U.S. OPEN

September 4, 1996

Steffi Graf

STEFFI GRAF: Now I am getting used to it. As long as I keep coming back the way I do, it is okay, but I also wish to start a little better.

STEFFI GRAF: First set wasn't good. Just a start with too many unforced errors, trying for too much. Didn't really find my range, so, I mean, after the first set was over it was better.

STEFFI GRAF: I mean, this was definitely a much tougher test. I mean, it was much more difficult match so you can't really compare it. But the one thing you have, if you play against Judy you know what to expect, but on the other hand, she doesn't make as many unforced errors. She plays a lot better strategically, so that probably gives me a bit more trouble.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, I saw her play a little bit against Arantxa and I saw a bit of the first set which wasn't much there, but the third set there were really great points and some long rallies. She seems to believe a lot more in herself and believes she can play and win against the top players and she is playing a little bit more aggressive which definitely helps her game.

STEFFI GRAF: Depends on Jana. If Jana plays form, normal, she is going to win, but then again, she can get a little nervous and then you never know what to expect, but usually she should win.

STEFFI GRAF: No, I am not really watching a lot of tennis. I used to watch a lot more. Nowadays, not as much. Maybe a few games here or there, but not really, no.

STEFFI GRAF: I don't seem positive out there on the court at the moment?

STEFFI GRAF: I am a little disappointed about the way I am playing. I guess that is why maybe I am not as positive out there as I should be.

STEFFI GRAF: Be comfortable? I think it will be a lot easier to talk about it once I finish with tennis and get it behind me. It is really difficult to look at this from that point while I am playing. It is something that I don't think too much about basically.

STEFFI GRAF: The thing is I don't care enough about it that I have to think about it. I mean, yeah, if I play a couple of more years and win everything, maybe, that makes me eligible, but it is something I have never had the drive to achieve and it is not in my mind.

STEFFI GRAF: To what?

STEFFI GRAF: Not really, no. I mean, in a way, it is -- how do you say it - I am proud of it that there is even a mention of it. I mean, I think that is something that, obviously, I am happy about it even people are thinking about it, but that is as far as I am concerned about it.

STEFFI GRAF: I think everybody has usually their own view on it and like you just said, there are always different times, different generations and it is so difficult to compare it to. I mean, the only thing that really counts is if you are satisfied with what you have achieved and I think everything else is for the people to talk about.

STEFFI GRAF: You are killing me on that (laughter). Oh, man. Greatness..... I'd rather not -- I am not ready to get into that one.

STEFFI GRAF: No. Actually, probably easier.

STEFFI GRAF: Not concerned, but just not really happy about it. It is -- I always thought the next match I play would be better and it is just -- it has been always a little struggle in the beginning and then I seem to find my game, but it just takes me a little longer than I want to and I am disappointed about it, maybe not as much concerned because I can't do anything better. I am trying my best out there. I am trying to focus and it just doesn't seem to always happen.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, first of all, I don't expect always to win. I mean, that is something that I have never done and that is why I take every match I play and I don't look very much forward to the next matches unless I am really there to do - and what was the second one?

STEFFI GRAF: Terribly disappointed (audience laughter) Hey, I am trying my best out here. Sometimes I win; sometimes I lose. And I can't ask anymore of myself. I don't need to prove anything. I am going to try out there and give it the best I have. I would be happy if I tried my hardest.

STEFFI GRAF: True, I mean, it definitely was a match and I knew that before, she will not give to me like maybe some of the other players will. She is going to try a lot of things. She will realize your weaknesses that day and she will try to go at them and that is exactly what she did. I have to also credit tennis for her that she played. There were some really good games and she knew what to do. She didn't make it easy either.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, she had a lot of depth and, you know, she served a lot to the forehand where I seemed to make a lot of errors on today and then again, you know, with the slice-back, she gave it a lot to my backhand and she is -- basically didn't make too many errors. She moved well around the court.

STEFFI GRAF: Not really anything that I dislike. I have got a lot of good memories about that court, so that is probably what I treasure the most.

STEFFI GRAF: I doubt it. I don't know. I mean, it is difficult to say. But I don't think so. I don't think -- sometimes it is good to have a couple of tough matches or tough situations. I mean, the positive thing about -- even if I am struggling with my game, every time I have been down, I seemed to have been able to concentrate and focus a little bit more and seem to win the more important points, so that gives me maybe a better feeling than getting in a tighter situation, but I don't think it will trouble her too much.

STEFFI GRAF: I have beat her since (laughter). No.

STEFFI GRAF: No, it doesn't. No.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, I mean, I always said that she has a lot of potential, I mean, the way she plays and she is showing quite a few times this year she's got the ability to play from the back, but then again, come in. She has got a lot of power in her strokes, but what seems to have been troubling her, she usually has difficulties doing it throughout the match, she is somebody that can be playing an incredible match and next day can have a little off-day and I seem to be able to play more aggressive when I needed to play against her.

STEFFI GRAF: I try.

STEFFI GRAF: I try to focus on the next point.

STEFFI GRAF: Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't.

STEFFI GRAF: I have no idea how that happened or how they do it. I don't know.

STEFFI GRAF: I don't want to talk about it.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, probably Grand Slams. That is the most you look at. Yeah, definitely. The way, you know, they have played during their time at the Grand Slams and also looking at the competition they had during that period.

STEFFI GRAF: The problem is I am a little too young to know more about the players of history, so probably I am definitely going to be the wrong one to ask, but from the people that I have been playing with, I probably would say Martina Navratilova.

STEFFI GRAF: The challenge, yeah.

STEFFI GRAF: The challenge to play well out there and every day, you know, it's a little different and there are times when things work a little easier and sometimes it is difficult. Both is a joy. It is a great joy, obviously, when you play your great tennis to realize what you do on the court. Then again, it is a challenge if you play bad to get out of it.