U.S. OPEN

September 3, 1992

Steffi Graf

Q. Are you quite satisfied with your performance, this morning?

STEFFI GRAF: Not really. I think my -- overall, I think I played good. Only thing that really bothered me was my return. I didn't really return so well. Otherwise, it was all right.

Q. We were talking with Pam Shriver about that match you had with her, the three set, three tiebreaker match, several years ago. She said, more than anything, that might have been the match that launched your career, at least, to the top. Would you agree with that sort of assessment?

STEFFI GRAF: Well, it is-- we have been talking, a few days ago about it, actually, and I have been asked which one was the most memorable match of the U.S. Open. It is definitely that one, because it meant a lot to me. It was a thrilling match. It wasn't like -- it was a very-- I think from my point of view, it was a really good game. I enjoyed it the most and I have a lot of good memories about it. It is a good chance, that it helped me a lot after that.

Q. Steffi, when you see an older player like Pam perform the way she did, playing intelligently, is that something that you can appreciate about how much it takes for her to do that?

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, I mean she -- there are not many players around anymore that play like her, that is for sure. There are not many serve and volley players, so it is getting more difficult to play against them because you rarely have these chances to play them. But, still, you know, it is not going to be an easy match, you know. She is going to try everything to win the match or try to play as good as she can.

Q. Steffi, do you find here, especially on that court, you have to spend a lot more energy and try to focus on the match because of so many distractions and noise?

STEFFI GRAF: Not really. I don't think so. I think the center court and grandstand are very similar. On both courts, people are walking behind you. There is always a lot of noise around. I never really had any trouble to concentrate or just to focus on the match. I never really had.

Q. Does the weather, being damp, make any difference with your shoulder?

STEFFI GRAF: No, my shoulder is absolutely fine. There is nothing that is bothering me now.

Q. Steffi, this is a question about Jennifer. She has expressed a lot of confidence since her gold medal victory in Barcelona. Should she take away that much confidence from one match against you, one victory?

STEFFI GRAF: I think it is -- I mean, you never really can say what kind of matches or what kind of things -- what kind of turns your confidence around, but I think it meant a lot to her. She really was -- she was very happy about it, and she was really, I think, playing some great tennis. I think -- she definitely got a lot of confidence out of it from what I hear and how she has been playing lately.

Q. Do you think she can take it on a role here, perhaps and win?

STEFFI GRAF: I don't know. I think it is a tough tournament. A lot of players have chances to win and she is definitely one of them. But it will be tough.

Q. How many players do you think realistically can win?

STEFFI GRAF: Five or six. Five, I would say.

Q. If you win, in your mind, winning Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, do you--

STEFFI GRAF: Do I look at myself being the number one of the year? I have heard that one before. No, I don't.

Q. Do you think any differently about being number one now in your career than, say, when you were really on the hot run, '88, right around there? Does number one mean anything different to you?

STEFFI GRAF: Not right now. I mean, not at all. I mean, I have had it and I have had it for a long time, so I think it doesn't really mean that much to me, right now. Not at all. Maybe it does at another time, but I don't care about it, right now.

Q. Thank you, very much.

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