U.S. OPEN

September 4, 1995

Petr Korda

PETR KORDA: This means a lot to me because I looked at the books, my career record in the U.S. Open it was no good and I am happy with myself, the way I am doing, you know, and after I would say one year of problem with my injuries, you know, finally I became healthy, like in the middle of this year and I am just starting to play tennis, which I was producing in the years when I was top 10.

PETR KORDA: Maybe I run out of the steam during the summer. Always played well on the hard court season I won one, two tournaments before and just came to the Open and I would say I was also unlucky for the draw. I play always the first unseeded guy, Emilio Sanchez one year and year after was Wayne Ferreira last year. I pulled out because I got injured and one year I lost second round to Andre. I mean, I lost tough matches, five sets, four sets. I had matchpoints. But this one is better, you know, maybe I am a bit older than I was. I didn't have the great run through the summer and -- plus I got a little bit comfortable to staying in New York which I had always problems before and last year, unfortunately, I was injured. I mean, I start to enjoy a little bit New York. Right now I feel relaxed and I am just enjoying myself playing.

PETR KORDA: I mean, it is not the end of the year and for me it is most important I am staying healthy in the moment. I think I am capable of playing top 10 tennis as long as I am going to stay healthy. I mean, since I won a Grand Slam Cup, and I played well in beginning of the year, especially in United States, I mean, I went little bit downhill with my health, which didn't help me. I couldn't practice properly and last three quarters of the year, I didn't practice, which I had a problem, especially in the beginning of the year. Everybody was stronger than I was and everybody physically better. Right now I am even to those guys and I get confident again. And I think I am capable of winning some long matches and physically I mean, I am probably in the best shape of my life.

PETR KORDA: He change my -- he change me completely, probably, of the view of, you know, of my tennis, you know, he teach me how to enjoy some other stuff than not just to play tennis and. We did a lot of conditioning, I mean, on my movement on my court, plus, you know, took me back; he put to my tennis back in with confidence.

PETR KORDA: I mean, I have a different responsibility in life, but I mean, too many people told me you know, I mean, since I got married I became father. I got some different interests than in tennis, but it was not true. I mean, I just got unlucky with my health, you know, I mean, I got injured. I got bad problem in my groin, but my wife, she is former top, I don't know, 25 player in the world. She knows how to relax outside of the court, you know, she knows what tennis means, but when I come home and I have always -- I can play with my daughter. It is like a live show for me all the time and I can relax. It is completely different, and there is more responsibility for me.

PETR KORDA: I mean, the way I played the first match I was really nervous and I mean, like I said before, I was really struggling in that match. But I mean, you know, the good sign in that match I kept fighting, and I kept moving him around and he got cramping, and I am just happy, you know, I won that match - this heavy monkey which I had on my back was U.S. Open, finally I broke through, and in the next match I was much more relaxed. I beat very good player like Eltingh, then Ondruska. Today I play also well. I think I am enjoying myself, and I feel, you know, I am hitting the ball well and somebody wants to beat me, they have to play pretty good tennis, have to be in very good shape.

PETR KORDA: I mean, when I was playing the tournaments in the summer, more I was getting close to New York. People they start to walk faster and talk faster and, you know, once you hit -- once I came to the Manhattan and everything was going bang, bang, bang, I just -- I didn't like that, and in the beginning I stayed in Long Island which I thought you know, it is going to be good idea, but I didn't done well. Maybe I put too much pressure on myself to play well, you know, always I had a good summer, but right now, I mean, I maybe couple of years older than I was before and, you know, I have some good people around me.

PETR KORDA: I am staying in the city. I am a city boy.

PETR KORDA: To be honest right now, the tennis is done for me. I mean, I don't want to think about my next opponent -- I think Andre won. I don't want to think about the match. I want to really relax because I play 'til today -- I play everyday. I play singles and doubles and I just need to relax; hit some couple of balls; put my feets back to the ground again and start to work and, you know, then maybe couple of hours before the match I think we are going to sit together with Tony and we are going to come up with something.