U.S. OPEN

September 8, 1996

Steffi Graf

STEFFI GRAF: Well, actually I served really well last year also during the finals, but today was extremely high percentage, extremely high percentage and I changed my serve very well. I changed placements really well and that was really a big key for it.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, with the forehand she plays more crosscourt, so obviously she plays more to my forehand and I feel that if I can rally with her crosscourt, I will be better off than playing with backhand.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, I mean, it is, to me, still a big question too, how I am able to play that well when I need to. It is something, you know, I wish I would know before too because I felt so nervous before the match and I felt like I had an upset stomach and I was -- like I was really nervous and whenever -- and then I went out on the court, I loosened up so much more and felt so much more relaxed because suddenly I had a real good positive attitude. I don't know how or why it came, but...

STEFFI GRAF: Because I haven't really played very well during the tournament and, you know, you are playing Monica in the finals. If that is not an occasion to get nervous, then I don't know when.

STEFFI GRAF: I drank that tough stuff, whatever, in the locker room.

STEFFI GRAF: No. That was the least thing that I really thought about at all. Not at all. I mean, it got really dark and got really difficult to see the points; especially on 40-15 on her return, I was having difficulty seeing it, but it is something I didn't really focus on at all.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, I felt today I really needed to take time during points and I did that because at times I was -- like at the end of the first set and beginning of the second set, I was really nervous and I felt like I wanted to calm down and be ready for every point, concentrate where I wanted to hit it and I did that really well.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, at times you felt she wasn't pressuring you as much as she maybe did last year.

STEFFI GRAF: No. No. No, there is no relief of it being over. I mean, it is a joy of winning it. And playing that well, I think that didn't expect it to be able to show that kind of tennis today and that is why I am so excited about it.

STEFFI GRAF: Absolutely.

STEFFI GRAF: Absolutely. Every single one has a different way of coming into the tournament; a different emotion during the tournament and different tennis -- it is so difficult to compare them, very, very difficult.

STEFFI GRAF: Hey, it was good to me (audience laughter).

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, I think so. Especially since the men's match is rained out. (laughs) (audience laughter). I think it would be nicer obviously to have the women's final on the other day of the men's final. I think it would be more appropriate, but I am not complaining right now.

STEFFI GRAF: No (audience laughter).

STEFFI GRAF: I am sorry, I can't remember it at all, but I am sure it was important if it was 30-All and a passing shot for 2-1. I am sure it was important (audience laughter).

STEFFI GRAF: No, not really. But I don't think I felt the rain at all, so I wasn't bothered too much.

STEFFI GRAF: It depends on what kind of matches you have. If you play a top player like that, it is maybe not as unusual, but the thing was that I was really feeling it strongly and I was surprised that even though I was nervous, I still played the points well. Sometimes you get hesitant and don't go for the shots, but I still went for maybe a few occasions I didn't, but I was able to loosen up at the important points.

STEFFI GRAF: I guess I believe in myself when I need to.

STEFFI GRAF: Fluke? If you make it through to the finals, there is no fluke against you.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, I know what you are saying.

Well, what has been so special about it is that I have played the kind of tennis today and obviously it is even a better feeling if you play the other No. 1 player and to show it against her, no question, I mean, it is even more special, but maybe it is not quite as important as having known that I played that kind of tennis.

STEFFI GRAF: Not really. I think it is probably part of playing her, but I think it is even a bigger part, realizing that I was really playing well and I should win the match and I think that was probably why I was starting to get nervous.

STEFFI GRAF: In a way, yeah. In a way, yeah.

STEFFI GRAF: It was really difficult to play this tournament, really, really difficult. Last year was extremely difficult. I don't think this year was any easier. I was really struggling during the tournament just to stay focused and to concentrate and that is why to be sitting here in this kind of position is incredible.

