PILOT PEN INTERNATIONAL

August 21, 1998

Richard Krajicek

MIKI SINGH: One of the best matches of the summer, Richard Krajicek advances to the semifinals against Karol Kucera tomorrow, 18-16 in the third set tiebreak which is the longest on the Tour this year.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Well the moments when you are very intense and then when it goes wrong, then you enjoy it actually. At 5-All when I hit a terrible volley, then I had to laugh about myself how tight I was. Those are the moments you enjoy, but you basically -- you only enjoy it in a way when you are -- when you lose a point and that is maybe why you win the next one because you are a little bit more relaxed, but it is difficult to truly enjoy it. Sometimes you know what is going on and you have to laugh a little bit about yourself how you are reacting to pressure.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: 8?

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I don't know. While in juniors I have, but it doesn't count. No, I am not sure. I don't think so. Maybe. But I have been once Love-40 down triple matchpoint, but I don't know if I have been down 8 matchpoints total.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Well, I think we don't give each other an inch in a way. In the second set when I get one break, I mean, I think Tim was a little bit not happy with himself and maybe, yeah, wasn't as concentrated as he would be normally if he would lose a break in the third set, then he would have been much more concentrated; maybe would have even gotten back into the match. Yeah, it is not always, but a lot of times the third set is the closest one because you just don't let your emotions get in the way too much because you know that is your last chance, if you miss your chances in that set, the match is over.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: No, in the tiebreaker.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I don't know. I always had the feeling that I knew what was going on there. No, it was never a doubt, I thought.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Physically I don't know. I have to see how I feel tomorrow. But mentally it is pretty tough because, yeah, a couple of months that you get a little bit discouraged like I mean, you fight the whole way. Then at 5-All in the break, I missed an easy volley. Then you give him the serve for the match and then another time I hit a doublefault to give him matchpoint and those are tough moments. You have to regroup quickly because the next point you have to win again or else the match is over. So those are -- yeah, that is mentally pretty tough and physically it is pretty tough, but not unbelievable because it is only three sets and it is only -- it is not so hot. If this was during the day, 100 degrees 88% or 90% humidity, you can carry me off the court.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: It is pretty interesting. I mean, when you lose you are a little bit down of course, but it is fun. It gives you a lot of excitement. It is nice to see that the people also enjoy it. I lost once 15-13 in the tiebreak. I know how it is to lose in such a long tiebreaker, and, yeah, it is fun in a way because you both see -- you both feel the same pressure. I mean, when we were ahead, we played less in the breaker -- both he hit a doublefault and maybe less of a second serve or something, and yeah, we -- afterwards you can analyze it and it makes tennis fun, I think, sometimes.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: First set I wasn't -- in the beginning wasn't happy with my volleying. I mean, I was struggling with my volleys first two matches also. Especially against Mal I thought I missed a lot of high volleys and now I started the match off also, not timing them well, but as the match went on I really got my rhythm on my volleys, and yeah, I think we both played very good. Tim served very well, and it was just good tennis. He is a good player and I am very happy to beat him. It is the third time we played and first two times I lost very close and again it was very close, so I am happy I finally won one because it can be -- become a frustration if you lose every time to the same guy in the same way.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: You have to not think about it. And, sometimes you think a little bit about it, but you don't let it influence you. But, yeah, you try maybe a little bit more intense maybe that makes it more tight than I would normally be and maybe some shots I wouldn't have missed, I don't know, but, yeah, it is always good to be ahead against somebody that you have beaten him more times and beaten him last couple of times because actually -- it happened a little bit today at a couple of points. I am glad I got over it now, I hope.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: To Wally Masur on grass. 26 points with serve; then I dropped one point on my serve and tiebreak was finished.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: No, the only thing different was that we have played on neutral ground. Playing with all the English people in the stands two times I lost to him was in Britain, so, it was nice that only 5-6 people are shouting his name instead of the whole stadium the whole time.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah, I think it is important to mix your speed up as much as possible and direction, keep your opponents guessing. Today in the tiebreaker when it really gets important, then I still go back to my old habit that I try to go for the big one the whole time, the fast one the rest of the match. I was happy with the way I mixed it up. It was difficult for him to guess forehand body, kick, hard, slice, or whatever. That is also very important for a serve. I mean, you can serve only so many big serves and then the guy is going to get on to it. He is going to pick and get it back twice as fast. I think the strength of a serve is the amount of times that you can change it and keep your opponent guessing.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah, you always have to find a good balance. Of course you shouldn't be too dull on the court, but if you are too fired up then it can go it can backfire on you. But, yeah, somehow I got a little bit more intense. I felt my chances, the game before I had 15-30 even at breakpoint and, yeah, I thought I had a couple of chances to do more and then suddenly he wins. I am Love-40 and the match is slipping out of my hands. I get back into the match and I really have the feeling: Okay, I am still in it, let's go now. I had a breakpoint the next game, unfortunately, I couldn't make it, but yeah, somehow I start to feel the intensity of the match more and I start to feel it was just getting more important. I mean, one or two mistakes it was basically -- could have been the end of the match so had to be very concentrated.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: No, it is a very big match for me, I think. Next week I don't play. So I don't have to worry about if I am going to be tight for the Open and I am just going to go full speed and it works in two ways, I think, for my next match with Tim. I think it is very good that I have beaten him and also, yeah, that I have won such a close match for my other matches. I hope it is going -- I think it is going to help me.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah, just sleep and some RS, maybe before -- room service, and in the morning ride the bike a little bit, loosen up, and I am going to hit at 11:30, so I think I play 1:30 in the afternoon, have a nice lunch, and just try to -- relaxing as much as possible, do a little bit of exercise in the morning to get the body going again and just, you know, try to be ready to play. I can enjoy the win tonight, but tomorrow I have to think about tomorrow's match.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: It is okay. Put some glue in it and it keeps it together (laughter). It is okay. Yeah.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Completely different. I mean, he is baseliner, and he has got double-handed backhand. He doesn't have such a big serve, but I think he has got better passing shots, better returns also than Tim. So, different match and I think I am going got more opportunities to maybe to break him, but he has got a better return so he is probably going to have more chances to break me also.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah, I mean, I was -- on my own serve I was going to the net today, but for sure I am going to attack his serve, especially second serve I think is pretty weak, and even though he has got good passing shots I think it is important to keep the rallies short. I think the more the rally is going, he gets in a groove and better his passing shots get. I have to try to rush him a little bit and just make him feel that he has to come up with a good pass all the time.