U.S. OPEN

September 3, 1996

Mark Philippoussis

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No, I didn't think I returned too well today. I think maybe I was trying to force a bit too much at the start and lost my timing. You know, I started to get my timing a little bit towards the end there. In the third against Pete, it's a bit too late.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I mean, Pete's such a player that he plays great tennis week in and week out, which great players do. That's something I've got to try and do to try to win. I mean, he's playing some solid tennis at the moment. I think he's serving really well.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Well, I mean, sure he's beatable. If he keeps serving big, just plays solid, he's going to be very tough to beat.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I mean, it was good. I mean, I was a bit nervous at the start. Once I really start the match, I'm fine, getting into it. You know, I think maybe just I was trying to force a bit too much instead of getting into the game slowly and playing some solid tennis. But, you know, I learned a lot from here and will do well next time.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: It was pretty much uphill, because I was never really ahead for any part of the match. I just held my first service game and then I got broken, so I was always fighting to get back instead of taking the pressure off even in the second set, being up a bit, but I was never up, always down, always trying to get back. Always makes it tough when that happens.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Sorry?

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Volleying?

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I think, like I said before, I wasn't serving that well. He was making returns, but I think I wasn't getting to the net quick enough. I think I was just trying too much instead of making a volley and making him pass me.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I'm a bit disappointed, yes. But I'm not going to put my head down about it. This is my second US Open. I feel I'm going to play a lot more, a lot of success hopefully in the future. I'm going to learn a lot from this match. You know, I'm just going to strong for the next tournament.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yes. I was hitting really well, practiced was very relaxed. Had two weeks before the US Open, played three good matches to get here. I think I did the right thing preparing for the match and everything, but just didn't do well when I had to.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yes.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah. I pretty much felt he was going to serve that second serve there. I wanted to hit and come in. I was coming in before I even hit the ball. I rushed everything instead of making him play. I had one breakpoint opportunity, you know. The many he had made it very tough for myself. I knew I'm not going to have that much chance. When I had the first one, I felt like I really had to do something with it and put too much pressure on myself.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah, sure. My last match against Mark Woodforde at the Australian Open was not too good, too. I think it's more positive than the last match. You know, I've learned lot since then. You have matches like that.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I'd like that. When I first draw -- the draw of the US Open, they did it twice, the first time I had to play him in the third round, second time I played him in the fourth round. If you want to do well in the Grand Slams, you want to beat the top players no matter. To win a Grand Slam, you're going to have to beat the top players anyway, so it doesn't really matter when you play them.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Not really. I mean, I suppose I did feel a bit like that, but I also had to play him fourth round, had to win three good matches to get there, so I never really thought about it.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I don't know if it's a rivalry like Pete had with Andre. Went pretty comfortably this time like it did at Wimbledon. I've just got to mature a lot more on the court, pretty much try and see what guys like him, what they do on the court, how they present themselves, how positive they are, and hopefully I'll learn a bit from them.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah. That's why I thought I might have a good match, do well. I was very competitive, pumped up, really wanted to do well. I mean, I was still trying out there, I was very competitive. He was just playing some good tennis.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Sorry?

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I'm sure he likes to do well in the Grand Slams and he wants to win. He's pretty pumped up. Really wants to do well here, wants to try to win it. But, I mean, I know he's going to come out and try to win, but still doesn't worry about me. I have to come out and pump myself up, too, no matter how pumped up he is.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Well, to tell you the truth, I don't really remember last time. I think today it wouldn't -- I don't think it really matters where a guy stands. Sure, I mean, when I served big, I felt pretty confident. I started to serve well at the end. Maybe he started reading my serve a bit. You're right, maybe he was trying to make me serve a lot down the T and was ready for me.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Well, I mean, when Pete serves well, he gets a high personal of first serves in, it's really hard for me to read his serve because he's always got the same ball toss and he can serve anywhere. When he serves well, one of the best serves in the world, no doubt about that.