WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 7, 2002

Richard Krajicek

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I trained a lot. And I trained in the heat of the day also at 12 o'clock and 4 o'clock I tried to get two practices in. It was very hot, actually until yesterday was the first cool day. And I just tried to be positive and tried to work hard because I think I was really playing pretty bad tennis last week; made a lot of mistakes; missed a lot of shots. It is tough on the hard courts than it is on grass because it was my first tournaments on grass and I didn't have to hit such good shots since the grass helps you a little bit, ball skips through, bounces back, and you win the point but you have to be a little bit sharper on the hard courts. I wasn't making the shots so I knew I had to put in extra work. But the most important thing is that you win matches and I was -- I am happy I won two matches now because I feel much -- I felt much more comfortable today actually than yesterday.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah. Yesterday was a completely different player. Today the points were shorter of course, so it was also nice that I beat two types of players.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I had to think of that, it was a tough match I won, so I stayed very positive even in the tiebreaker and he was ahead; somehow that kept me going, I think in the tie -- or kept me positive that I won the other time in a very tight match; that I felt maybe when it gets close I hope he thinks a little bit about that also. Yeah, he missed a couple of shots and I was a little bit lucky I have to say, especially at 7-6 on the set point down I went to hit a cross-court volley and I hit a drop shot down the line so it was really -- yeah, that was luck.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Exactly. I have to get used to that.

(Laughs) That was a change. Yeah, it was good to beat him again.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Elbow.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Exactly, I had an operation beginning of the year.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: No, I am confused. Yeah, 2001.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Is that true?

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I don't even know anymore.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Beginning of last year I was injured on my elbow, I have to get my facts straight. Beginning of 2000 I had knee surgery, then end of 2000 I took time off for my elbow and I was basically for three months -- my knee surgery I had in January and it took me about 10 weeks to recover from that. It was arthroscopic.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: 2000, January.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Well, actually when I started felt actually pretty good, body had a long time to recover, but playing some tough matches in Wimbledon I had some hamstring problems; now on the hard court you stiffen up a little bit more, the joints, again, so it feels good, but yeah, you have to get used to waking up a little bit stiff again and it takes about 10, 15 minutes that you feel, yeah, feel 30 again, instead of 55 when you wake you. Actually, I feel good. I am pretty happy, and -- but just for me, my whole career, yeah, I am just used to after I play a match, I think most guys -- I have no idea, actually, but you wake up stiff; that's normal, especially on the hard courts, when so much heat and the pounding of the courts, it is tough. But so far, yeah, nothing bad, but it would be really bad after four events if I would get another thing. But you never know.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I was giving it some thought after last week, of course. Now I just have to see what I do because I am going to be playing three matches at least this week and my doctor didn't want me to play too many weeks in a row. Now I played three matches and if I play next week Indianapolis or Washington, I play again a tournament, then I play Long Island and US Open, so it's best of five, then maybe I am going to be playing too many matches in a row. But what is another option is a couple of options is either go home, what I have done a couple of years in a row already, and I like that. Or maybe just take wildcard doubles or take wildcard singles or practice so basically four options.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I think after the match. After my last match here, so maybe tomorrow or I hope Sunday. Then I have to see what I do, but I think if I am still here Sunday playing then I might just opt for practicing, take one or two days off. Maybe I go to one of the events because all the guys are there and that's the best practice I think anyway. But at the moment, I think because I am going to be playing three matches, maybe the most realistic is that or good chance that I will ask for doubles wildcard or maybe play qualies and doubles if I might lose tomorrow.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Well, I think it was very good. Important match for me was actually my first round because it was my first win and the week before I lost in the first round. Then after that I just basically looked at it match for match. I had a lot of respect for James Blake. I have seen him play. Last year US Open against Hewitt he played five sets. I have seen him play a couple of times. I knew it was going to be a tough match. Winning that and the way I won it in such a tough five-set match, that was great. Those are the matches that you hope for. Especially you always want to win close. That's always a better feeling than winning easy. Coming back you have to build up your fitness. There's no other better bay to build confidence and fitness than with long matches. Winning two, five-set matches was good, and what happens then actually that I couldn't help after Philippoussis match, I couldn't help but look a little bit more forward in the next match and maybe that was my problem. The first time I start to believe maybe I could do more than win the next round and straight-a-way I lose, but yeah, it was good. Also yeah, I really went to the edge physically. I was so tired after the last match I played, yeah, I flew the next day and went to holiday and because I didn't have to play anymore, you relax, then you realize how tired you are. I felt really -- I was happy I didn't have to play an event actually or anything. So I had a couple of days off then I started working out again, getting ready for the American circuit.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Not yet, but I have to say for me already there was a difference today and yesterday - by maybe yesterday was a different opponent I got a little more chance playing so I felt in a way I was playing better, but I was pretty tired during the match or halfway through the second, but because I was very nervous, very eager to win. And today already I relaxed much more. So in that sense I am getting in the groove also, tenniswise, but still, after my first round and also after this round, to look at the draw I was playing next because I had no idea. Normally you have a little bit of idea who you are playing, but I am really still at the stage that I am really looking literally match for match. I am just happy with my draws. Last week also was a good draw, I think and this week I am not seeded so I can play Agassi or Hewitt first round and those are great players, of course, especially on hard courts. So far I have to also take that into consideration so just take it match by match. If I have luck of the draw that I am not meeting one of the Top-5 guys then I have to try to take advantage of it.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Well, I like to compete. I love to compete. For me that's the main reason. And I like sports in general. There was a wild time - not anymore, now I have a family but my favorite holiday was go to the mountains in Austria and work out, go cross-country skiing on the Glacier in the morning and cycling and running and weights in the afternoon and that was my holiday. I like that. That was for me a great holiday. Yeah, now with family it is a little bit different. My wife doesn't feel like going to the mountains and neither do my kids. So we go to the beach, but then also we I was in Mallorca now I rented a bike and I got a triathlete to come over from Holland and we worked out, went cycling every day for two and a half hours, so it was good. Yeah, I like sports, but and for tennis-wise I like to compete. That what keeps me going. On the other hand if I knew before I had to take 20 months off, then you don't know, but yeah, it went in stages of three, four months, you know, I thought okay in three, four months I will be okay and then again disappointment, three, four months okay, but if I knew before I had to rehab 20 months, then maybe I wouldn't have loved to compete that much and I probably would have thrown in the towel and said this is it for me.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: No, I just -- I have to see. For sure I want to play 'til the end of next year, that's for sure. Anything I do now is a bonus, and yeah,.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Australia next year, I hope that's my first full year again in a long time and then I have no excuse anymore. I should be fit, I should have played enough matches. I am ready to go. So I have to give myself at least the whole year to prove to -- to get the best out of myself, ranking-wise and tennis-wise and to really give a reward for all the work that I have put in, all the rehab I put in. I think it would be really strange if I stopped after the US Open, take 20 months of rehab and then after six events, yeah, say good-bye.