VOLVO MONTE-CARLO OPEN

April 20, 1994

Michael Stich

MICHAEL STICH: Winning, it is always good. The performance is not 100%, but I think it is getting better and better and I am happy I am in the round of 16.

MICHAEL STICH: He beat me once on clay; once indoors and I beat him once indoors, so I can say a lot of things. Tomorrow is another day and I will find out - if he wins.

MICHAEL STICH: I think we had those questions like for the last five years. It is always the same. I am playing my game. I have to play aggressive. I have to play serve and volley and sometimes you have to adjust a bit to your opponent, but basically if I start playing high topspin balls from the baseline, I am not going to win to many matches on clay.

MICHAEL STICH: I was surprised because I saw the first set and I think that he played really well in the first set, but I mean, everybody knows Andre, he is always having his problems in the first rounds of tournaments. Once he gets like past second or third round, he is always, I mean, a favorite for the title of the tournament, but to get by those first two rounds, seems to be very difficult a couple of times for him, but I don't think that it is going to damage his game at all. I mean, he is a great clay court player. He knows what he has to do. He has been in the French finals twice, so -- and I think he will be ready for the French Open. I think that is his biggest goal.

MICHAEL STICH: Let us put that one -- Stefan had the chance to win the French once. I think me and Boris in 91 were both at the semis. We had a chance at least to go to the finals. The aggressive players always take more risk than the baseliners, obviously, because you have to take the ball early. You have to go for your shots, to come to the net, and if you don't have a good day, the whole game can be just destroyed. I mean, it was the same with me last year. Played the first three rounds, I played great -- played good serve and volley; then I had a day where not too many things came together and I lost to a guy like Prpic, so I think that makes a bit of a difference, if there is one player who is going to have a great, great two weeks. Let us put it like if Pete plays like the way he plays right now, he is playing very consistent; serving well, I think there is still a very, very good chance for one of us to win the French, and you have to say, Courier and Agassi, those guys are not really baseliners who just are like looping in the ball and waiting for the mistakes. They are playing very aggressive too and trying to win the points and not waiting for the other's mistakes.