THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 30, 1996

Steffi Graf

STEFFI GRAF: I didn't want to sit in the sun and I didn't want to use the umbrella, so I guess that was the closest I could get. She took the chair, it was closer to the shade, so I just changed my chair around.

STEFFI GRAF: That did bother me quite a bit, I have to say. I was like, "well, just take it. Just take it. It's better than the sun."

STEFFI GRAF: Thanks for telling me. I did not realize that one. Actually, yeah, maybe I should keep doing that. It's been working well.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, very. Especially this tournament, I think I've played stronger than I played in Indian Wells I can't ask for a better start, absolutely not. I've been playing some top players and always came out playing the right shots, the right time, even the close matches that I played, so I think it's a perfect start.

STEFFI GRAF: Yes, I think that's been very helpful, very helpful, you know, it didn't bother me at all, the last few matches have been perfect and that hasn't happened for a while, so I hope it will continue.

STEFFI GRAF: I thought maybe she had been a bit. Nervous, she hasn't been in such a big tournament into the finals and also she hasn't, I mean, we haven't played very often, but still the few times that we played, she didn't really like playing me very much. I could sense that she was a bit tentative right from the beginning on and I took advantage right on, served extremely well and put her under pressure constantly. I think she felt she needed to produce some great shots and I think that's why she started making errors.

STEFFI GRAF: I think that's been a big weapon against her and against Lindsay. I think they both didn't really particularly like my slice.

STEFFI GRAF: Yes, I was just going to say that. She really went for her serve. I think she hit the three aces in a row, 97 miles an hour second serve, I think she was really going for it at that stage. I started to really go for more and finally some were going in. I think I was rushing through those points. I think it really had something to do with her stepping up her game.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, how did I look to you today?

STEFFI GRAF: I feel pretty good.

STEFFI GRAF: The foot is great. The back was nothing, so that's major step forwards.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, I am not going to play for a couple of days now. I will probably work on my conditioning. I think that's something that I probably have to work on a little bit. My game seems fine. I haven't really had the time and the chance to do that, so I will take that opportunity now, not play very much, but just try to work on my physique. Next thing that I am going to play is the Federation Cup and then I am going to take the next tournament in Rome.

STEFFI GRAF: Rome, yes.

STEFFI GRAF: Then the French Open.

STEFFI GRAF: I have no idea. I didn't look at the schedule. I mean, I play whenever I'm ready to play and, I mean, I do believe that I put some more tournaments in and maybe I'll play another clay court. Just for the moment, that's where I put my mind on.

STEFFI GRAF: That's definitely a possibility.

STEFFI GRAF: Yes, possibly.

STEFFI GRAF: Yes. I do spend a few days here then get back.

STEFFI GRAF: I have not really considered that yet. I mean, I've -- I've been pretty happy the way it's been going. I spend a lot of time in America and I spend a lot of time back in Europe, so I think I'm pretty fine with that.

STEFFI GRAF: I am more in America, but that's because there are more tournaments here.

STEFFI GRAF: Not really, no. I've never had really -- I mean, with the operations that I've had, they've been very normal and easy surgeries, so nothing that I was in fear of.

STEFFI GRAF: Because of the layoffs?

STEFFI GRAF: Well, that's good you are telling me now (Laughter).

STEFFI GRAF: You know, I've had one operation on the one foot and that worked extremely well. I didn't have any problems since I've had that operation and I was back after four weeks on the circuit, so I wasn't afraid the second time around. I've been pretty confident with the doctors that I've had, so you gotta face it some time.

STEFFI GRAF: You guys hitting it, Huh? It has crossed my mind, it has crossed my mind. I feel so comfortable here, but it's nothing that I even thought about, actually, I mean something like, you know, I feel comfortable here, but I am pretty happy the way things are.

STEFFI GRAF: My game.

