U.S. OPEN

September 6, 1994

Karel Novacek

KAREL NOVACEK: What's that?

KAREL NOVACEK: Yeah, it was a really good win the way the match was going, and I was able, down two sets to Love, and 3-Love and in the tiebreaker, to turn the match on my side and even in a break in the fifth and I was still able to win the match that gave me a -- really psychologically a lot of confidence, and I proved that I am able to even win matches when I'm not, from the beginning, on top. So I'm able to go from underdog and fight, and turn the match on my side.

KAREL NOVACEK: Yes, yes, I think because I've been already in quarterfinals twice and Grand Slams in Paris, and that I was former top ten player, the routine which I played today gave me the better chances, and it just -- it showed that I was more calm and I was really more relaxed and better concentrated for the match.

KAREL NOVACEK: Well, I've been claycourt player, mainly in the past, and I reach my best results on clay. So people know me much more in Europe, in Germany, France, and so unfortunately, the claycourt tournaments in the States tend to be hardcourt during the summer. So, I never really get a chance to show my name and much more than I did in past. I played claycourt in States once and I won. It was in Washington D.C., '86. So, it's really good to play well on a Grand Slam, especially in New York where I never get to the fourth round, suddenly now I'm in the quarterfinal and I beat a lot of players and I passed eighth seed here and also the way I'm playing I'm very happy. So, I think after what's going on they see that I am really on my best, I'm able to fight back and come up with good results.

KAREL NOVACEK: I mean, this is interesting question. I just know how long it can take me to describe myself --

KAREL NOVACEK: You know, I think I'm a very good professional, I think right now I also have my family here and I'm a father, I'm a husband, I'm a tennis player, so, I'm a little different than I was before. I think I'm more calm now and I feel like it's no place sometimes for the crazy things I was doing on the court, throwing the racket around and shouting bad words sometimes. So, maybe it can help my game and maybe can prolong my career a little bit. And, I don't want to say things about me because I don't like to judge myself, but I think as I said, I'm good, professionally. I know how to work well, I know the circuit because this is my 12th year on the circuit, and --

KAREL NOVACEK: Not really, but I always believe that when I have my family with me, it's the best thing, probably.

KAREL NOVACEK: It's the best thing.

KAREL NOVACEK: Yes.

KAREL NOVACEK: I start to move more and I start to be more aggressive.

KAREL NOVACEK: Yes. I start to pump myself a little bit more and tried to be different than I was in the past two sets, and just to let him think that I'm not giving up this match. And I think sometimes it's just a sign that you moving around and just, you don't have your head down, and it helps and he had to think what's going on. And I think he never give up also in the match. Even though he lost the third, then I won 6-2 in the fourth and he was, during the match-- I think we both deserved to win that one, but maybe I was just a little more lucky or I was-- but I was more aggressive in the end, that's why I won.

KAREL NOVACEK: Huge difference timewise. It takes you more time on the court, to spend time on the court and it's always something more can happen during three sets which you have to win once you are two sets to Love down. So that's a big difference. But, this one is the big tournament here. This is one of the biggest tournaments in the world, one of the Grand Slams. So all these things makes it more difficult to make it.