THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 24, 1996

Vincent Spadea

VINCE SPADEA: Okay. Let me think here. I was just trying to go into the match trying to be focused and zero in on my game plan and, you know, just play relaxed. I was a little bit anxious out there throughout the first set in terms of just, you know, thinking about an outcome rather than just focusing on the point at hand. But I did a good job of staying relatively composed and I didn't do too many things that distracted my concentration or anything. But I just thought, you know, it was sort of a grind match where it was like, we would make some shots, miss some shots and serve well, doublefault and, you know, kind of -- so it was just a matter of mentally just bearing down and focusing on every ball and not worrying about what has gone right or wrong. I was dealing with the fact that I was trying to come off a big win and then playing a player who is dangerous, but not someone who has been inside 20 or somebody who is a seed, so there was that sort of pressure involved, so there were a number of factors there that I was dealing with along with just the fact of the tennis game. I felt I was hitting the ball adequately well, but, you know, there were just some things that, you know, I was glad that I was able to get on him in the second set and play pretty consistently. He's sort of a hit-and-miss-type player, so you don't expect to have a really smooth-flowing match with a guy like that, and I think I handled it pretty well. I am happy with what happened.

VINCE SPADEA: Yes. I was a little irritated that I didn't -- I was -- I wasn't really that -- let me think here. Yeah, I was irritated, but I wasn't like, you know, this is it. I was still confident that I could break him because, you know, I just feel like I am returning real well. If the guy is not hitting a big serve on the line, I have every opportunity to win the game. So when you have that confidence factor, the service games aren't as critical, although they should -- although they need to be to get to the top level. They need to be held a little bit more convincingly than I did today, but that might also have to do with some of the fact that I rely so much on my return that I sort of take a breather and not zero in game in, game out on my serve. I was just trying to get every point and not worry about, "Oh, am I going to win or lose," you know, just trying to get my game plan and keep moving him.

VINCE SPADEA: Yeah, exactly. Actually, when I went out for those balls aggressively, but I had a little bit of doubt for some reason and I think that was just the anxiety where I was just thinking about winning the set and wrapping it up and going on, whereas like yesterday it happened a little bit in the second set, but I think I learn from it, and I did at 5-All. Then when I closed out the match at 5-2, I had a lot more confidence and went after my shots just a little bit more relaxed, but yet aggressive. He was hitting a lot -- he didn't miss too many balls at 5-4 and he, you know-- I sort of got tentative, and that's the nature of competition, when you are ready to close out a winner.

VINCE SPADEA: Yeah, you are thinking about that constantly and you try to focus on the point at hand, but you turn it into positive energy for yourself and allow it to help you play better and to overcome everything that's happening.

VINCE SPADEA: Yes.

VINCE SPADEA: Yes.

VINCE SPADEA: No.

VINCE SPADEA: Has not.

VINCE SPADEA: Yes.

VINCE SPADEA: For this particular tournament -- to tell you the truth, I mean, I have a lot of people telling me some of their thoughts and their game plan. Robert Seguso has been helping me out for this tournament, along with my dad and, you know, when push comes to shove, my dad's advice is usually something that comes through in the end.

VINCE SPADEA: Does he?

VINCE SPADEA: No. He just sort of watches enough and tries to ask around, just -- he can sort of tell how the flow of the match is going and what I'm doing.

VINCE SPADEA: Well, I just needed -- he just wanted to make sure I was moving the guy and not allowing him to dictate the shots, because his forehand is pretty powerful and he can hit a winner from any part of the court with that side. So it was critical for me to go in, and if I was going to hit the ball into that corner, to hit it with some depth and with some power. And then that would open up maybe the backhand side, which he is not as consistent on, so, you know, and it is just a matter of me keeping my footwork going and not worrying about the circumstance and just worrying about my own execution. That's the whole idea out there, just trying to get on top of the guy because things are going to go your way and you are going to have crazy points that go your way and then some that don't, so you have to persevere through everything that goes on out there and just using your strategy as a guide.

VINCE SPADEA: Oh, I got a different one today.

VINCE SPADEA: Yeah, exactly.

VINCE SPADEA: Of course, yes, he is a professional coach, I qualify him.

VINCE SPADEA: I had never. Never hit with him, never seen him.

VINCE SPADEA: Obviously he has a powerful game, he serves big, he likes his forehand. He comes in, tries to play aggressive. I think I match up well against him. I am hitting the ball solid on both sides, returning well. I just need to keep moving and just keep fighting and, you know, hopefully I will be able to play better that day. But, you know, he is going to hit his great shots because that's why he is where he is and hopefully I will be able to execute what I do well.

VINCE SPADEA: Yeah, you're right, so -- what do you want me to say? You're right.

VINCE SPADEA: Right, exactly. I think I've been on the tour long enough even if I played him in the first round that, you know, he would find his --

VINCE SPADEA: U.S. Open.

VINCE SPADEA: Yeah, save it for the good ones, make them count. Yeah, I mean, I think I just, you know, made a step forward today. I mean, like Charles was saying yesterday about the U.S. Open, I went up against -- I beat a top player and then I came back and didn't play a great match there and today I was able to improve on that, so I think that's the important thing, whether I hit the ball unbelievably, or, you know, play great or play terrible, it was irrelevant. It is the fact that I was able to emotionally get up for the match and consistently stay tough throughout.

VINCE SPADEA: Yeah, I mean, I have my style of game and he has his. Usually when top players go at it, they don't really adjust too much. It is just styles going against each other and it is matter of who is better that day. I mean, it will be interesting.

VINCE SPADEA: That point was -- that was kind of scary actually. It was 30-All and it was going to be break point if I lost that point, and this guy kept getting this ball back. I played with him in doubles and I was like where did those reflexes go -- no, but I didn't get up too well for the overhead. I have a tendency to get a little bit, you know, nonchalant and just not really blast them. I just let up. I thought I had an overhead, the guy was just going to turn his back or something, in fact, he was in my face and we are sitting here and I am hitting like passing shot, you know, hey, any way you can win the point, that's what I am talking about; some go your way. If I lost that, I would have to have regrouped and try to win the next one, you know. I mean, he hit some good shots. I didn't blast them at him. There aren't many guys that are going to start blasting three overheads in a row, right? I mean, would you have done it?

VINCE SPADEA: Just hit it where they ain't, I guess.