STEFFI GRAF: True, I think it does help me in the sense that I pace myself better and I am always fresher when I get into the tournaments because I haven't played that many tournaments, I haven't traveled as much as maybe some of the other players, and so probably in a sense, it helps me be mentally more ready for playing, but on the other hand, I think it is a little more difficult because, you know, you always have long breaks and you never really know where you're at when you get into the tournaments, so you get the positive and the negative.

STEFFI GRAF: I think that's a pretty unique feeling winning a tournament. I mean, I kind of understand what he is trying to say, you know, playing the best player and beating them sometimes, probably, you know -- it probably gives you a better high afterwards, but then again winning certain tournaments do mean a lot to me. I think this was a pretty big tournament. Sure, I think it would have had probably a better feeling if I won it in a tougher match, but I'm pretty happy that I was playing that well, so, sometimes you get more out of having a tough match.

STEFFI GRAF: In a way, yes. For both of us it's been pretty difficult injury-wise, so at least I am a little bit on track, and hopefully she'll have the right people to help her and so we'll soon be able to play each other again, I mean, it is nothing you can force.

STEFFI GRAF: I said that a long time ago.

STEFFI GRAF: I still feel that way. I'll always be around tennis courts. I'll always love tennis, but competitive, it is draining at times.

STEFFI GRAF: Oh, okay.

STEFFI GRAF: That's a good one. The way television is handled, there is really nothing we can do about it. I wish there would have been a better compromise and I think women's tennis deserved to be shown and have at least a similar schedule. I think it has been shown here a few times on Thursday. Chanda had again to play a second night match, there have been a few things that maybe could have been done better and hopefully with enough players not being happy, hopefully, it will be better the next time around.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, I've been answering that one a few times now. I don't feel comfortable with somebody standing next to me holding an umbrella for some reason.

STEFFI GRAF: There is no fear. It's just uncomfortable. If I hold it myself, I'm okay with it, but (Laughter) not when somebody else is holding it.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, yeah, sometimes I can sense it. That's what I have been mentioning before, which is I've been pretty happy in these two tournaments. When it got too close, I knew what to do at those moments and stepping it up or just taking -- choosing the right shot, you know, I've -- I came out with a couple of good serves, especially with Lindsay when it was important, so I have been choosing the right things and that's what I have been really happy with, too.

STEFFI GRAF: They were -- I mean, first of all, I think it had to be a combination of both, you know, sometimes it works well when you have some time off and sometimes it doesn't. That's what I mean, what I meant before. Sometimes your confidence is not at the highest level, if you feel you haven't played for a long time, that's what happened in Toronto, I didn't play, I think the tournament last was women, so that was my first tournament. I didn't really play a lot beforehand and I had to play Amanda, who is a difficult player to play against, especially for me, so I think she was playing well, maybe I wasn't 100 percent with my game, but that was probably -- depending on confidence level and the other match against Marianne de-Swardt, she played a great match. There wasn't very much I could do.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, I tend not to think too much about that really. I think it's something, you know, I start a tournament over again, for me that's a new tournament, that's what's good about tennis, it keeps ongoing and even sometimes things are not going the right way, you have another chance the next week.

STEFFI GRAF: That's up to them to decide. It's something that you can't name.

STEFFI GRAF: I cannot answer it because -- I mean, I can't answer that one. I really can't. I feel uncomfortable answering that question.

STEFFI GRAF: No, no, no. (laughter).

STEFFI GRAF: No, no.

STEFFI GRAF: No. No. You are starting the way I don't want a question to be started.

STEFFI GRAF: No. Thank you.

STEFFI GRAF: Okay. About what?

STEFFI GRAF: Uh-huh.

STEFFI GRAF: I knew I didn't want that question. (Laughter). I mean, I've answered that before and I can only answer it the same way again. First of all, we have to win, first of all, they have to win, and then somebody has to decide on what's going to be happening. I said before I don't think it's right to play the match in Hamburg. I don't think that's right, so I just think there has to be some sort of compromise. I think it should be.

STEFFI GRAF: I don't know. I mean, you have asked me that question twice, I never put any thought in it before. It is up for them to decide that. I mean, I can't say.