U.S. OPEN

September 12, 1992

Jim Courier

JIM COURIER: A real what?

Q. Low key, mellow.

JIM COURIER: I thought you said a "melon."

Q. So that means that he is not a player who would make you feel a fighting spirit; the one that you enjoyed most of the game. Does it make--

JIM COURIER: Are you saying that, or did I say that?

Q. You said that, that you enjoyed the fighting spirit. You said that he is a low key--

JIM COURIER: But I didn't say I didn't like playing him.

Q. Does it make it more difficult for you to play against him because of that?

JIM COURIER: No. Not really. It is his serve that makes it difficult to play against him.

Q. How well did he serve tonight?

JIM COURIER: I don't think he served too well, actually.

Q. Did he tell you what was wrong with him?

JIM COURIER: He got some stomach problems, stomach cramping, that is what he said to me at the end. Looked like he was in pain the last game.

Q. When he was serving the last game, did you sense that he was having some physical problem?

JIM COURIER: Looked like he had pain. I wasn't sure if it was his feet, or what. But I know something was up. He had a painful expression on his face.

Q. Your analysis of the difference today.

JIM COURIER: He won more points than I did.

Q. How did you deal with the delays, waiting for all these other matches to get finished?

JIM COURIER: You sit and wait. Basically, that is all you can do.

Q. If you don't think he served that well, what was the difference; because usually it is his serve that keys his victories?

JIM COURIER: Well, I played really bad. That is about what happened out there. I played a really poor match.

Q. Why do you think you did?

JIM COURIER: I wish I knew, Bud, I wish I could figure that out. I just-- first game I felt out of sinc, out of rhythm and didn't really know why. Sometimes, you have it; and sometimes, you don't. That is probably the worst tennis I have played in a big match, I have to say. I beat myself out there.

Q. How did you feel after the second set when you won that?

JIM COURIER: Well, I was being a bit more patient, but my serve never really allowed me to get into the rhythm that I like. I didn't serve -- I don't know what the stats were -- but I would be very surprised if I served over 50% in any set. So --

Q. You were probably asked, Jim, did you know he was hurt or --

JIM COURIER: You mean, towards the end?

Q. Yes.

JIM COURIER: I just saw it the last game. I could see something was wrong. But there is nothing before that I couldn't -- I don't think he was in that much pain or he was concealing it well before the last game.

Q. Were you thinking like if you can go for that game, maybe, like, you would win the match?

JIM COURIER: You got to keep trying to win those games and keep staying in the match, otherwise you are sitting here talking. I was trying to stay out there, but couldn't quite handle it.

Q. Jim, are you surprised with semifinal, two top American players, the stadium was empty?

JIM COURIER: Well, it was late. The first match went really long. That is to be expected.

Q. Is that disconcerting to play in that situation?

JIM COURIER: Not really.

Q. They hand out among the press releases-- they said if you won today you would keep your number one ranking. Did you know that and now that you have lost, does it make the defeat worse?

JIM COURIER: I really have no idea. Is that so? Do I lose the ranking now?

Q. Yes.

JIM COURIER: C'est la vie.

Q. Did you play better than today when you lost--

JIM COURIER: Differ surface, different surface, yes. Different-- whole different match; can't really say.

Q. Can you compare what is he doing better now than he did in 1990 with parts of his game?

JIM COURIER: Gee, he is playing much better from the baseline, but in '90 he really played well here, as I recall, watching it on TV. I was home early. But, yeah, he is playing very confidently. I didn't think that he played as best out there today, but you know, he won the match and that is if you can win not playing your best, that is what champions do. They figure out how to win when they are not playing their best.

Q. Jim, you were hurting a little bit after your match with Agassi and have to receive some treatment. You had some time off. Do you think that had anything to do with the reason you played poorly?

JIM COURIER: Not at all. I felt 100% coming out here today.

