WIMBLEDON

June 29, 2001

Goran Ivanisevic

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, is just I feel nice, you know. I feel relieved. I'm in the second week of a Grand Slam, which I don't think anybody would bet on that before I come here, you know. Just I don't know what to say. Just perfect.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I got it four years ago in LA, some guy. But hurts like hell. One hours, ten minutes. Was painful.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I just wanted to do tattoo. Then I said okay. Then the guy, when he started to do, I said was hurting so much. Then for one hour, ten minutes, I was -- I couldn't stop. "The rose, you should paint it in red." I said "No, no, thank you. Leave it like that."

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I said, "God, give me one more point, you know." Then I hit the let, 5-3, ace, double-fault. I said, "I don't want to have a Krajicek match again, '98, 5-3, ace, let." Then I lost the set. It was 15-30 in the fifth, I said, "No way." Close, break point, ace. But I was just hoping to hit ace and I did it last two points.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Just what I'm doing. I didn't make any pressure, you know, on him. Just what I'm doing. That's how I like to do.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I mean, the way I served today, especially first two sets, is just too good. I mean, I can't ask for more. He was just walking left-to-right. I said to myself, "If I can serve like that, he's gonna give me chance." Because he's a great player, gonna be even better player than he is now but he give you some strange points. 5-4 tiebreak, he plays drop shot, I don't know why, in the middle of the service line. He's running to the net, I said, "Thank you." Couple more. I just wanted to put return in because I knew he was gonna -- he is -- every forehand, 200 kilometers an hour. He have to miss one or two somehow. But I keep my mind. I play from the back surprisingly well and serve outstanding, you know. Just the last game I made my life a little bit -- like always, you know, I wouldn't be Goran Ivanisevic, I can't finish something nicely, two, three aces nicely, thank you. I have to make my life little bit tougher and, you know, suffer. But on the second matchpoint, never happen to me in my life, I hit the first serve and I couldn't move. First time I didn't came to the net. You know, I was like blocked. Like came into the sand, like the life sand that takes you down. I stand on the baseline, said, "Gee, what am I doing here?" I cannot move, still. Then he return. Then I hit the forehand and I miss the next shot. But never happen. I just wanted to win so badly that I just freeze for two seconds, but good thing that I hit another couple of aces afterwards.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: It was then, they both were nervous. I said, "Guys, guys..." One has to be under control, but they both, they were going. Little bit. One was rushing, the other one was rushing even more. Then the third one came and said, "Guys, relax. It's a lovely court, relax. Just calm down."

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Third one had to come, I had to call him. He's the emergency one. Emergency, 911 call, and he came on deuce. Calm down, two aces, thank you.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: That's the one who just comes when he's very emergency situation. He is nowhere, you know, he is like behind the scenes, you know.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, he is like the brain man. He's controlling.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: It is. Like I said, I was listening the other day, some commentators, nobody gave me any chance, nobody believed I could do it. But I did. I played good matches first two rounds. I just said doesn't matter how the other guy's playing, how I play, you know. I played a great match. I just wanted to win so badly. Second week, geez, I don't know what happen. Last year I stay here till Saturday because of the ceremony, you know, not because I was in the tournament. Now I am in Monday going to play again. It's just perfect.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Everything is open. Now it's second week, I always say in the second week of a Grand Slam, this is now the first tournament is over. Now the second one starts. Now anybody can win, you know.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I mean me and my friend Greg, gonna be another beautiful match to watch. (Laughter.) Very, very exciting, you know, 15-love, 30-love, 40-love, game. 15-love, 30-love, 40-love, game. But matches always finish 7-6, 7-6. He is the one who gets nervous more than me. He throws some double-fault. In all this 7, 8 matches that I won, I think I just more important points, I play better than him.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, but is gonna be interesting. That's gonna be tough, you know. But is gonna be all the crowd behind him on that match.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, is gonna be a lot. But I don't expect because it's an Englishmen, they want Englishman. I am a wildcard, too, so, yeah, close, you know...

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I mean, motivation to win, you know. I always want to win. Doesn't matter who is there. You can see him. He's very relaxed, having fun, young guy. But he can learn to play even better on grass. When he does that in couple of years, he can be a major threat here on grass.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I was perfect, you know. No complaining, no throwing racquets, no -- even some calls, they were close, I didn't -- I went one step and then I came back, you know. The other Goran jumped in and said, "Go back." I went back.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: No, I just said, "Okay." I just was keeping my mind clear, you know. He is young. He had fun there, you know. They gave warning for nothing, then he had little talk to the umpire. But I just stay calm and it paid off.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I'm not psychologist, you know. I don't know. I am mature, but sometimes I am not, you know. I am acting like I am still junior, you know. But he is young, you know. He's gonna learn. Everybody, you know, they come to the stage where they go a little crazy, you know. So if he can keep his cool down, he's gonna be, for long time, one of the best players on the Tour.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Perfect. I pray last night. It's fine, you know. Gets a little tired, you know, when I play long. But so far it's okay, you know. I just -- some point of the match, I felt little, you know, is getting tired. But then I went through this moment and it was better after.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: It's the greatest tournament, and I just love it. I love to be here. The first day I came here, I said I want to leave this place proud of myself. So far, I cannot be prouder than I am, you know. It's just great feeling. I think I can be even more prouder when I finish this tournament. I expect now more things from me, and I believe I can do it. I have a game to do it, and I think I can go long way this time.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I'm glad. That's why I'm here, you know. But I don't want to go through this procedure again, you know, this dying procedure.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, I saw it this morning. It was good. (Smiling.)

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Looks good, you know. Everybody told me looks good, so I should maybe, next career, go to Hollywood, try to do something, you know.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Mr. Milosevic in Hague? Is perfect, is gonna be his home for the rest of his life.