TMS MONTE CARLO

April 19, 2000

Richard Krajicek

Q. Obviously things are going very well. How long have you actually been practicing and working?

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Well, I started my first set hit weeks ago, but since about three weeks I am playing -- I am pretty intense. The first week is really just to feel the ball and just move a little bit, feel the moving on the court and, so basically three weeks pretty intense.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah, it is a bonus and a little bit of a surprise in a way. I was surprised that I kept it up the whole match actually and I knew I could play well, of course. Yesterday was more of an example that I had some very good games and a few less games; then very good ones again. Today I had the feeling I kept the level of play at the certain level and I didn't drop too much. So that is very important and it is very encouraging to have such a big win so quickly already after coming back.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah, the knee was operated in 1998, yeah.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Well, I had another tear or lesion in the meniscus, in the same one, and they cut another part away, so not much left to cut.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Not too much, no. Just a third of the original amount, so it is not so much anymore.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: No, it doesn't restrict you. The only thing that in the old days they used to take out your meniscus completely. They found out that after 20 years you get arterio -- I don't know what you call it -- just the bones, they fall apart almost because the meniscus is like, how you call it, a sponge between your -- in your leg, between upper and lower leg, and so in the long-term if it would be completely gone, then there could be a problem. But it doesn't have any use when you are playing -- I could play without, but just in 20 years I would have trouble getting out of bed, I think, if it would be completely away. But, no, as long as there is a little bit it protects me and it is good.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I still need a little bit of time, I realized -- at the back of the court I don't think you see too much that I am doing wrong things, but at the net sometimes I make the wrong decisions, sometimes I move in too far; then I wait too much for the ball to drop, so -- and at the net as you have less time, so you have to be more instinctive, so, yeah there is still a little bit of work to be done or matches to be played to get the rhythm on that. But on the baseline you have time, so then you can disguise it a little bit. But I noticed sometimes coming in that on the volley I make the wrong decision and a few volleys I let them drop too much instead of taking them at a higher point, so it would be easier to volley.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: No. (Laughs) I am aiming for two weeks in London and that is enough England for me - enough rain for me for the rest of the year.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Never rains. It blows over.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Exactly.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Wimbledon and the US Open are the best -- two best tournaments I am looking at at the moment. In a way, I want to look at the French but I don't know how quick I was going to get in form and also physical shape, so we have to see that about that, but definitely, yeah, the two very big Slams, two Slams left where on the surfaces that I like, on grass and on hard court, so I am looking at those two for sure. But at the moment I just want to get my form and be healthy and play well and then I know that the results will come. If I play decent preparation on the grass then maybe I can do something good at Wimbledon again.