STEFFI GRAF: Both. Actually my back has been, for the first time in two years, two weeks, no problems. I haven't had that for a long, long time. So, I have only had minor injuries to struggle with, which was actually nice that I didn't have to worry about that for once. But I didn't have a lot of practice before this tournament since Wimbledon. I haven't really been able to train well. So a lot of things.

STEFFI GRAF: That is very necessary for the game and I think it is necessary for us. I think whenever we play, we seem to really play the best and for the tennis itself, I mean, it would be great if we play a couple of more times. I think it would be appropriate too.

STEFFI GRAF: No.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah.

STEFFI GRAF: I mean, whenever I play her, it is a challenge and so any time I could play her, it would be nice, would be fun.

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, I mean, we played quite a few tournaments this year where we played, but it just seems that we have not been able to get as far as we needed to at times and then I think we have both been struggling a lot with injuries in the past year, so, it has been really difficult to try to do what you just said.

STEFFI GRAF: In a way, you know, why we are out there is to be challenged and why we train or why I train hard is because I want to play the best and I want to play the best against the other best. So, in a way, you definitely need it a lot, but on the other hand, I mean, the game needs this probably more sometimes than the players need it.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, I mean, looking back there everyone has been a milestone itself, so, I wouldn't put anyone ahead of the other, no.

STEFFI GRAF: I am going to take a few days off and probably head to Germany.

STEFFI GRAF: She played a very good game. She returned well. At that stage, even though I didn't feel I was serving bad, but she really returned well; made me play the points, and at that time, I was playing against the wind so she was really pressuring me right from the beginning on -- and maybe I should have been a little bit more aggressive, but she played a really good game.

STEFFI GRAF: 24? No, it doesn't matter to me

(audience laughter).

STEFFI GRAF: Today. I mean, it is simple as that, it is, you know, I don't think I need to say more. Tennis has always been a big challenge to me and to be able to play that kind of tennis and to get these feelings after the match, only tennis can produce that and that is why I still love the game so much.

STEFFI GRAF: Hey, I am not thinking about that at all. To have played the last six Grand Slams and win all six of them, it is an incredible achievement by itself. I ain't looking any further than that.

STEFFI GRAF: I don't think I played enough of them, but I felt I didn't really need to in a way. I mean, a few times I even should have come to the net. I mean, there were a few things I can say, is, but I was really playing solid from the backcourt that I didn't feel I needed to do much else. I mean, I wanted to stay aggressive and it worked out well. And I cut down on unforced errors extremely today and that is why I felt I should stick with what I was doing.

STEFFI GRAF: Whenever I get out of here, we usually have dinner and by that time I am so exhausted, I am kneeling dropping down at the table, but no, usually have a nice dinner and sometimes we go out to a disco afterwards.

STEFFI GRAF: No.

STEFFI GRAF: I mean, I do. Every time I started playing a tournament I just think about the tournament that I am playing in and I don't look back too much, something maybe should do a little more often and actually I did look back today on that record and I was saying, last year I played Paris, Wimbledon, I played Arantxa in the finals, I won both of them. I played Monica in the finals U.S. Open. I had the same years, so why shouldn't I end it the same as I did last year, but otherwise, I don't reflect too much on those things.

STEFFI GRAF: I felt it a little bit, but not as strong. It is something that didn't bother me at all.

STEFFI GRAF: It is something that I didn't mind before. I don't mind now and it is something that I don't think about.

STEFFI GRAF: Forget that question (audience laughter).

STEFFI GRAF: Actually during practice. I suppose it was around 12:30.

STEFFI GRAF: During the match?

STEFFI GRAF: Her game did. Her game did. It is obviously a game that is unusual, being lefthanded; coming in a lot, and especially when I was younger I wasn't too comfortable with my backhand so, obviously, I felt more intimidated by her game.

STEFFI GRAF: I hope so. (audience laughter).

STEFFI GRAF: Yeah, I didn't understand him, though.

STEFFI GRAF: What did he say?

STEFFI GRAF: Ohh. I knew there was something about marrying, but I didn't get it, so I didn't know what to answer to that one (laughs).