US OPEN

August 30, 2002

Paradorn Srichaphan

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, the fourth set is if he lost that set, I could finish the match. I just try to win one tiebreak. Second and third I lost in the tiebreaker. Then finally I won the fourth. And, I mean, after that, really tight. I was -- let it go too far in the fifth because I was down double break.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I'm okay. But, you know, it's gonna be better if I can just put everything together. Because in the fifth, he's still strong. He's good player. His serve's too big from the beginning to the end. It's tough to read his serve. It's pretty kick on his serve.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, yeah. I mean, I have great summer. You know, second round US Open, play Rusedski in second round. It's just, I mean, it's tough draw. I was playing my best today. I just enjoy it. It was fun. I mean, it was fun out there to play one of the best player Rusedski, and took it five sets. And close, I mean, 6-4 in the fifth. I was trying my best to come back. Almost get back, he's tough.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah. We going to play in England on September. We play in England. I think I gonna play great again. This is like good practice for Davis Cup, too, you know.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah. I learn a lot of thing today from him. I mean, because this is like second meeting, but last year was two years ago.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: It's still gonna be tough, you know. I have to put everything together and I have to play really well to, I mean, to win over Greg.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I play him three times. I lost to him three times: Twice on grass, and one on hard court.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah, you know, just like I'm saying, I have to like, you know, make little mistake and then playing the right shot at the right time. So just mean that I have to put everything together and keep holding my serve. Then especially my physical, gonna be stronger. Have to be stronger, too.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I might play doubles, too, but I'm not sure yet.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, for sure I gonna play two singles. I'm sure that I want to keep myself fresh for two singles. So I might not play doubles.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Actually my brother's playing doubles, too.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Is second single, ranking like 220. Playing like challenger level. He's not a bad player, he's 21 years old. He's upcoming player. But compared to Greg and Tim, he's still far to go from them. You know, we just gonna go there and enjoy our first time to play qualifying for the World Group. That's it.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: My brother, I think he gonna play doubles. I always practicing with him when I'm going back home. So I think he keep practicing hard.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: He's 28.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah. I'm the youngest.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah. He was Top 10 when he was junior. Then he decided to go to school. So, you know, he can't do two things the same time. So he just quit -- not really quit, but he go to school and just keep playing same time. So he just play for Davis Cup now.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Naratorn.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: That is how it started. My father was watching a lot of tape, videotape of match. You know, the teacher from -- the videotape, just, you know, the match.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah, my father have experience for like 30 years, over 30 years, because I have two older brothers and they both Top 10 in junior, too. I have to say that. And, you know, they both do the same thing. Because they want still to go to school same time. Then for finally, when I finish the Juniors, I just stop school and I'll go this way. So doesn't make difference.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Well, you know, is winning color, you know. I try everything (smiling). Just kind of believe. But I'm not believe that if I put it I'm gonna win it. "Okay, let's finish with the red one."

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I think so, yeah. I think so (smiling).

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Not really. I gonna finish it (smiling).

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: It used to be -- it's getting bigger and bigger, especially right now. Especially when I'm doing well. That match was live back to Thailand, too. Every match for the last two weeks - I play semifinal in Washington and final in Long Island - the match, it was live on TV. People was following and exciting about it. So a lot of Juniors starting to play, and there's a lot of good junior but they just making the decision when they finish the junior that they're going to go to school or they're going to go to this way. I think, you know, I might give them some idea that, "Try this way first, then try it for a couple years, two or three years. If not work, come back to school."

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I would say so, yeah. But still tough.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I just know that last week in the press room Tiger was wearing the red on Sunday or the last match Sunday. But, I mean, for Thai people, the red color, actually wearing it on Sunday -- because Sunday is for red and then Monday is for yellow and Tuesday I'm not sure (smiling). But I'm sure Sunday is red, you know.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: I always enjoy it so much. You know, after third set, the people start to coming more after the Grandstand finish. I hope they enjoy it. Is looks so. Is lot of Thai people out there, too.

PARADORN SRICHAPHAN: Yeah. They have, you know, a lot of Thai people in England. So I think maybe make some announcements, they should come.