CHASE CHAMPIONSHIPS OF THE COREL WTA TOUR

November 17, 1998

Steffi Graf

Q. Are you surprised you are playing so well?

STEFFI GRAF: Very much so. I mean, I have been sounding pretty much the same for the past 2 1/2 weeks. I always seem surprised and I am still surprised that I keep on being on that kind of roll and beating the players that I am beating right now. Not having any physical problems helps a lot.

STEFFI GRAF: It has been a few years since I felt like that, that I would be able to keep up to everybody and maybe it helps that I don't need to do it. I mean, that I don't have that expectation right now and that is maybe why I am still a little looser than, you know, sometimes I can be.

STEFFI GRAF: Well, that is what I have been saying, I don't have anything to prove anymore. I have done it all before and whatever I am doing, I am doing it because I enjoy it and I still feel that I like to do it. The pressure obviously is not there as much as it used to be and that is maybe, maybe why I can be a little more relaxed about everything.

STEFFI GRAF: I am happy that I got over this match today. But I think if you know me a little bit, you know I could be happier because I don't think I played up to my potential and -- but I think it is important to win the matches that you don't play so well and I think that is what I did today.

STEFFI GRAF: I don't know. It is usually me that is hurt, (Laughs), so, no.

STEFFI GRAF: Not really, no. I think when you are younger you have a lot of different ideas, but you don't look too far into the future really.

STEFFI GRAF: I don't look -- I have really learned it the past year with as many tries as I have had and as many injuries as they have come and at the moment where I didn't expect them and, I have really learned not to look very far ahead. And I haven't really been able to do it anyway because so many things have come about. So I really take it match after match and tournament after tournament.

STEFFI GRAF: Today?

STEFFI GRAF: Well, I think I did play a little nervous in the first set. She played different from the girls that I have played, you know, even last week. I think she played a little slower slice, a little shorter, and I didn't really attack it very well, I think. And I was used to playing players that were playing a little faster, so, today I felt that maybe I was just a little flat and didn't really attack the balls as good enough as I could.

STEFFI GRAF: (Laughs) Hey, I take it any time, you know. I think if I look back, a few weeks ago I was hoping to play one tournament before this season is over. Now I am at the position where I am playing three tournaments and the season is over. You know, a couple of weeks 'til January only, I think I am very happy that I have been able to play these tournaments now.

STEFFI GRAF: Practice.

STEFFI GRAF: Bad luck. Basically something like that. But I have lost the tiebreaker earlier when I was leading 3-1. I didn't play the point very well at that stage. I knew obviously if I would be able to get to 6-All, then I think odds were better of winning maybe the tiebreaker because maybe she would get a little tentative again. But, you know, I was just disappointed the way I was playing a little bit the first set. That is what was going through a little bit in my mind.

STEFFI GRAF: I don't know if I have the advantage or not, but it seems like I have been doing very well. I have been wearing down some players even though I haven't really played that much and I think that speaks for itself. And I know some of the players had a very long season, played a lot of tournaments and I guess, you know, maybe I have a little more excitement getting into these tournaments and playing. I think maybe that shows a little bit. That is possible.

STEFFI GRAF: No, I didn't. Absolutely not.

STEFFI GRAF: I don't worry about it right now. I mean, it has been a joy the last few weeks. I will see what I can do next year. I don't worry right now about it.

STEFFI GRAF: I am intending to play Sydney and Melbourne.

STEFFI GRAF: That is true.

STEFFI GRAF: -- off guard.

STEFFI GRAF: No, but this surface is a little bit different than last week's. The ball stays a little lower. It is a little slower and the way she plays, you need to take the chances and come in a little bit more. Like I said earlier, she didn't give me a lot of pace, so I needed to try to come in and we play similar styles and I know how you feel if you get attacked on the backhand, so I was trying to push her to react to that a little bit. She tried to slice crosscourt a little bit, you know, short, and that gave me some troubles because I am not so, you know, I haven't really, like you said, I haven't really come into the net very much the last few weeks. I mean, in general, I don't anyway, but I haven't been able to train on it as well.