DAVIS CUP - NETHERLANDS vs USA

April 3, 1997

Sjeng Schalken

Q You seemed a little amused when Vic was talking about how this was a new experience for the Dutch and as far as getting into the cut --

PAUL HAARHUIS: I think this is the fifth time we are in the quarterfinals in the last six years, so this is not new for us. Although, what he meant was that it is definitely new for us if we were to go as far as the Finals and winning something like Davis Cup because that is what the America has done many times before. We have never done that. No -- but, I was just also was enjoying his speech. I mean, it was terrific. I really enjoyed it. It was very good. I went to him afterwards and --

COACH FRANKER: He is struggling on the Tour, but that doesn't mean necessarily mean he is going to struggle in a Davis Cup. Davis Cup is totally different from the Tour. Andre has proven, by winning the Olympics for instance, that even in a bad year he can come out and, you know, pull a WIN like that. I am looking forward to the match. Sjeng is our youngest Davis Cup player. He is inexperienced at playing Davis Cup, but I think he is ready to do something big this weekend.

COACH FRANKER: Definitely.

COACH FRANKER: Yes. I wouldn't want him to sit and wait into the match because this is the first time he is going to play a big match like this.

PAUL HAARHUIS: He was there when we played Rumania. I think that is twice as much as what he expects tomorrow. So, you know, he is just going to go out there, just hit those balls on the lines and --

PAUL HAARHUIS: That is basically it. That is what he is going to do tomorrow. We are all going to be clapping. I think he will keep the crowd a little bit quiet. They will be awed, I think, so this young boy will do it.

SJENG SCHALKEN: I played him one time before. It was a tough match. But, I lost to him. I was happy to get a set. It was one year ago. I don't know. I will just go out and play and try my best.

JACCO ELTINGH: Soccer for sure. (laughter).

COACH FRANKER: Volleyball.

PAUL HAARHUIS: Probably.

COACH FRANKER: Almost brought the girls with us, but they wouldn't allows us.

PAUL HAARHUIS: Handball. No, I am sure we have beaten the States in some sports. Field hockey. No, I mean, it is just --

JACCO ELTINGH: Basketball is just a matter of time.

PAUL HAARHUIS: It would be nice to do it here, but they set a good example; we would like to follow it.

COACH FRANKER: That is a good line of thinking. You want -- you'd like to have fresh players everyday and, you know, having Paul play three matches is a very tough assignment. I have to say that if he had won a lot of matches lately, of course, I would have asked him to suffer through this weekend to play three best of fives. But, he is playing well. But, he hasn't been winning a lot of matches. So, I think it is a good opportunity for Sjeng to get a chance to prove himself in Davis Cup. He played once before and he won his match against New Zealand when it counted, so --

COACH FRANKER: The difference is that you are playing for your country and it is a challenge. There is pressure. And, as you know in sports, whenever there is pressure, people perform well. But in this -- in our team right now, Sjeng is playing -- he is playing well. He is hitting the ball solidly. Always did. He has got to the semis in, what Philadelphia?

SJENG SCHALKEN: Yes.

COACH FRANKER: So, he is the one who played actually the most matches on the team. And, of course, something called confidence, you know, you need that also. But, anyway, you are right, if I had asked Paul to play, I know he was going to be ready to play.

SJENG SCHALKEN: Yeah, I was here three weeks ago.

COACH FRANKER: Indian Wells, Palm Springs.

SJENG SCHALKEN: That is California? Then I was in California. (laughter).

SJENG SCHALKEN: It is better weather. He is talking crap to me all the sometime (laughter).

PAUL HAARHUIS: He told me this week he hadn't seen the California girls out here this week, so.....

SJENG SCHALKEN: He says that -- no, it is good, I like it. It is good -- everything is enjoyable here. At least the weather is better, but, well, in Holland, I am happy to be in Holland. I am already eight weeks here, so after this week, I am really happy to fly home.

COACH FRANKER: Definitely. I mean, you know, the American team have played -- the guys have played many more matches than our guys have. But, you know, upsets are reality in sports. So, I hope that experience won't be the determining factor, otherwise, we won't have a chance.

PAUL HAARHUIS: After I came through; then everybody thought if this guy can do it, so that really helped all these other guys, so -- no. (laughter) No, I think it is a matter of coincidence and just some good talent coming through. Some more knowledgeable trainers in Holland. Before, there was only one or two guys that have played full-time. Then you have more players coming through, playing full-time, the coaches are going on the Tour also, Stan came to Holland with a different attitude saying being professional is a full-time job because, you know, the first three, four years that I have played professional, people would ask me, say, what do you do besides tennis. And in Holland, they didn't understand that you could be a professional playing full-time and that is -- that was one of the main things that Stan really got the players to, you know, know about that it is a full-time job. And, you know, it is a it little bit of coincidence that all of a sudden a lot of the guys came through.

PAUL HAARHUIS: I thought I wasn't playing, but -- go ahead.

PAUL HAARHUIS: Well, we are talking about it this week and it is wasn't like I saw it coming. But, it was -- it wasn't like a big surprise.

JACCO ELTINGH: Richard not playing.

PAUL HAARHUIS: Oh, I thought it was about that I am not playing. That is why I thought it was such a good question (laughter) Richard, yeah, it is too bad that he couldn't play this year. He decided not to, but, you know, very full schedule as the Wimbledon champ and hey, you know, same reason Pete is not playing every year or, you know, some of these other guys, Chang, they have commitments next week in Asia. You know, Davis Cup, you have to play until Sunday late. You come fly until Monday; you arrive in Asia Wednesday morning, after you played two hours later, so...

PAUL HAARHUIS: No, he said last year November already he wasn't going to play this year then he had the operation, but that wasn't the reason he didn't play in February or that he didn't play now.

PAUL HAARHUIS: Yeah, he just close not to play this year.

COACH FRANKER: Well, the Dutch Federation has, of course, a scouting system where we get kids at a very young age and since the last, let us say, ten years, we also have very well organized tennis schools where coaches develop players and the Federation tries to work closely together with these coaches. I think that is the -- mainly the reason of the upswing of tennis in Holland. For instance, Paul, Jacco and Sjeng they work at the same tennis institute in Holland.

COACH FRANKER: It is difficult to say because Richard is not a superstar. Becker and Borg were superstars. But, I think for some young people in Holland, he is a hero, so it will have some impact. But, I think not just Richard, but the whole Davis Cup team in Holland is, you know, is very popular. For instance, when we play the United States in Rotterdam, we had about 14,000 people watching daily. So these guys are pretty popular and they are selling tennis well in Holland. They are representing it beautifully.

COACH FRANKER: Yes.

COACH FRANKER: Well, I have been doing it for eleven years and it is a lot of travelling involved. I would have to say that I am doing it with a lot of pleasure because these guys are great guys. They makes it an easy job. But, you know, everybody has a time where he should move on. I hope to stay with the Dutch Federation, but not as a Davis Cup captain. So, actually, I hope to play a few more meets this year before I finish.