U.S. OPEN

September 9, 1995

Steffi Graf

STEFFI GRAF: Well, I still got a few in store, so don't worry. I will get them out of there, soon enough.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, because I had it for a few days, I got a bone scan an M.R.I. done last night just to be sure that I didn't hurt it or didn't do anything to it. I mean, everything looked real good. Only thing I have, again, one of those bone spurs, so that is what is causing little bit of irritation, but it wasn't anything big.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, it wasn't the most pleasant one to look forward to.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah. There is no way -- this is the biggest win that I have ever achieved. There is nothing that even comes close to this one.

STEFFI GRAF: A lot of obstacles to climb over and a lot of things that, you know, was difficult to focus on because every time something else was coming up and to be able to go through all of that, I just didn't expect it.

STEFFI GRAF: Can you explain that?

STEFFI GRAF: I didn't look at it from this angle, actually. Obviously, you know, she has been playing so well since she came back, which I think impressed everybody. I mean, especially me and I knew it is not going to be an easy match. So at this point, I was just, you know, thinking, you know, I got to be extra tough to beat her, but I didn't really think, you know, of the reasons why I should win, no.

STEFFI GRAF: That was stupid for me. It really -- at this moment anyway after winning the first set, even in tiebreaker, was getting little tentative in the beginning of the first game, you know. I could feel that my serve wasn't going as good anymore. I felt like, you know, I was getting quite a bit nervous there and I don't know why, especially after winning the first set, but that is what happened, that kind of threw my concentration even more a little bit that is how I felt about it. But I don't know.

STEFFI GRAF: One year ago or even nine months ago, whatever kind of time you want to put it on, I didn't expect to have that kind of year, I mean, for a lot of reasons. I couldn't think about that kind of year. I only played, I think, like eight tournaments and to have that kind of record and to be still out there and playing that well, I didn't expect it, no.

STEFFI GRAF: It was awfully difficult because she was really starting to serve better and pushing me around and I started to make so many mistakes. I really didn't know how to get back into the match at that point. Obviously, the first service game was really important and I think after that, I had felt a little bit better, but still, I didn't really know how to get back honestly.

STEFFI GRAF: I served very well in the first set and like I said, in the second set I was getting really tentative and started to serve a little bit better in the third set. But I mean, the first set I served the best, probably, that I can and from then on, I just maybe wasn't as sure anymore. Wasn't really going for my serves anymore as I did.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, I mean, many shots in there, I think, like she used to play great crosscourt, but she didn't play as much down the lines. I think she really improved on that, so I mean, there are some little differences. I think even her serve at times can be a lot stronger than she used to have.

STEFFI GRAF: Did she? No, I didn't realize. Did she say so?

STEFFI GRAF: No, but I realized when it was getting close, she made a few mistakes when she was maybe going for it a little bit too much. But I don't know if that was because she was tired or just trying to go for it; difficult to judge. Especially in the second set, she didn't really have to work for it, and so it was difficult for me to figure out if she was getting tired or not, because mostly I was doing the running.

STEFFI GRAF: Oh, no. If she said that, then I won't say anything either.

STEFFI GRAF: It was a nice conversation, that is all, no.

STEFFI GRAF: I was trying to reach Heinz, but there were a couple of people in between.

STEFFI GRAF: It has been a dream. I mean, today it -- like I said, I mean, I don't -- it is unreal right now. It seems unreal. Everybody has been so great up there and I came back into the locker room and they drenched me with beer. First I was thinking they were going to give me beer; everybody in the locker room, and they just poured the whole beer over me and they have been so great and just walking over people were so appreciative and so it has just been incredible.

STEFFI GRAF: Not really important. I mean, to look back and I think I won every Grand Slam four times now or something like that?

STEFFI GRAF: That is pretty amazing. I think -- I'd Love to look at that record, quite a few times, but you know, when I started playing tennis, I was going for records and I am still not.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, you can think about a lot of things before, but you don't know what to expect, really. I thought that -- I thought things would be a lot more difficult and I thought that, you know, to get through would take an awful lot and I really didn't think I can do it, basically before -- I mean, the few days before and even the beginning of the tournament I didn't think I had a chance being here where I am right now, really.

STEFFI GRAF: I never did, really. No. It is really strange to say that, and, you know, even if -- like I said, it is strange for me to have to say it because it doesn't seem right, but I still even yesterday I enjoyed the win so much, but going out there today I didn't feel like I would have the tools for it, really. It has been a strange feeling.

STEFFI GRAF: That is what I have been saying, yeah, I really didn't have that positive attitude that sometimes I do have and even today in the practice I didn't feel great. I didn't feel the shots were going, but, you know, I am sometimes like that.

STEFFI GRAF: What I am going to do? Well, I am definitely going to celebrate "big" tonight, very big, and I will be out there -- out here probably tomorrow to watch the doubles and take a few days off and then fly to Germany.

STEFFI GRAF: I am not allowed to talk about that.

STEFFI GRAF: No.

STEFFI GRAF: My prospects of seeing him?

STEFFI GRAF: I think very slight. The thing is I have not -- I have not talked a lot with my lawyers or his lawyers in the last few weeks, so I think I am going to have to do a lot of catching up on that issue.

STEFFI GRAF: I don't think so. Doesn't seem like it.