U.S. OPEN

September 4, 1992

Andre Agassi

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, it was. I felt like I was hitting the ball' extremely well today. I felt like he really played well into my game. At the start, he tried to come in a lot early on. I think I answered a lot of his -- all those attempts. I think it kind of threw -- I think it changed his game plan. He started staying back, and just trying to survive points. Then I just took advantage of it by dictating. Then I felt like in the middle of the second set he tried hitting with me a little bit more, started taking more of a chance and it worked a little better for him. But, I just stayed on top of him. I had to stay focused to do that.

Q. Andre, I heard today that you signed in for the Grand Slam cup in Munich?

ANDRE AGASSI: Yes.

Q. Can you say anything or something -- you didn't show any interest two times, now, you changed your mind, why?

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I figured, you know, with the efforts that the ATP has made and the efforts that I have made with them, I felt like giving them a few years before I support something that may be a threat to them. It was enough time for them to get themselves established. I feel like now that if me playing the Grand Slam Cup is going to hurt the ATP a whole bunch, well, they don't have much to stand on anyhow. They have had a couple of years. I feel good about that.

Q. All are going a little bit against ATP?

ANDRE AGASSI: I am sorry?

Q. All are going a little bit against ATP?

ANDRE AGASSI: No, to do that, no. I have heard a lot of great things about the tournament. I want to go play it. The reason for not playing it in the past was I felt, like, you know, when ATP was in the process of really, you know, developing themselves and establishing, you know, who they are and what they are, I felt like, me supporting that and not playing was appropriate for what ATP wanted to accomplish. They have had a couple of years to do that now. I think that if me playing is going to break the ATP or hurt them, they don't have much to stand on anyhow. So, I mean, me playing or not is irrelevant, at this point.

Q. Did the other players tell you about the tournament in Munich? Did you hear from them?

ANDRE AGASSI: I heard from a few that, you know, they enjoyed it over there, and you know, that is about it, really. I am looking forward to go back. I have always played well in Munich. It is going to be fun back to play competitively there again.

Q. After having some kind of a year that started off slow, obviously, it has gone way up for you. Do you look at other players who have had -- some kind of players who had similar ups and downs, Becker for example, do you feel sympathetic? Could you feel he is on his way out because he is a bit older?

ANDRE AGASSI: I definitely feel sympathetic towards him, however I don't know if I could really identify to what Boris is going through. He is going through something you know, really, you know, late in his career for as long as he has been out here. He doesn't talk like he is going to play until he is 30 years old. He has won all his Grand Slams and he has made a lot of money and he has accomplished a lot of things. And I don't know if he is struggling with just, you know, having a slump or I don't know if he is just losing interest in the game. So, it would be tough for me to say if I could identify with what he is feeling because I am not sure what he is feeling.

Q. John McEnroe said a couple of weeks ago, I think he said it a few times now, that there is a changing of the guards in that he and Lendl and those kinds of players are clearly moving out; even players in there mid 20s like Becker and Edberg are kind of being pushed out by guys like you and Courier and Sampras, Ivanisevic. Do you think that is right?

ANDRE AGASSI: I think it is fair to say that that looks like what is happening, but you know, I think to say that is going to happen wouldn't be given enough credit to guys like Edberg and Becker you know. I think Lendl being a few years older and having a family now, I think he is probably a little more distracted than he used to be. So I don't think he is much of a threat to stay up top. As far as Edberg and Becker goes, I think any time they focused their minds they could play as good, if not better, than any of us. It is just a question of where their heads are at. I think we all are proving that we are one of the best tennis players in the world and we all deserve to have that respect.

Q. A lot of the top players seem to go through different gyrations on whether they should have an intense schedule right before a Grand Slam, or they need the time off or whatever. Have you figured out a routine on that, what works for you?

ANDRE AGASSI: Not strong enough to where I can feel like it is going to work all the time. I go so much on feel, that if I feel like I am hitting the ball extremely well, I can take off a few weeks before a Grand Slam and that would be perfect for me I am -- if I am not feeling I am hitting the ball very well, sometimes you know, you are in a catch 22. You want to play more, but you know playing more might hurt your chances at the Grand Slam. I have always played my best when I have had a few weeks off before a Grand Slam tournament.

