NEWSWEEK CHAMPIONS CUP

March 12, 1997

Goran Ivanisevic

GORAN IVANISEVIC: He played good; I played bad. He served too good. I didn't have any chance on his serve. Played a bad game at 6-5 on my serve, another bad one where he broke me in the second set. I couldn't get return on his serve. I won a couple points on his serve. When he serves like this, it's tough to break and tough to win. These balls are flying everywhere.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Last year I finally started to win a few matches here. Last year the balls were not so fast like this year. I don't know what they trying to do, every time they trying to change something. One year slow, next year fast. These balls are very tough to control. This court is so huge, it's big. Can put five courts in the stadium. The ball boy gives you the ball, bounces five times to get to you (laughter). You miss the first serve, the ball boy bounces it five times, you get a double-fault. It's okay, the place is nice, it's sunny. Just lost to a guy who played good tennis today.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I was happy to come here after all this indoor tournaments every day. We wake up, we don't see the sun for one month, indoor. Here is very nice. At least we have sun. I don't win the matches, but I have sun and nice weather.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Telling me nothing. Expectation just to play good, try to do better than last year. I didn't have this feeling with a couple days of practice. It was tough to control these balls. I just didn't have feeling. Today I was just serving well. When he returned my serve, I hit -- I made mistakes. I didn't expect too much from this tournament, hope that I can prepare myself for the Lipton.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Nobody change anything. I just getting older, getting more experienced on the Tour, having fun. I learn a couple of things. Eight years on the Tour, you learn something. If you don't learn, then you better go.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I'm going to improve my golf probably. Nothing. Practice probably.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: It's not any different. I did the same thing this here coming from two tournaments indoor, I came to Dubai, which was also outdoor, hardcourt. I felt much better there. The balls were slower. I felt the game. But this three days, I just didn't feel like it. Today on the court, I didn't feel it, I wasn't pumped. I throw the racquet once. I was not pissed, I just throw because I'm used to throwing something, so I just throw the racquet. I wasn't motivated 100 percent. I don't know why. It was two nice days, couldn't motivate myself.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, again, I play a lot of matches. I want to play, but my body telling me you have to break a little bit. Maybe in my mind I cannot pump myself a hundred percent. Maybe it's good that I lost today, have a couple days off, try to motivate myself in the practice, try to be more pumped at the Lipton because it's another big tournament. I did well last year. I'm in good form. I'm playing good tennis. No reason to panic. I need good motivation. Hopefully can I get that with a couple days' rest.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Same goal, try to win a Grand Slam. It's going to be always my goal till I don't win. If I don't win, then I can have some other goals in my life.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: It would be also nice. First if I can win a Grand Slam. This year I achieved, I won the same tournament twice, which is something I never did, it's one thing I did. Hopefully I can do the second one and then retire (laughter).

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I could win the US Open last year. I had a good chance. Two sets to one down, a break in the fourth. I was close. Nobody expect me to win that tournament. I feel very good from the back, when I play good tennis, especially on the hardcourts I'm not a guy who likes to come in on the hardcourts. I don't know why. I just feel good from the back. I know I can stay from the back. Also Roland Garros, but I think maybe US Open I have a better chance.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Doesn't matter. I like States. Before I didn't like, now I got used.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yes.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: More younger people. You don't see these things in Europe, especially in my country, you don't see old people going all nice dressed up going to the restaurant or out. It's tradition, they have this mentality to do this. This is nice. They're living. Especially in Croatia, the people they stay home, especially old people, they stay home. They don't do anything. It's nice to see them happy, eating, in love probably. After 60 years of marriage, 50, whatever.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, I play doubles whenever I can.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Oh, no, thanks. I stay in Croatia.