U.S. OPEN

September 3, 1994

Thomas Muster

THOMAS MUSTER: I don't have a problem with Richard. He just -- he doesn't see very well. That is his problem. That is the only thing. But we have heard it a few times before about him. That is his thing. He is a real nice guy, sometimes messes up, I mean...

THOMAS MUSTER: I don't know. I am not a resident here, so, it must be Austrian. I don't know if I am that famous. No, I think I got some fans here, particularly what happened in '89, I think, Key Biscayne, many Americans, they like the way I fought back and many times I have been asked about this. So I think they like this kind of attitude and I think they like the way I play and so they are also behind me.

THOMAS MUSTER: It is good enough for the guys I played right now, but to win probably against Bruguera or Goellner - I don't know who is winning, but I guess Bruguera; I am just making a guess here - I probably need to serve a little bit better and more consistent. I need to come in a little more because Sergi is not going to give me a lot of free points like I got into in the first three matches, but you make your mind up before you play somebody and you just put your tactics the day before and the last practice you go ahead and try different things and then you go out and try to put it in the match. I think a player like me is experienced enough to change his game enough from one match to another, whatever he needs to play. You have the basic game, but you can really go and change it in a few ways and depends on the opponent. That is what I am going to do, definitely. It is not a matter of how I am hitting the ball. I am hitting it very clean and good. It is just a matter of changing tactics, actually.

THOMAS MUSTER: Just a different game. Goellner is -- a lot depends on his serve. His whole game is built up on his serve. If he is serving well, it is going to be very difficult. If he serves bad, just going to be broken early and then you sort of come over him, then it is tough, because he has a big forehand and a big serve. Those are his biggest weapons, so if one of those two doesn't work, then he is in trouble.

THOMAS MUSTER: I am telling you, the more you win here, the more you like it. I would put it that way. If you come here with an attitude, say I hate hamburgers; I hate the planes; I hate the city; I hate the travel, then stay home. That is the only reason. If you come here and you just accept what is happening, otherwise it is very difficult. You can't compare Australia or European or the tradition of England or Paris even the Australian Open, it is different.

THOMAS MUSTER: First time I played here was probably in '86 qualifying, '87, maybe, must be one -- '86, I guess.

THOMAS MUSTER: When I was young I had a problem. I didn't accept anything, so that was my biggest problem at the beginning to accept things, you know, and I just accepted to play my way and on clay and I needed to change that attitude also to play on other surfaces and with changing this attitude I start looking hard courts more and made me more successful. In '89 when I was in the semis in Australian Open, Key Biscayne, finals, so once -- if I know I can play, that is tough, I start looking to play on it; then I had the accident and I couldn't play much on that, but I never really hated to play.

THOMAS MUSTER: I have no patience, I don't want to have long points. I want to win quickly, but I think we got the same game, yeah.

THOMAS MUSTER: I think that we both have to do something otherwise we are going to need the court all day, so one of us has to do something at one point and I think the player who comes in more and who is serving better at a certain stage and then that is very important because we both can run from the baseline and play, but the one who takes more chances I think is going to win.

THOMAS MUSTER: Amazing, history about the city, everything, you know, I really learned a lot in Flushing. My English improved, I guess, everything. I know the Hamburger prizes, it is just fantastic -- No, I like the city. I like to stay here two weeks, but I am really happy to leave then.