Q. On the changing of the guard question, just to follow it up. How much of the shift to the power game has that contributed? Has that played a big role, do you think or is that just a natural--

ANDRE AGASSI: Absolutely it has played a big role. I think that is, you know, that is what tennis is coming to. Unfortunately it is coming to people who can you know, hold serve by just serving only, and you know, I mean I rely on the power game myself, but I think you know, me and Courier, probably are going to be the last of the players that can really hit from the ground and depend on their groundstrokes. I don't think we are going to see another player who is going to come up with the ranks. It certainly surprises me the way I see tennis heading.

Q. Is that bad?

ANDRE AGASSI: I think it is bad from the tennis standpoint, yeah, because I think that it is, you know, it is not enjoyable-- as enjoyable, you know, time after time, to come out and watch tennis events when all they are doing is one or two shot rallies. I think the public is going to be hurt by that, and tennis as a result is going to pay the price. So I wouldn't like to see it get that far. I would like to still know that people can come out and watch a match and see all kinds of tennis in that one match. Now it seems like they come out and watch a tennis match and it is very one dimensional.

Q. How could that be changed?

ANDRE AGASSI: I mean, there is talk about adjusting you know, making heavier balls for the serve or going to one serve or shortening the box, or you know, or sticking you know, a maximum amount of power on your first serve. There is different talks that they are doing. You know, I don't know what is fair. You know, we only know tennis for what tennis is. It is kind of tough when you go ahead and make a change, whatever change is made, if any needs to be well thought out.

Q. You know how to handle a good server; you have no problem?

ANDRE AGASSI: Take the serve away, I will have less of a problem.

Q. Are you comfortable with this tournament and everything around it?

ANDRE AGASSI: I think so. I think I can finally say I am extremely comfortable with it. I really have, you know, a good feeling about being here. You know, I think since winning Wimbledon there is a new respect level, I feel, when I am out there playing, and winning Wimbledon I think I have a new respect for this event. So it is a great give and take that I am feeling when I am playing here, and there is a lot of energy you know, staying in the city, and it is a great feel to be out here playing at the U.S. Open. I am extremely comfortable.

Q. Did things used to bother you and specifically was it just the so-called distractions that you always talk about here? What were the kinds of things you have had come with grip with?

ANDRE AGASSI: I never been a big city person most of my life. I have kind have always enjoyed more of laid back kind of atmosphere, and you don't find that here in New York, really. So I kind of struggle with that in the past, but I think I found myself changing a lot. I find myself a lot more adaptable and started to appreciate a lot more about a lot more different things.

Q. Might this be the future of tennis anyway that as there is more attention and bigger stadiums that are built that will never have certainly not at the Grand Slams, this kind of cozy country club feeling that players, after you, had better adapt to a lot of people, and all of this?

ANDRE AGASSI: Absolutely. There is no question. I don't necessarily mean when I am out on the court. I just mean the city, you are playing in, you know, it is you know, even in London as big as London is, I get a house out there close to the courts, and it is just-- you get a very, you know, sense of relaxation being here there. Here it is a different kind of relaxation, it is more of an energy you have to thrive off of the energy. It is more a question of where you are playing than how many people are watching, but definitely the more people, the tougher it is to control.

Q. Where do you stay here, Andre?

ANDRE AGASSI: I have an apartment, stay in an apartment in the city.

Q. How would will you make the transition from hard courts to red clay for Davis Cup and, two, what do you think of the choice of red clay, the surface for Davis Cup?

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, number one I think that the choice is great for what -- for our team, you know, I mean, Jim and I are arguably the best clay courters in the world. It is perfect for what we want, what would be best for our surface, so, the transition, you know, it is not extremely easy, however, you know, everybody has to make it so it is fair in that sense, and you get a lot of great practice a week a Davis Cup. After a few days you really get adjusted quick.

Q. Andre, can you clear up the debate about your reaction, right after you won the Wimbledon title, and some people have suggested that Nick kind of orchestrated that, can you comment on that?

ANDRE AGASSI: I don't think there is much to comment about. Honestly, if I need to clear that up, if people can believe that, there is-- they can believe anything, you know, so, there is nothing to clear up there. If you aren't sure about it, just watch it again.

Q. Andre, Jimmy Connors has he comes in here he is always talking about how the younger players, they don't have the drive that the old timers have and that they get settled and the money sort of spoils them. They don't really go after number one and it is just different. What do you think about that?

ANDRE AGASSI: I never find myself at liberty to talk about other people, so I only speak for myself. I find myself not feeling that way at all.

Q. Thank you.

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