US OPEN

August 25, 1997

Michael Sell

Q. Did you get iced down, Mike?

MICHAEL SELL: Stretched out a bit.

MICHAEL SELL: Qualifying. I started Wednesday.

MICHAEL SELL: Bronx Challenger.

MICHAEL SELL: Very active.

MICHAEL SELL: The past week? Five in the Bronx for singles, four in doubles that week, and then three here. It's been a busy week.

MICHAEL SELL: Well, I was here last year. I lost in the second round quallies.

MICHAEL SELL: Yes. Playing in a Grand Slam is great. The Bronx Challenger last week when I won, helped me a lot with confidence, realized I could play with the big players. I knew coming in here if I could play my game, hit my shots, you know, I could do pretty well. So far it's happened that way.

MICHAEL SELL: Yes, sir.

MICHAEL SELL: David Witt. We got a wildcard.

MICHAEL SELL: Yes.

MICHAEL SELL: Never played with him before. Played him a bunch of times in singles, but never in doubles.

MICHAEL SELL: I think I play the winner of another qualifier. I don't know the name of that, and Daniel Vacek.

MICHAEL SELL: Yes.

MICHAEL SELL: Sophomore and senior. '89 and '91.

MICHAEL SELL: For three years I went to the Round of 16. One year I went to the quarterfinals.

MICHAEL SELL: Yes.

MICHAEL SELL: I was ranked low 300s, high 200s, getting involved in the system, playing a few satellites, Challengers, to get up there where I could play.

MICHAEL SELL: Yeah. It's a long process for most people. I had to go through it. Hopefully I'm in the very latter part of it so I can play Challengers and Grand Prixs, so forth.

MICHAEL SELL: I thought it was good. I moved really well. Cecil is a good friend of mine. I knew we'd have a lot of long rallies. Going into it, I knew I'd have to dictate play and go for my shots, which I did today.

MICHAEL SELL: I wasn't ready to give it up. You know, I had another six months to a year. I mean, it entered my mind, you know, a little bit, but not to a point where I was going to give it up if I didn't do well the next couple months.

MICHAEL SELL: Yes.

MICHAEL SELL: Three sisters. The oldest sister, Jenny is the head coach at North Carolina State University; my middle sister, Kris is a junior at Kansas playing tennis; my littlest sister, Kathy is going to play for Duke next year.

MICHAEL SELL: Allen Ma.

MICHAEL SELL: Yeah. Once I got to the main draw, my great friends from home all came up, my family was here, they were pretty rowdy, really got me going when I lost the second set, really pumped me up and gave me a lot of energy. So I really thank them for this. They got me through it.

MICHAEL SELL: Well, I mean, playing a satellite, you know, you don't play a great place. The courts are cracked. Sometimes it's just not a good place. The Challenger level is a little bit better. You finally get line judges and things like that. Here, being an American, playing at the US Open, is a dream. You know, once I got in, I wanted to prove that I belong here and see how far I can go.

MICHAEL SELL: Which one was that?

MICHAEL SELL: Flushing Meadows, no, I did not. I was injured. I tore a groin muscle at the French Open this year.

MICHAEL SELL: Yeah, uh-huh.

MICHAEL SELL: The Bronx Challenger?

MICHAEL SELL: No. I played two previous Challengers.

MICHAEL SELL: I'd say. I'd say my confidence is the highest it's been. I wanted to peak here at the US Open. Playing a couple Challengers before this really helped me out with my confidence. To really pull it together is a thrill.

MICHAEL SELL: I think so. Now that I know that I can qualify in a round, see how far I can go at a Grand Slam, knowing I can beat the top players in the field, I know I can do it every week. Every week I won't do it, but I know I can do it every week, every time I step on the court.

MICHAEL SELL: I would love to be Top 100. That's my ultimate goal. But, you know, in December, I wouldn't mind being in the low 100s, mid 100s, to get me a strong start for the new year. But I'm just going to reevaluate where I am after a year and go from there.

MICHAEL SELL: I did not.

MICHAEL SELL: Uh-huh.

MICHAEL SELL: Oh, I'd be happy. I'm sure when I got to 99, I'd want to be 50. If I got to 50, I'd want to be 30, so forth. I will never be satisfied really until I'm obviously No. 1. But, no, I won't be satisfied once I get -- I'll be thrilled, but I won't be satisfied.

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