RCA TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

August 12, 1996

Stefan Edberg

STEFAN EDBERG: Yes.

STEFAN EDBERG: I felt really good out there. Luckily I got off to a good start. I played really -- slipped tonight in the end where I missed a few, but overall, I was quite happy the way it went.

STEFAN EDBERG: Who inspired me?

STEFAN EDBERG: Well, Borg, if I had to name anybody, yeah, it would be the one.

STEFAN EDBERG: I know I can still play some good tennis - there is no question about it, but, you know, the problem is maintaining it day after day, but the good thing is getting quick match in the beginning of the week because it is going to be a long week if I keep winning and there will be a lot of matches, so if you can play in this weather and get matches over quick, you know, the fresher you are going to be for the next match. So it is perfect.

STEFAN EDBERG: Yes, I do. The main thing is to enjoy tennis, get together with your friends and get started -- just get started in it and get a few tips, get involved with some coaches and start enjoying it like any other sport.

STEFAN EDBERG: No. I just lost the timing, but it is a little bit like that when you start off, it is still light out, but then it gets darker and darker. It is a little hard, I have always found that out over the years before it gets really dark and it is still light.

STEFAN EDBERG: No, it is not, Stefan. How old are you? (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)

STEFAN EDBERG: I am sort of retiring not at the top, but still playing good tennis. I don't see any reason for myself to keep going and not maintaining, if I am not in the top 10, it doesn't get interesting any longer. Once you get to 31, 32 winning Grand Slams, it is almost impossible, so therefore, I think it is better to make the decision and leave while you are still playing good tennis. I think that at least for me that is a better way to do it.

STEFAN EDBERG: I am already involved. Would be a lot more next year since I have set up this Stefan Edberg Foundation, that will benefit young tennis players in Sweden. I am hoping to help them with advice and playing a little bit with them and hopefully get them on the right track before they turn pro. So it will be in my interest, yes, because it is important to have other people coming through Sweden and keep the tradition going.

STEFAN EDBERG: That is hard to do. I don't know where we are going to find those players. In today's tennis you have to find an overall athlete that can do everything. It is not enough just to play serve and volley people today. People are just too good, so at least find somebody who plays aggressive and can play nice tennis.

STEFAN EDBERG: It does get harder because players are standing in returning today. Somebody had a big serve before, everyone is going three meters behind the baseline. Today they still stand on the baseline and take it on the rise. If you had to hit a big serve and somebody blocks it with the racket, they have to do -- all they have to do is block it and the racket is going to go back twice as quick, so it is so quick playing serve and volley, so people are returning so much better. That is one of the reasons and it is still easier to return if you know the guy is going to come in all the time, because then you find, you know, you are -- you are -- you can block everything back. So that is one of the reasons. It is technology and improvement of the return.

STEFAN EDBERG: A little bit. You are still going to see serve and volleyers, but maybe you are not going to see someone who comes in on the first and second serve. That is really hard. You can still do it. But it is physically very tough. It is probably tougher playing serve and volley than it is playing from the baseline because you are going up and down and if you are doing all this explosive moments from the side, jumping up and down, and to do that for five sets, you have to be extremely fit.

STEFAN EDBERG: I think there will always be what you call sportsmen around. I have been lucky to accomplish that, just being myself and being fair. You still have guys like Todd Martin coming around. I think Pete Sampras is a great ambassador. He goes on doing the business. So there will be lots of players coming after.

STEFAN EDBERG: Strong. You had a lot of good guys and also some opportunities in the draws because -- I am not sure what the count is-- there are also some matches that are not as tough, but overall, there are a lot of good players here.

STEFAN EDBERG: No. Nothing is really on my wish list. The main thing is okay, it has almost become a tradition that tournaments do something for me, which I think is very nice and the main thing -- my main purpose is for the fans to come out and watch me. That is really the most important thing and obviously gifts come along the way and, you know, bits and pieces here and there, but it is nice, though. They have done nice things and as long as they don't keep it too long because I think if they do something short, that is perfect.

STEFAN EDBERG: Don't know yet. I haven't got a clue. It is too early to say. It is a possibility, but we will see five years down the road when I qualify for it.

STEFAN EDBERG: I think, in general, it is quite good because you have all these familiar faces like McEnroe, Connors, Borg and I think it is a different tournament with the seniors because they interact with the people and doing a lot more things around the tennis and it is more of a corporate thing and it is not probably not as competitive and not as fast. So I think it has been a success, is what I hear, so I think it is quite good.

STEFAN EDBERG: Oh, he has been a big, big help to me throughout the years. We haven't been working for a couple of years, but since this is my last year, since I feel that I am playing pretty good tennis at the moment, I feel like I need somebody -- to have somebody help me with a few bits and pieces of the game and have the good results towards the end of the year. I asked him to go to Queens and Wimbledon. He was there. He worked out very well there. I thought it was important for him to come here. I think it is also nice to have him around being the last year too, so it is a very good friendship that we have at the same time.

STEFAN EDBERG: Pretty much. I think there is always going to be a time where you feel like maybe I should be there - maybe I should be playing there, but I think what I can do is if I really felt like it, I probably would go play an exhibition for a couple of days, play a charity thing one night, things like that, if I feel like tennis is still fun, I still enjoy it, but going back on the court and even playing a Tour event, that is, for me, out of the question and it is just too tough out there and it wouldn't be fair to me or to the other players, either, I don't think. So I will stay away from it.

STEFAN EDBERG: I wouldn't say every day, but most of the day. I think in the last couple of months it has sort of gone up, you know, the thing -- wanting to be on the practice; wanting to work out. I think it is due to results. At the moment, I am quite eager, still looking forward to go out there and play, but, you know, it is tough -- a day like this where you have to wait around all day, until the evening -- there is not much you can do and those days are a lot tougher. I think it is so much nicer when you get up in the morning; you warm-up and you play your match and you have the rest of the day off to train or do other things, so these days, playing at night, those are a lot harder nowadays, but overall, I am feeling really good now and I sort of see the light at the end of the tunnel and I know I got so many months left right now and I want to try to make the best out of it and really try to work hard for these couple of months, just forget about it.

STEFAN EDBERG: I think parents are your role models all your life, more or less. They are really important when you grow up. If you listen to them, and then, I think that is a big help for you in life, so listen to your parents, all right?

STEFAN EDBERG: I think it is doubtful. I think the racket companies will go bananas. Probably be lawsuits all over the place. I don't think it is possible in tennis, but you never know.

STEFAN EDBERG: It is just the position that I have found myself in and I think there is a lot of people that compliment me on the way I play or the way I behave. I do feel proud about that, but it is nothing that I really worked on. I've just been myself and that has been, I think, that has been the key to being successful and the person that I am.