to think too much about tomorrow. For sure, I am going to think about the opponent I am playing, because I have to find a way to beat him, but I am not going to make myself crazy about the match tomorrow.

MICHAEL STICH: It has too. I can't change it now.

MICHAEL STICH: Yeah. I am happy to be the underdog. I mean, Andre, I think, now expects himself to win the title. I mean, that is what he always says, and I mean, that shows how much confidence he has. And you know, his record against me is just very good, and so I don't -- I have nothing to lose. I mean, everybody expects him to win and that just puts much more pressure on him and the people are going to be behind him, but I am trying to play. It doesn't matter who I play because it is going to be an American in the final anyway, but I am trying to give them a good fight and just do the best I can.

MICHAEL STICH: I think, I don't know, I think I played him once or twice. I think I won both matches.

MICHAEL STICH: It was very difficult. I mean, it was obvious that I think every break that was achieved was with the wind, so every time you were serving against the wind, you know, it was tough to put pressure on your opponent. I mean, I was lucky that my serve helped me out especially at the end very much, and for me, I think it is a little easier because I can play a little bit more with my wrist. I can improvise my shots a little bit more than Karel can, because he has a big swing on his forehand; big swing on his backhand. He has to do those shots, when it is getting windy like that, it is much tougher for a guy like him to adjust and to get into the right position, but it was tough to play, no question.

MICHAEL STICH: I have to. I am in the finals and as I said, I am going to be 150 percent if you want.

MICHAEL STICH: Spending money. It is a good city to spend money. That is why I am in the finals. I need the money back.

MICHAEL STICH: I don't tell you.

MICHAEL STICH: You can't compare it. I mean, everybody tries to compare it with Wimbledon or with Master. It is 1994. I am playing really well right now. I am very confident and I played very well throughout the whole year. Had bad tournaments; had very good tournaments but this tournament, I am feeling very confident and I am playing good tennis, but I think I have played better matches than I have so far. But I am in the final.

MICHAEL STICH: It is going to be -- I know that they are going to be in favor of the American guy, but I think when I am playing very good tennis and I show the people that I am not going to give it away, I think they are going to appreciate the way I am going to play. That is what I am trying to do and there are going to be some people for me and mostly for the American. I don't worry bit. I have to focus on my game and just -- that is my job what I have to do out there.