U.S. OPEN

September 1, 1995

Justin Gimelstob

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, I cut it a little bit, but it is fine.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Probably a lot better for him than it felt for me. You know, he is a great player and I still have a lot to learn and a lot to improve on, so hopefully I will learn a lot from it and maybe work on a thing that I need to work on and get better.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Well, I learn that, you know, just basic things. I got to -- I still -- I think that I serve well, but obviously it is not still -- I have a long way to go relatively to the great pros, obviously, just, you know, I have a lot of work to do on my physical -- a lot of maturing to do physically. My game still has a lot of maturing to do. I have a lot of things to improve on. Experience was a big part of it, too. I just wasn't used to the big crowds and the big situations, obviously, as much as he was.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, I mean, hopefully that would be the optimistic vantage point to look at it from; that, you know, yeah, I mean, I'd love to improve a lot, say that I am definitely going to come back here and bigger and better things in the future, but as I say, I still have a long way to go.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I really didn't know what to expect, to be honest with you. I don't play guys like Richard Krajicek very often, so really didn't know what to expect, but I was a little disappointed. As I said, I thought I wasn't used to the situation. I think it showed. I think I didn't play as well as I would have liked, that is because he didn't let me and he is such a good player, so I have to give the credit to him.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I usually lose my serve at Love in the first game, so -- but yeah, I was a little nervous.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Thanks a lot. Appreciate it.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I have to thank him then.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yes.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I practiced with Sampras this morning, so I think he definitely considers himself better than Krajicek so if I said -- but, no, I have had the opportunity to practice with some great players, but the match situation is different. You are -- always more people there, and you are a little more conscious of what is going on and -- so, yeah, it is different. He is the best player I have played in an actual match.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, as I said you know my first match I went out I really -- didn't really know what to expect I wasn't thinking much. Today -- I had two days. Everyone has been calling me, and leaving messages and everyone has been kind of -- there have been a lot of people that have been kind of making it very -- could not think about it, I mean I could, but I didn't do a good job like I did in the first job putting in the back of my mind just trying to concentrate on playing tennis. Today I was a little more conscious of my surroundings and everything and I think that was a big difference.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Oh, yeah, I mean, I have great memories. I will never forget the win. Great day for my tennis career and hopefully beginning for a lot of great things. It is hard to look at it, losing to a guy that is ranked like that, as a setback, but I am disappointed as I played, but the guy has accomplished a lot. I am in position to be disappointed to lose to him.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, I mean, it is tough when you always put yourself in a hole. Yeah, I mean it is tough; especially when the guy serves as well as he does and goes for him to be up a break early - not the strategy I wanted to enforce.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I think he has already surprised some people. He has done really well for himself. Know him well, obviously. I have seen him in college events. He is a very great player. I am very happy for him. I think it is great what he is doing.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I don't know which side of the draw, but I wish him well and I hope he has the best of luck. He is doing a good job.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I am looking forward to it hoping to end my junior career on a positive and, you know, if not, move on and, you know, really looking forward to the challenge of going against some of the best juniors in the world and trying to play some good tennis.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I mean, I am scheduled to go back to school and, you know, I will discuss it with my friends and family and, you know, but as of now, I am scheduled to go back to school. I have my classes scheduled. I have my apartment and everything so, you know, that is the game plan unless something comes up - which I don't know. I mean, I would love to turn pro. I would love to be a professional tennis player. It is just a matter of when and what is best for me. I have got a lot of thinking to do.

JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: They are pretty -- they know that -- they know that they don't bother me at all basically. We have gone over this for a couple of years now and they know that my mom and dad and coaches and -- they are the ones they should talk to. They don't really go directly through me and bother me about the stuff.