US OPEN

September 5, 1998

Goran Ivanisevic

Q. Your good friend and next opponent, Patrick Rafter, was in here a few moments ago. He informed us that you'd received a number of interesting items in the mail, including handcuffs. Could you share with us what those items were, and where they came from, what use they're going to be?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I don't know. First time in my life I see handcuffs. I just came at 9:00 o'clock this morning, a little bit earlier, 9:15, I was checking the mail. I saw the big package. It's my name. So I open, and I see handcuffs. I see there's something like chocolate, it's like tube, so you probably do this for the painting, so you paint the girl probably. I don't know what you do with it (laughter). I know -- I know from who, but I can't tell you. But she said, "Don't open before your birthday." But I was curious to see.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: What?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I know, but I can't tell you that (laughter).

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Sure, there was a note.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I know you want to know, but I can't tell you (laughter).

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, he's a nice guy and a great player, defending champion. Going to be a hell of a match on Monday. Both playing very good tennis at the moment. He's confident. I'm confident. We'll see. But somebody has to win, so it's going to be interesting.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Oh, very confident. I beat Paul, which I usually used to lose to him. The way I'm playing, it's very good. I mean, even today I was not very aggressive from the back. I was keeping the ball in the play. I mean, I can play everything. I'm returning well, serving well. I mean, I'm hitting the ball very good. So it's maybe the best ever I play the US Open. But doesn't mean anything, you know.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I had a chance '96, but nothing happened. I play Patrick. For him is also -- this speed is good. He's going to serve and volley. Doesn't matter, you know, if I play good, I can play slow, fast, hard court. But it's better, you know. I can hit more aces. That's okay.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah. I try, but is not -- doesn't help. Again, it's coming down. Is best to cut it, you know. I don't think to can I any is going to like that.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, maybe. But this side is okay (indicating). I just have problems with the other side.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: No.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, from the back, it's coming down, up, over. I always go like this (indicating). In the middle of the point, I hit a forehand, then I go quickly like that (indicating). It can be pretty annoying.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: It's kind of the question I'm hearing for six, seven years. Every time I come to a press conference, you know, always the same question. Always the same stupid answer from me, you know (laughter). You know the answer. What can I tell you? I know that I'm maybe the best player who never won a Grand Slam, but I'm trying. So probably when I finish my career, I can say I won. But I give it the best. I mean, I gave it a shot, you know. I was three times Wimbledon finalist. This time I was close. But it's a chance here I can win this one, if I play good, if I continue to play like this --

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I don't think she made -- that ball was pretty wide. There was a mark there. I just said, "Did you see it?" She was pretty serious, you know. Tough lady. So I didn't say anything anymore.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: No -- I don't know. No, not her, no, sir.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: No, no, no. It give me different instructions (laughter). Gave me instruction what to do with the handcuffs, and how to put it. The tube is nice, chocolate tube is great, you know. Is to paint (laughter).

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, but I have to find somebody. This is pretty weird stuff, you know (laughter).

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, we have probably. But those things you hide. Maybe if you have your wife or girlfriend, you do it. But you don't go out and say, "Oh, I bought the handcuffs for my wife. We're going to have a great time tonight."

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Great. I started to play better. Probably something, sometimes I have a little bit messed up there, I have to bang, then everything comes together.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, we started. We just have fun, you know.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I don't think so. Everything is pretty much the same.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I usually tease. When I'm clear with myself, then rarely I lose the match. You know, I can lose to Pete or somebody really who is very good that day, but it's tough when I have to play me and the other guy. It comes a little bit mixed up sometimes. But lately, I'm playing most of the time against the other guys, not against myself. I'm pretty good, you know, confident in my head. I'm pretty clear what I have to do, playing good tennis.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I don't know. I mean, maybe. I like kick second serves. Maybe he's listening now, he's going to change. But if he serves good, I have to return good. I return always good against Stefan Edberg who had this great kick serve. I had good results against him. So I know Patrick, his serve is not so hard, but he's mixing his serve very good, he's hitting kick, he's sitting slice, and it's tough to read his serves. I going to have to really be very concentrate on his serve. Even if you hit a good return against Patrick, he comes up with some great volleys. So it's going to be interesting.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: My serve?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: When I have a good rhythm, I mean, I don't think. Always before I toss the ball, I know where to serve. Sometimes I change when I toss in the air, then is not good. But when my rhythm is right, then everything is fine. It's very simple motion, and I hit, you know.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: It's tough, you know. When is rhythm not a hundred percent, then I start to force it too much, start to go for the big serves. Usually those big serves don't go in. Then I start to go for the big second serve. But lately I'm not going for these big second serves, only sometimes when I'm 40-Love up. Hitting more kick serves, and is working much better.