U.S. OPEN

September 6, 1995

Patrick McEnroe

PATRICK McENROE: Well, some would argue that. It was certainly up there. Top couple, I'd say, yeah.

PATRICK McENROE: Well, I feel like I played pretty well, and, obviously, I had chances really in every set almost. Certainly, the second set was key, if I had gotten that, maybe I would have gotten a little bit more momentum getting down two sets against Boris isn't the best position to be in. So I tried to step up my game when I had to and realize that I was going to have to win the match, and win the big points and do that. So I learned something there today, and I think that I did do that a little bit in the third set, and I got into my head that, you know, when it comes to the tiebreak, when it comes to 5-All, I am going to have to hit big shots, to win them because he is not going to give them to you in a quarterfinal after Grand Slam event. So it is something that I can take from this today.

PATRICK McENROE: It is over now. I had some tough matches. I played some tough solid players. And overall, I had a couple of matches here and there, but for the most part, I played consistently well and, you know, my game improved, I think, as the tournament went on. So I feel happy about that. I prepared as well as I could and, you know, I gave -- I gave it everything I had of the match. I'd like to think I'd do that all the time. But, certainly, I am happy with my level of play. I feel it has improved, and that is the most important thing to me.

PATRICK McENROE: Didn't take anything away from me. You know, it was a bad time for a call, but I think he got a bad call on the baseline shot further in the break. So those things happen and, you know, to say it affected the outcome, I think would be mistaken and you never want to see them happen at crucial times and, it was a questionable call. I think on my set point in the second set which I thought was out, but I could have been wrong. I don't know, but those things happen as all you guys and ladies know in a tennis match. You don't like to see them happen at that time, and -- but what can you do? To answer your question briefly, no, it didn't really affect the way I played the breaker or anything.

PATRICK McENROE: Well, you are always thinking about it, but you don't let it affect your play. I mean, it is unfortunate happening, but I don't think it affected the way I continued to play in the tiebreak.

PATRICK McENROE: Obviously, I know Boris's game well, and I have always played pretty well against him; beating him a couple of times and so, you know, my game is -- I return well and try to attack him when I can. And there is really no secret to how I play him or how he plays me. We are just going to both play our game, and see who comes out on top. He likes to attack, and, obviously, put pressure on my serve when he can. And so I just try to, you know, pick my spots a little bit as far as when to attack in those situations.

PATRICK McENROE: I played my last match here, the fourth round match, and so I felt like that was good for me to play that one match before, so I felt very comfortable out there. And in fact, I had a shakey start in my last match rather than this one. So I had felt real comfortable. I got used to the speed of the court and, you know, I enjoyed it. I like to play there and the fans were great, and so I enjoyed the experience of being out there.

PATRICK McENROE: I doubt it. But, you know, that is not in my hands, so... I just go about my business. I'd love to play any time. As I have said many times, but I am not expecting to get picked for that.

PATRICK McENROE: They had dinner plans. Well, I don't know. Probably they did, yeah.

PATRICK McENROE: Not too much. No. I think there was something today I said -- kind of said something to him what he thought about something -- no, not really too much. I know he is real impartial in what he says. Obviously, he is pulling for me, but I think from what everyone has told me, when he does my matches, he tells it like it is, straight up, so... I don't think about it too much.

PATRICK McENROE: He just told me good effort and, you know, good fight, basically, and, you know, that I played well.

PATRICK McENROE: Well, sure. I mean, you know, he built this place, so I draw a little bit from that, and it was exciting to see him play in those days, and I think he was excited about seeing me play well and my improvement so, that is nice for both of us.

PATRICK McENROE: No, not during the match, no.

PATRICK McENROE: Oh, definitely. I mean, I think what I learned was that basically when it gets to be crunch time against a guy like Becker, there is a big situation, you got to really go for it; go for your shots and not hold anything back and not just try to hope he misses because he is not going to miss, I mean, basically. Those great players are not, and I think I found out that I can, you know, that I can raise my game and come up with big shots, and so that is something that I take from a positive -- from this particular match.

PATRICK McENROE: Well, obviously it is much more exciting to do it here - to play well in front of the family and your friends and the people that support you the most, you know, and really have encouraged me over the years to keep going and to keep working hard and trying to get better when times when I didn't know if I could. To do it in front of them and have them enjoy it, you know, and get into it and make it exciting for them has been really nice and made it certainly a lot more memorable to me and Australia -- although, Australia was great too.

PATRICK McENROE: Well, I wouldn't have missed those couple of shots at the second set to win the set, but, you know, strategically I felt like I did -- I played my game. I went with my game plan. I think after I lost the first two sets I realized that I had to go for my serves a little bit more because basically I was worried about making a lot of first serves because he was attacking well on the second serve. And so maybe I could have done that earlier in the match, but it is hard to say because then I am up 5-3 in the second, I easily could win that set, and, but when I got down 2 sets to Love I said, you know, I have been working all this time on hitting better serves, so I better use it now because this is it. I am down two sets; it is not like Becker is just going to let me back into the match. So I felt like that was a positive for me that I realized that I was able to go for it a little bit more, consistently, and make my way back into the match.

PATRICK McENROE: Yeah, definitely. As you noted, I have been on the other side of it, so, you know, maybe I realized from that that try to get them on my side and make it exciting; have fun out there. What the hell, you don't get too many opportunities like this in your life, and so I wanted to enjoy it, and you know, try to play my best and have everyone else enjoy it, my friends and everything and they get into it, so it is just fun and not to mention the fact that it can help me win the match.

PATRICK McENROE: Well, to be honest with you, Mike, I don't really, like, think about it that much. I mean, it is obviously, you know, everyday -- I know it sounds ridiculous, but I have days that I am working on my tennis or working on my physical training, I am trying to get better. That is really what I do, and if it translates into, you know, obviously to be able to play great in a big event that is my desire and my hope, but it doesn't consume me, you know, "oh, I am never going to get back," this type of thing. I feel like if I go about my business and try to get the most out of myself as a player, you know, that the rest will take care of itself. If I end up on court 33, you know, losing a tough five-setter and playing well, and just, you know, having the people out there enjoy it, then that is great. Obviously it is a hell of a lot more fun to do it in there.