U.S. OPEN

September 9, 1994

Steffi Graf

STEFFI GRAF: You're getting right to the point. Actually, at that point I just wanted to concentrate on the point and that is what I really did. I didn't really think too much about these points where it would possibly cost me the set. I just wanted to serve well and see what I can do. And I think that is exactly what happened. I concentrated on my serve. I had some difficult serves and I was able to get these points and, I mean, I knew -- there were some close rallies in there so it was really, you know, could have gone either way.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, you know, I think at that point it didn't really get to her. I think it was happening at 5-All, but I didn't really think about it at that time. I just wanted to play the points. I needed to concentrate on myself because I played the games before not quite as sharp as I had done in the first set, and so I just wanted to see if I can get another game.

STEFFI GRAF: Big. I mean, it was a nice miss-hit. That was a very lucky game. I got the first passing shot and the net cord and 15-All I made a miss-hit forehand for the passing shot. I mean, I was lucky there, I have to say.

STEFFI GRAF: It was a miss-hit. Maybe it looked good, but it felt strange.

STEFFI GRAF: No, because you can't bank on it, really. You still have to play your game and I think what happened at the time, I think my confidence level got a bit up from where it was a little bit lower in the beginning of the set. So I think I pumped up myself and she was getting worried more or less. And I felt I was playing the points better than I have done before, so I just didn't want that to happen that-- you know, just get the ball in play and hope that she is going to miss it; this is not the way I think to play.

STEFFI GRAF: She didn't make a lot of unforced errors. I mean, I really had to play the points and usually she gives you a lot of easy shots at times; some miss-hits or -- but even the first set, it was close. Even it was 6-3, but there were some important points and I was always able to manage to win them, but still, it was difficult to play her because she can stand back, she can come in and you never quite know what is going to come.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, absolutely. I think that is what made me win the first set, I mean, I came in. I even serve and volleyed once or twice, and I knew what I had to do; maybe I did it a little bit too much in the beginning of the second set, I had some easy put-aways and I didn't manage to get them straight, but we both knew we had to come in especially in this wind, it is so difficult to play from the baseline at times.

STEFFI GRAF: I am not quite sure if it is the strength of her game, but because she is an all-around player, so I don't think it is really her strength because she didn't feel natural doing it. I mean, at times, definitely, but I also think that because it was really difficult to serve today and I think both of us didn't get quite first serve percentage as we wanted to have the chance to do it.

STEFFI GRAF: I didn't quite hear.

STEFFI GRAF: It is difficult to say, but the thing is that the women's tennis still differs a little bit from men's tennis-- men's tennis relies on a good serve and so there is always-- you can have always an off day. I think in women's tennis, it is more difficult to have that.

STEFFI GRAF: I think it is going to be Arantxa. I mean, she has been a much more consistent player this year and she has been the more aggressive player I think. I think she has beaten Gabriela quite a few times this year, so I kind of expect her to be my opponent.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, you know, just the last two tournaments we played, we both played each other and it went each way. I know that it-- really, most of it depends on me. I mean, it really depends on how well I am going to play. I think the serve is going to be again a key factor, and as well as being aggressive at times. This court suits me better.

STEFFI GRAF: How did it look?

STEFFI GRAF: Obviously, much more exciting than other matches. We had some incredible rallies there, some great points, some good passing shots and some really fun points, and so obviously I tried much, much more than the matches before.

STEFFI GRAF: I wish it would be always like that. But it is something that you just -- I think it's something you kind of more or less have from when you grow up. I think it is something that is really difficult to learn. I mean, you can try to loosen up more and people can give you certain help in what to do when you feel tight and how to relax. It is really difficult because it really comes from the inside.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, I think that it is-- obviously, this is still why I am around, because I like to have the competition and it is just what I am working for because these kinds of matches I can show what-- you know, what I improved or what -- how I can change my game and things like that, and that is why I like to have opponents like that.

STEFFI GRAF: No, you can't, just two very different matches. I think like you guys always say joking, you know, I don't think it really happened. Definitely not until 5-All, but okay, makes 3 doublefault that is really difficult, okay, but it is not easy to be out there at that situation and I think you guys asking her always about the match in Wimbledon doesn't really help her at all.