US OPEN

September 2, 1999

Cecil Mamiit

Q. Tough loss, huh?

CECIL MAMIIT: Very tough. Would have liked to have a different result, but it was a tough match.

Q. Talk about the four-set tiebreaker, what happened there?

CECIL MAMIIT: Played a -- should I go straight to the end or point by point?

Q. I mean significant points, match point, whatever you consider to be the significant points.

CECIL MAMIIT: Hmm...

Q. You had a match point where, what, you hit a backhand return?

CECIL MAMIIT: The very first serve, I was expecting the first serve but it was kind of close to my body, kind of jammed me. I didn't get a good return back on to that. So then it was 6-all, switched sides, key point I could have -- there was -- there was a rally or a service winner into that 6-all. I think it was pretty quick. All I can remember is that last point, where I just should have made a volley. I knew that I pulled it a little bit. If I just made him play at the net, I probably would have had a better chance. But he attacked and took his chances coming in, made me hit the shot which I missed.

Q. Did you feel like you had nothing left for the fifth? You were mentally exhausted?

CECIL MAMIIT: No, my body felt fine. I guess it was mentally, just trying to pull it out in the fourth. That was a key for me. I just wanted to -- I made five back in that tiebreaker when I was down 4-2. Was it 4-2 or something like that? I knew I was down mini-break and I was trying to fight back. I knew a strong point was on my serve at 5-all, I wanted to get that match point. I knew that I just hit a ball out of balls, hit the ball deep and was being really forceful and not letting anything go. Fortunately, I got that point. I try to be a little bit more aggressive in the fifth, because I felt like throughout the whole four sets he was dictating the points. It was hard to -- make your transition in my game in the fifth to play aggressive and hit four winners. But I don't know, I just -- maybe it was bad for me to try to change. That's why it went so quickly. Points were quick. Then when I tried to come back into a rhythm of guided points out, it was kind of difficult for me.

Q. I know you just got off the court, but talk a little bit about the difference in feeling from coming off the court the other day after your first round. You have the big 5 set win and then now.

CECIL MAMIIT: It was such a high for me to win a first-round match, particularly a first match that I ever won at the US Open main draw. That was a lift for me. I was so excited. I was thrilled. I guess it would have been nice to have played the winner of Carlos or I don't know if he has played, but I was looking forward to playing the third round, keep the ball rolling. I just needed one good match and felt confident from that first. I was kind of having a lot of expectations to win the second. Got a little ahead of myself and kind of disappointed.

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