U.S. OPEN

August 31, 1992

Marc Rosset

Q. Marc, did you have anything working today besides your serve, do you think?

MARC ROSSET: No, today was pretty tough to play, is really windy on the center court and the wind is turning around so it was tough to make something where the ball is going. Plus we didn't return so well. It was only couple of serves, that is it. First serve for me. He was not ready from the base line. We played ten days ago in New Haven. It was really a much better game. Couple of nice points. Today it was like, it was really tough to play from the baseline, and I mean, both were pretty well and I think he was playing much better as me. Maybe I get a little bit more pressure on my serve and make a couple of mistakes.

Q. How do you rate Goran's play from the baseline? When he hits from the baseline, is he a pretty good player from the baseline?

MARC ROSSET: Depends on which surface. If I have to play him on clay, I mean, then he is more easier to return his serve than from the baseline. I think Goran is a great player because he is serving well, has good hands, but I think there is on the tour some players in the top ten that are more stronger from the baseline, like Jim is much better from the baseline. He is tougher to beat, you know, on clay, as Goran. Michael is better, and so on. His game from the baseline is not so solid.

Q. What about on this surface?

MARC ROSSET: This surface, he is not that much important because he is serving so well, so you don't need to play too much from the baseline. He just has to make a couple of serves; then try to make the break, that is it. Like me.

Q. Did you anticipate more aces in this match?

MARC ROSSET: You know, it is a fifth time I play him this year. I think I know him pretty well. We practice very often together, so it is tough to see where he is going to serve, and the ball come around like 120 miles, so he is pretty fast. You have to anticipate. You say maybe he is going to serve here; then maybe you go from the backhand. There is no way to say I see the ball at my forehand. You have to make the choice.

Q. Any opportunities opened up for you since the Olympics in terms of getting into more tournaments than you might have, being invited?

MARC ROSSET: I can't hear you.

Q. Since the Olympics, have you had more opportunities, people called for business opportunities, or playing opportunities because --

MARC ROSSET: I mean, I don't care very much about the opportunities. I mean, I may be -- maybe the people know me a little bit more like in the states because maybe I beat Jim in the Olympics, so maybe for the people, you know, they know maybe my name also, but I mean, I didn't make-- I didn't get that much attention of the business or around the Olympics. I work with I. M. G., so they see what is going on.

Q. If you were going to pick someone to win the U.S. open, would you pick Goran?

MARC ROSSET: I like, yeah.

Q. You pick him to win?

MARC ROSSET: Not because he beat me, because he is a good friend of mine. He is my best friend on the tour. I was really disappointed when he lost in final in Wimbledon against Andre. So I like -- I mean, he has to win a Grand Slam, so I like him to win here.

Q. What was your reaction when you saw that you were playing him in the first round? You are here because you have not had a whole lot of success at this tournament in the past?

MARC ROSSET: I mean, that is life. I always have a tough draw from the Grand Slam, like in the French, I play one year Agassi in the first round, then Sampras in the first round, then I went to Wimbledon to play Edberg first round. I have couple of tough draws, and here I play Goran, the first round. He is also tough. He is number 4 in the world. So I not really-- but I was a little bit disappointed because since Olympics, I play well. But you need also to be a little bit lucky when your ranking is not so high. So I was not seeded here, so I didn't expect to play very tough guy in the first round. So that is what is happening.

Q. For those of us who came in late, what was your biggest problem today? Your opponent? The surface?

MARC ROSSET: The wind.

Q. Plus currents?

MARC ROSSET: It was turning all the time, so it was pretty tough to play really from the baseline. The ball was jumping on the right side then on the left, and it was, you know, just the ball just stop before you, and was pretty tough.

Q. Thank you.

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