US OPEN

September 5, 2001

Tommy Haas

MODERATOR: Questions for Tommy.

TOMMY HAAS: Well, I'm not going to say it affected anything. You know, obviously yesterday was a different day. You know, today you have to come out and try to do the same as did you yesterday, just try to play your game and win. Obviously, the conditions were a little different. It was quite windy out there today, which didn't suit my game as well as maybe his. You know, didn't play a good tiebreak in the second set. Kind of bothered me for the first game in the third where I lost my serve. You know, it's tough to come back against a player like Hewitt.

TOMMY HAAS: No. It was made clear yesterday after it started raining a little bit. He basically gave us no option and said, "You're coming back tomorrow at 11." I guess it was fine with me, and it was fine with Lleyton. That's the end of it.

TOMMY HAAS: Now if I look back, what can I say? It's over. It's in the past. You know, it's a situation you learn from. Got to move on.

TOMMY HAAS: You can't really tell. I mean, obviously we stopped at 2-All in the second set. I won the first set. I would speak that the momentum was still on my way because, you know, I think at that time I was getting (inaudible). Obviously going to get better in the second set. Today we actually started where we ended yesterday, both serving pretty well, holding on each other's serve. I think the momentum changed after the second set, after I played not the greatest tiebreaker. You know, he made some good shots. That's where I got a little bit frustrated, beginning of the third, losing my serve. Tried to come back in the second set. Couldn't do that. Struggled a little bit with the wind. Those are no excuses. You've got to come out today and give it all you have. Doesn't matter if it's lightning or whatever. That's the way it is.

TOMMY HAAS: If I knew, then maybe I would be a lot of times further in Grand Slams. I think it has to come with a lot of things. You know, if you have come a lot of times further in Grand Slams, fourth round here two years ago, semis in the Australian Open, that's pretty much the only time I reach the second week. Lost a lot of tight matches in Grand Slams. You need maybe a little bit of the edge, a little bit of extra luck, a little bit of extra experience. You need to peak at the right times. Sometimes I haven't really figured it out yet. Obviously, this has been the best summer of my career, where I played the steadiest tennis last five or six weeks, played good tennis here. Today I lost against a better player. You know, these are the kind of things I have to learn from and continue doing those things before a Grand Slam. You know, that's about it.

TOMMY HAAS: Like I said, I mean, I have to look at the whole summer for me. I was struggling a little bit before. I played the most consistent five, six weeks of my career, you know, had the longest winning streak of eight matches until today. You know, when you play against somebody like Lleyton, you have to play on top of your game. He's going to get more balls back than anybody else. He competes until the last point. If a little thing just frustrates you here or there, you lose your focus, it's going to get tougher and tougher. I lost today a bit of my focus after the second set.