Q. How about the two days off, is that difficult to get back into sinc and rhythm?

JIM COURIER: I think if you ask any of the players, we are going to say that this is the worst setup for us in a Grand Slam, you know, sometimes you have two days off maybe before the quarterfinals, but Saturday, Sunday final -- semi and final, is great for tennis in America. It is bad for two people, the players that play on Sunday. But for everybody else, it is great, so I think it is a sacrifice that we all make. Not that we have much choice, but we do anyway.

Q. Did you watch the Edberg and Chang match?

JIM COURIER: Yes.

Q. So you can compare, so many points Stefan was back into the match, like a champion?

JIM COURIER: Yeah, this whole tournament he has been down in the fifth set three times and he has really come back and he is fighting well.

Q. Difficult at all to watch the final or will you watch?

JIM COURIER: I might. Depends on what football games are doing.

Q. Who are you picking?

JIM COURIER: In the final?

Q. Yes.

JIM COURIER: It is really tough to say, because Pete is not feeling well right now. Stefan, I am sure, is a little bit fatigued after his long match. U.S. Open final is going to be a bit unpredictable because you have the extra factor of the matches of-- from the day before and you don't have much time to recover.

Q. Losing here, does this gear you up, fire you up anymore to try to close out the rest of the year in any sort?

JIM COURIER: I am ready for a break, Richard. I have got a month off after Davis Cup and I can't wait. I have been going full throttle since the beginning of the year without much rest, and I am a little bit tired, but, you know, you keep pushing through the big events after the Davis Cup, I will take a rest and recharge the batteries because I am a little bit on empty at the moment.

Q. Can you spend a little bit about when you say you just didn't have it today; played very bad. You just go out on the court and see everything goes on or you just have a feeling like it wouldn't be a day like, I don't know --

JIM COURIER: Well, it is just you go out there and try to figure out what is going on. You try to do different things to pick it up. And that is what I try to do. I played a little better in the second set. Then was unable to keep it up in the third and fourth.

Q. I mean, going into the match like everything normal then you get on the court--

JIM COURIER: That is the great mystery, right? Everybody wants to know why they can't play their best everyday. But if we all knew that, then everyone would play their best everyday.

Q. You said you are tired. Are you more tired emotionally or physically?

JIM COURIER: Both.

Q. Jim, playing the Olympics this year take anything away from your preparation--

JIM COURIER: Sure.

Q. -- When you wanted to get back on hardcourt?

JIM COURIER: Sure. It is the same for everybody that plays the Olympics, so it is not really an excuse. Most of the top guys were there. Pete and Stefan were there; didn't take anything away from them.

Q. Do you think it will be difficult for you to play Davis Cup in a couple of weeks with Sampras and Agassi who you are so competitive with right now?

JIM COURIER: No, I think it will be great to not see them on the other side of the net. Be rooting for them and have them pulling for me, that will be nice.

Q. Despite the loss tonight and some others this summer, Jim, do you think you will look at this year as a great year for you, though? How would you assess the year?

JIM COURIER: I would say it is more than I could ever expect, Grand Slam speaking, of course. We are not finished with the rest of the year. To win two and get to the semis in one, it is a pretty good effort for anybody, I think, particularly for me. I am still young. I am still learning about the game, so I am very pleased with my Grand Slam performances this year. Disappointed I couldn't play a little better here, today, but you know, that is the way it goes. I went out and I gave it everything I had and came up a little bit short, but it has been a fantastic year, the Grand Slam-wise, it really has. All-around, it has been a great year, actually. It is not finished yet. Still got a ways to go, but it has been a ride.

Q. Do you find it normal, being number one; you won two Grand Slams and when you have been in the semis and--

JIM COURIER: I know inside I have had the best Grand Slam year of anybody out there, so that, to me, is what makes the number one player in the world. The ranking system always is a little bit screwy, but you go out and you do your best. Pete is playing the best tennis right now. I mean, as far as -- he is on the same kind of roll that I was on from Tokyo through the French and whether he can close it out tomorrow, you know, I hope he can. You know, but right now, he is playing the best and we will see what happens.

Q. Who do you pick Pete Sampras? Pick Sampras? Who will you pick?

JIM COURIER: I am picking the Giants over Cowboys.

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