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EUROCARD OPEN

October 29, 1998

Patrick Rafter

Stuttgart, Germany

Q. Is it still indoor courts or is it the knee or is it just --

PATRICK RAFTER: No, I think it is just more mental tiredness at the moment. It has been a long year. So, yeah, I think it was just more that at the moment struggling to get up for every match.

Q. I hope not too long; still playing great championships.

PATRICK RAFTER: We will see how we go, yeah.

Q. Is it still a big goal for you?

PATRICK RAFTER: We will see how we go in Paris and see how I am feeling. Two weeks off after that, so, I will just -- yeah, I mean, I'd love to be there, yeah.

Q. In a way is this more disappointing than the result against him in Vienna because on this court might have helped you a little more --

PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I mean, the surface in Vienna was a very good surface for him and I wasn't too shocked. Here, as I said, I had a good chance early. I had a lot of chances through the match - I didn't really take them. And he got out of a tight match yesterday, so, you know, usually when you get out of tight matches, you continue to have the confidence for some reason when it gets tight. So he did very good under those circumstances.

Q. You said we will see how it goes; I'd love to be there. Does that kind of suggest there is a question you might not be there?

PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I mean, it is -- as I said, it has been a really long year. I just want to see how I feel because I don't want to go there and read a book and get halfway through my matches.

Q. So really you need a bit of sunshine and a bit of fresh air?

PATRICK RAFTER: I will be going back to Bermuda after Paris.

Q. To recharge your batteries?

PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, for a while. And then I will see how I feel after that.

Q. How difficult is it to come from such a high of winning a Grand Slam to, in a sense, then have to play, if I can call them, run-of-the-mill-type tournaments, how hard is it mentally to --

PATRICK RAFTER: I wouldn't necessarily call these run of the mill -- I know what you mean.

Q. Not --

PATRICK RAFTER: It is very -- it is not that really difficult, I guess. It is more -- it is just another tournament, another week away and, you know, the problem with the indoor tournaments, you really don't get out in the sunshine and you play night matches all the time and for me, I probably struggle with that more than anything. So that -- it is just really a tough grind. You know, it is the end of the year, you know you are close to going home and you are really looking forward to that. It is the same for everyone, though. Well, the Australians anyway.

Q. When you were a young lad in Australia did you play indoor tennis?

PATRICK RAFTER: No. I am from a place where the weather in winter is better than the winter in summer over here.

Q. What was your first experience of indoor tennis?

PATRICK RAFTER: I never --

Q. Hopman Cup?

PATRICK RAFTER: No. I guess I played Sydney Indoors, I guess in about -- probably 1990, I guess, something like that. An I ballboyed for an indoor tournament in Brisbane going back a long time ago. So I guess --

Q. It concerns me. Pat, are you really sure you won't stay at the beaches and come back to Europe for the Championships?

PATRICK RAFTER: Why does it concern you?

Q. It would be not -- yeah, we would miss you. That is for sure. Your T.V. Station isn't covering it; is it? That is as well.

PATRICK RAFTER: I'm still sure there is a very good chance I will be back.

Q. (inaudible)

PATRICK RAFTER: This is just hypothetical at the moment. I just have lost. I don't want you guys to delve into -- it is just speculation. This time I have got to see how I am feeling mentally. I think that is possibly the biggest battle at the moment. The body is not bad at all. I mean, it is definitely good enough to be out there playing. There is no excuses about that.

Q. Is this a little bit like just before Rosmalen?

PATRICK RAFTER: No. Rosmalen was tough, you know, it -- that was more -- I was really, really wanting to win. I really wanted to get in there and play and just couldn't get the wins. Here I am battling through, just getting out there and play. This is probably like my 25th tournament this year. Davis Cup matches, et cetera, it just feels like a really long year; all of a sudden it has really caught up with me the last couple of weeks.

Q. Is it making you a little bit touchy out there on-court? You get the ball abuse call; you had a little conversation with Greg across the net about him taking his time.

PATRICK RAFTER: I find it easy to have confrontations with Greg, though. So it is more that situation. (laughter).

Q. He just pissed you off a little bit will because he was taking too long?

PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, something like that.

Q. He a very hard player to get your rhythm against; isn't he? You want to get into a rhythm; he is always going for a towel or for his stringy-thingy?

PATRICK RAFTER: No, not really that, You know, no, it is not that. In terms of, you know, you have some very quick points, it is sort of hard to get into the match, sort of, emotionally, because you have one ace and doublefault; then you have one good point and then like five point later you won't have a good point. I mean, yeah, so it is more that.

Q. Was it the mental tiredness that made you miss those 12 breakpoints in a row?

PATRICK RAFTER: No, he played those very smartly. He served very smart. He got a lot of good first serves in and he put them in good positions. Came up with some pretty good volleys. So, no, Greg is playing a lot smarter.

Q. Playing a lot smarter than since when?

PATRICK RAFTER: Probably serving a lot smarter.

Q. Would it mean --

PATRICK RAFTER: He is not necessarily playing smarter, but just serving smarter. I guess when he is serving smarter, he is playing smarter.

End of FastScripts….

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