US OPEN

September 5, 1998

Thomas Muster

Q. Seems like he had you off balance through the duration of the match. Is that how you felt?

THOMAS MUSTER: What was that, the first part?

THOMAS MUSTER: I wouldn't say that. I just think he served extremely well during some parts of the match, and I think I had a lot of chances in the second set, maybe not in the first, but in the second set I had a lot of chances to win that one. But I think it was pretty even in some parts. I could have taken more advantage of it. I didn't think I was off balance. But I think he was playing quite powerful the first one and a half sets.

THOMAS MUSTER: That's the same for both players. I mean, it wasn't that bad. I mean, that's pretty much in the norm.

THOMAS MUSTER: Well, I knew he was hitting hard, has a good serve. I just didn't take advantage of his bad times during the match, I think, because when he went down a little bit, I couldn't take advantage of it, especially in the second set. I had twice 40-15 on my serve, which I didn't use.

THOMAS MUSTER: Well, definitely. I mean, he's, I don't know, 18, 19, I have no idea. But he's definitely playing on a very good level already. I think he still can improve a lot of things, and that makes him even a better quality player, because if he keeps improving the bad things he has in his game, he will be even more dangerous than now.

THOMAS MUSTER: Some guys you can see that they're coming through. There's some coming from nowhere, suddenly they're there. Then there's some players you have very high expectations, they never make it. Seen a lot of this happening in the last 15 years probably. But I think, let's put it that way, he has a good potential.

THOMAS MUSTER: Not at all. I had a little problem with a stiff neck, but that was not a factor today. So wasn't the wind. It's just an even game, which I couldn't take advantage of it. And obviously he was serving bigger, get more freebies. He has a very strong backhand. I mean, he just put a lot of pressure on me. That makes it hard to place your balls, to go for your shots. But it wasn't the greatest game I've played from my side.

THOMAS MUSTER: You have professionals and you have amateurs working for Federations. That's the problem. It's everywhere the same in the world. They don't understand what players want. The players don't understand what officials want. They always think -- officials always think it's an honor to play for your country. In another way, it's business. Others are professionals. You can see it from two points. I mean, it's always the question where you compromise. If the players don't want to play, there's no Davis Cup team. That's the way it is. I'm always putting my side on the players' side, because I always think that way. If you don't have players, there's no Davis Cup. If you want to have your strongest team, obviously I don't know what causes the problem here, maybe financially, maybe time, I don't know. But obviously they have to sort it out somehow.