ATP TOUR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

November 16, 1992

Goran Ivanisevic

The three of the players of my group are Chang, Courier and Krajicek. I have never, never played against Chang. I have to ask Bob Brett. I think I am going to play my own game. I must attack. I have to attack. The court is very quick, but it is good for me. I have no secrets for my serve, and everybody can serve well. You don't need to be tall and strong. I am not that strong. When you -- when you are talented, maybe you are born with it. For the public it is not very interesting to see me play. To play against Krajicek will probably not be -- the public will probably not be passionate. The clay court -- with the clay courts you can see exchanges, whereas on this one you can't, with my type of game. But here, it is the Masters final. On some days, I hardly make aces. In Paris, I won a match with only three aces, which proves that I have another game apart from my serves. I played against Krajicek in Paris. I think it will be nearly the same match as in Paris. He makes many aces. I think that my match against him will not be very interesting for the public, but it is essential to win. Right now, he plays very well and he won in Antwerp. Last time I played against Courier it was in quarterfinal in Stuttgart on indoor court. He always plays his best on the baseline. I have to put pressure on his backhand. 1992 will certainly -- has certainly been my best year so far. I reached the final in Wimbledon. Then I played well in the other tournaments which have followed Wimbledon, and I won two of them. I have had a new coach for two years, Bob Brett. He has a lot of experience. He gives me a lot. I am more steady, consistent. I don't have anymore ups and downs as before. He is a great professional, and at the beginning he was a trainer, but now he is more than a friend and this is important. It is important to be able to work and talk with him and to have him as my confidant. I am not always going to cut my hair. I can play with long or short hair, but right now, I am going to keep them like that. I am the same on and off the court. I think I will never be like Borg; I am not like that. Before I used to throw my racket. I sometimes have moments of rage. Now, I decided to pay more attention, and to be more professional. I pay more attention to myself. There is me and the others now. I had no injuries this year because I train better. I go to sleep at the same hour. I watch the other players' games. I pay attention to the other players' games, watching some of their games or sets. Bob helped me a lot in my tennis. He convinced me that I could reach the first five, and he helped me to make a big step to reach this goal. He gave me a lot of confidence mentally. He makes me understand that I am good enough to win. I will stay with him next year. To maintain my physical condition, I work out with weights. I do a lot of exercises and I train regularly. If I stop, I might be injured. After Wimbledon and after the results of this year, I think that one day I will be able to become number one. I think first of all, I have to win a Grand Slam tournament. Wimbledon is the tournament I would like to win. I will have to win it before being number one. Courier won two Grand Slam tournaments and he deserved to be number one. Stefan has only won one -- has only won the U.S. Open and it is therefore normal that Courier be number 1. He has been the most consistent of all the players. I also have chances to win a Grand Slam tournament. If I play normally, I can do it. Wimbledon is my favorite tournament, and I am sure I can win it. I can as well win the French. I am the only player to have won a set against Courier and I was 4-1 in the fifth set. Next year, before playing Wimbledon I will play the Queens. I will prepare myself mentally. My legs were shaky in Wimbledon. It was incredible for me to be on the center court for this final. Now I know what it is to play a Grand Slam tournament final. The first tournament in the Middle East, I think it is something like Qatar. It is very interesting. I would very much like to go there because I don't know this country and I'd like to see what it looks like. If the courts are on -- in "rebound ace," I will certainly play this tournament. The war in Yugoslavia helped me a lot mentally. There was a great change in my life. I couldn't call my family because the telephone lines were cut. I didn't know if they were alive or dead when I was entering the courts. This was difficult for me to live. But then, I thought I had to play, even with this war I had to play for Croatia, for the children there, for my family and my friends. My results are very important for them. I therefore had to change. I managed to do it slowly, but it worked. I had decided to fight for each point. Before this war, I didn't believe in myself. Now, I am more calm, because I have decided to be calm. I have to keep on-- keeping my calm. It is dangerous when you win so much. You therefore, have to -- I therefore have to carry on with my training. I am very pleased to be here this year. Two years ago I was No. 9. It is very hard to be here and not play. This year it is different. The top 8 players are there. I am looking forward to playing my first match tomorrow against Chang. For me, it is the most important tournament after the four Grand Slam tournaments, it is the fifth. This year people will follow me. It is the first time that I participate in this tournament. In my country, I am a little like a hero and the people will follow what I will do. My parents are here this year. I don't live anymore with my parents. I have a flat of my own. My grandmother cooks for me, normal meals. I very often want to return in my home country to see my family and my friends. Otherwise, I live in Monte Carlo on my own. I will play an exhibition, on the 28th of November in Zagreb. I will go and play an exhibition in Moscow and if the dates are convenient for me, I am always ready to play if it is for charity, and if this can help people. The top 8 players deserve to win this tournament, but this surface is very good for me. The balls fly very well. I am very confident. I am in good shape. My match against Boris in Paris has been incredible. I was not at 100% of my possibilities. He played very well. It was his best match against me. I haven't played my best tennis there. I didn't mind winning or losing. My participation in Frankfurt was not questioned. Becker never beat me on clay and this surface -- and on this surface, I can do something else, but serve. I volley better now and I train a lot on this point. I am a very -- I am very good friends with Marc Rosset. I don't think that Switzerland will win the Davis Cup. The U.S. team against which Switzerland should play is very strong. Agassi will not lose a match in Davis Cup. Marc is a very good friend. He is a good tennis player. I think he can get to a better ranking and reach the top 20. I couldn't say if it is more important for me to win a Grand Slam or to win the Davis Cup. I have to think for my country but to myself as well. But for sure, it will be good for Croatia. For me, Wimbledon is the tournament of tradition. But I also like the other tournaments. I can play well on clay. I have no problems on this surface. I started playing tennis on clay. I have my chances on this surface as well. It is important that Becker be in Frankfurt. It is important for Germany, for the ambience, in general. The atmosphere is different when Becker is there. It is important for everybody. If I had to keep a souvenir in my mind of the 1992 year it will be the Wimbledon tournament, my match against Santoro for the Croatia and the flag I was carrying on the stadium in Barcelona. The match against Krajicek will be an easy match because I will not need to run a lot.