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XXVI OLYMPIC GAMESJuly 25, 1996Sargis SargsianATLANTA, GEORGIA Q. You had him down you a matchpoint at one point. What happened on that point and what was your strategy? SARGIS SARGSIAN: Well, in that whole game, I mean, I missed almost every first serve. I mean, just missing every first serve and the last point, I just went for it. I figured I should serve and volley, so I mean, I was pretty tight a little. He hit a great passing shot. Q. How difficult were the rain delays to keep the momentum going? It kept raining. SARGIS SARGSIAN: I don't know, maybe it was better for me because after I won the first set, I was -- kind of took it easy in the beginning. So, I mean, the rain delay might have been better for me. Can't really tell. Q. You looked like you were pretty confident in the beginning of the second set. Could it have been partly because of where you were, considering you won your title here down the road not too long ago. Were you confident during the match? SARGIS SARGSIAN: Not really. I mean, this was a long time ago. How can I gain confidence from that? Q. But, I mean, do you feel comfortable here in the environment? A lot of athletes are complaining because of the weather and the location. Are you comfortable here? SARGIS SARGSIAN: Yeah, I mean, I am very comfortable. I like everything. It is fun to play here. I don't play tournaments like this every week, so.... Q. What does it feel like representing your country? I guess this is the first time that an Armenian has been represented as its own nation on its own? SARGIS SARGSIAN: Yeah, it's the first time in the Olympics. Q. Is it a special feeling at all for you to play for your country? SARGIS SARGSIAN: Yeah, I mean, obviously, it is special, but it is not like -- it is not as special as it should be, I would say, but it is pretty special. Q. Can you explain that? Obviously you went to school here in the United States. Do you maintain a lot of contact with people, family or friends in your home country? SARGIS SARGSIAN: Not a lot of contact. I mean, for the last three years I have been here, and I haven't been calling too much, and actually I didn't have too much money to call because I was in school. Q. I'm representing the Connecticut media. I am their pool reporter today, so I wanted to ask you about coming to New Haven. You have a wild card into the Pilot Pen International. That is your home court, obviously, in a way - you live up the road in Orange. How do you feel about coming back there after a year away playing in that tournament? SARGIS SARGSIAN: Yeah, I am really looking forward to it and I mean, I know a lot of people there, a lot of fans, so..... And I really like the courts. It is probably one of my favorite tournaments. Last year I didn't play there because I had a wildcard in Annapolis, so I am very happy about the wildcard this year. Q. Do you think you will get more of a cheering section there because you know so many people in the area than you did here even though the crowd has been quite loud at the Olympics? SARGIS SARGSIAN: I don't know. It will be the same - (LAUGHS) - I think. Q. Are the Mansourians going to round up lots of people to come and cheer for you? SARGIS SARGSIAN: They are going to round up the max number - as much as they can. There will be a lot of people cheering for me, I think. Q. You have had a couple of big wins at the U.S. Open; last year, obviously, with Medvedev. What does it take to consistently get those wins to make the difference today to start to knock off more of those top 10 type players? SARGIS SARGSIAN: See, it is just like this was -- I mean, even though I lost, but this is a very good experience for me, you know I mean, if he would have been top 10, I probably would have put him away at 5-4, so it is different when you play these guys. It comes to the end; you get a little tight, but it is good. This was the first time I was playing on stadium with so many people and I think I handled it pretty well, so, I mean, this was a good match for me. Q. Do you think that is what it was, just you were a little tight or did his concentration come back because in the second set it looked like you had it mentally as well as everything else? SARGIS SARGSIAN: No, I mean, overall I was playing really well and after that game and totally in the third set, I mean, my first serve percentage, I don't know what is it, but it was pretty bad, I bet. I mean, that is the only reason I would give it -- I mean, it went the other way, you know. Q. Are you planning to live in the U.S. indefinitely now? Is that really your home base or can you go back and forth to Armenia? Do you go back and forth? SARGIS SARGSIAN: I mean, I can go back and forth. I was there two months ago, actually, playing Davis Cup, but the reason I am not going back, it is not too many players to practice there, and there are not -- it is not a good environment for tennis players, you know, so hopefully some day it will be better and I can -- I will go back for like for months of practice or so, but..... Q. Do you still train out at the Palmer Academy or not? SARGIS SARGSIAN: I go there whenever I have free time. I really like the coach there Joe Brandy (ph) so I don't get much time free, but whenever I have a couple of weeks I go there. End of FastScripts... |
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