U.S. OPEN

September 5, 1996

Jacco Eltingh

Paul Haarhuis

JACCO ELTINGH: Hopefully not. That is why I am actually so happy I am playing well and probably because I don't feel any pain anymore in my knees. I think it has a lot to do with it, since last two week, so I don't know whether it is a coincidence or not, but we are in the finals.

JACCO ELTINGH: Yeah, pretty heavily.

JACCO ELTINGH: Altogether for five months.

PAUL HAARHUIS: It is very important, especially the way things have been going for us this year as a team. You know, with Jacco being out five months and couple of tournaments we did play, we didn't play so good and disappointing at the Olympics losing 18-16 in the third set with matchpoints to the Woodies. So for us, you know, also we feel that we know that over the past three and a half, four years we have been together with the Woodies, probably the top team in the world, so it is nice that this tournament is such a big tournament again where we, you know --

JACCO ELTINGH: Proved.

PAUL HAARHUIS: -- proved that we are back and playing well and at least in the finals again.

PAUL HAARHUIS: On one hand I do. I'd like to take a little bit of revenge for the Olympics. On the other hand, we never played Philippoussis/Rafter. They will be a different team and just see how it goes, but we will just -- we like both teams. I mean, for us, we are very pleased to be in the finals and now we are just counting for another title. It would be great to win our second U.S. Open. Doesn't matter who it is, but it would be nice to keep the Woodies from winning a U.S. open title here.

JACCO ELTINGH: Right now we just came from the court so we really haven't given it much thought. Try to take it a match at a time because it is so important, the matches have been so close, but obviously the Woodies we played, many, many times so we know exactly what they do, but they also know exactly what we do. So it has a lot to do with the shape of the day and who is playing well and against Philippoussis/Rafter, obviously, those guys have big serves and it is -- that is going to be the major point when we play them, try to make them play a lot of volleys. I think when it comes down to doubles and positioning, we are the better team. When it comes down to individual shots; especially on the service games, they hit a little harder and stronger. I think both matches really depend on the day how we come out tomorrow morning.