EUROCARD OPEN

October 23, 1997

Richard Krajicek

Q. Looks like you have Pete's number?

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah, at the moment I am 4-2 up so, yeah, it is going pretty good. And, I am happy I won today to keep the winning edge over him. It is always important for the next matches.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: It looked like a very difficult draw. I was seeded first round Boris, second round Sampras.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I don't think it happens too often. And, yeah, Boris has started not so good. First set I didn't make too many returns until 6-5, I made one point, I think. And, then, yeah, set point, I started to play a little bit better in the tiebreaker. And since then, I won the tiebreaker with a little bit of luck. Then I played more confident. I played a good second set and today both sets, I felt very good on the court.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: At the moment, I am playing match-by-match. I mean, after losing twice in Vienna and Lyon - which was a little bit unfortunate - I had some chances twice, 7-6 in the third set, yeah, then I made it very difficult for myself. I have to win, for sure, one tournament and maybe semifinal and the other one. So, yeah, I just play every match now and maybe if I do very well here like the semis, finals or maybe win, then I can start thinking of maybe making Hannover. But, at the moment, I just try to play as good as possible and try to finish the year as high as possible.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I don't know. I think 25 is more when you reach your peak. Last year. (laughs). I think physically you should be in almost the best shape. You are fully grown and you are the strongest, I think, so I think, yeah, last year, this year, next couple two, three years should be my best years, I think. And I hope I can do it the next couple of years, play my best tennis. I think I am playing better tennis. Only times I lose matches that I shouldn't lose. That is very costly. But, tennis-wise and physically, everything, I feel much better than I did five years ago and I hope I can, yeah, to convert it into results.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Well, you say "spoiled." I have another name for them. But, let us not go into that. I don't know, maybe it is too far. I mean, next week is Paris and it is closer to Holland, so I think there will be some more journalists there. The only real interesting thing for the press is to write about the Grand Slams, so maybe they are a little bit spoiled. I mean, I think before, if a Dutch player would play No. 1 in the world, then they would all come and watch and now, yeah, they look at home and I think in their favorite position in front of the couch in front of the TV.