ATP TOUR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

November 19, 1992

Richard Krajicek

RICHARD KRAJICEK: When it happened it was really a big shock, because it felt so weird. I mean, I felt like so unnatural. The pain was really bad, like the first couple of seconds, I felt that I really done something bad to myself. And then when I got up, it was a little bit shaky, and yeah, I think I really -- the biggest thing I have done to myself that I hit my knee pretty badly on the ground maybe, I stretched my ligaments a little bit. But the doctor is going to take a look at it after the press conference. But then, it was okay. I think I was more scared that it really hurt. I didn't really -- it didn't really make a lot of quick stops and starts anymore, because, yeah, you don't want it to happen again.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah, the surface of course is a little bit slippery, it's a little bit my mistake; my shoes are a little bit new and they got this plastic coating on, so I have to wear them a little bit out'til the rubber really comes out what is underneath there. Then it will be okay, because last week I wasn't slipping; I was playing on old shoes. I think tonight, I am going to walk a little bit; I am just going to get some sand paper, and make them a little -- get the plastic coating off. But this is a slippery court, slipperier than hardcourt, of course.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: It's difficult to say. I mean, like I said last week I had old shoes; I wasn't slipping. Maybe this court is a little bit more slippery. And I will tell you tomorrow when the shoes are 100%, and, but more people have been slipping like you said, so it is probably like I said more slippery.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah, it is difficult to say; I mean, Michael return is unbelievable when he is down, actually. At 5-4 when I was serving for the match, I mean I served 6 first serves and he hit 6 good returns. Yes, it is -- I don't think there is too much of a difference. They are both aggressive. Both it is really difficult to kick out wide and high because they can get there with the double and the backhand. So they both have pretty tough returns, and yeah, I don't think that Courier hits that much harder. They both hit the ball pretty aggressively.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Of course this is a very fast surface and the points are not as long as they are on clay, for instance. But, yeah, I don't know, it is difficult. Maybe they should choose another surface, but I mean, yeah, they should maybe talk to the players and have a meeting about it or something. I don't know if the spectators are really enjoying the matches, but it is difficult, of course. I mean, I am just doing my job. I am playing the game that I am supposed to play on this surface, and maybe it would be fair to, especially a tournament like this, where the eight best players of the whole year came together, like have an in-between surface, like a medium hard court. I think that would be the fairest. I think everybody like U.S. Open, everybody can play their own game. Baseliners can stay on the baseline and the serve and volley players can play serve and volley and the guy that plays best that day will win the match. Maybe that would be fair towards everybody there, but, yeah, as long as they don't change it. I mean, I am just doing my job and trying to win my matches. If I have to hit an ace every point, I will try to do that.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah, maybe -- yeah. I mean, a lot of people left, so I think that was a hint, and but maybe they were hungry, I don't know. It was almost dinnertime, so today they were maybe a little bit more enthusiastic because there were a little bit longer points. Thanks to Michael because he runs so many balls down, that the rallies go a little bit longer sometimes and they are more spectacular. Yeah, I mean, it is difficult, Jim has a good serve, so when I get it back, if I get it back, he is going to smack the next ball, it is going to be either a win or mistake. With me, it is the same. I hit a good serve. It is either going to be an ace, or I am going to have an easy volley that I either kill or miss. So it is very short points, yes. Like I said, the surface is here and the balls are here and I am just playing my game the way I think I should play it on this surface and I am not going to adjust to the people to make the people happy. I mean, you are just doing what you think you have to do, that is trying to win.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: It is difficult to say. I mean, -- I think I played okay. Antwerp I was playing okay also. I do not think I was playing like really great tennis in Antwerp. Here I am playing okay also. I won one close match and I lost one close match. That is okay. And yeah, it is a different surface. The balls go a lot faster so I have a little less time especially on the return and last week I was returning a little bit better, but it is also because of the surface a little bit.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: I think they are pretty good. I mean, I played him four times this year. The first two times I won, and then the last time I played in Paris I lost to him. Still, my feeling I have had a lot of chances especially in the first set; I just didn't take them. Yeah, I think it is going to be an interesting match, I hope. It is going to be a lot of serving of course, but you never know, I am just going to fight and I know I still have a chance to make the semis, so I will give it 100%.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Well, one way -- maybe, but I don't think so, because actually when it happened, I -- I got a little bit more relaxed. I was serving bigger. My shots from the baseline were bigger and it is always difficult to play against a guy who you know is a little bit hurt or something, and yeah, it is difficult to play against someone like that. I think I -- yeah, I just played very relaxed at one stage and everything went my way. Maybe it got a little -- yeah, I don't know maybe he got frustrated or something because it is not nice to play against somebody who is injured.

RICHARD KRAJICEK: Yeah, now it is okay. Like a little bit weird feeling still in my leg, but I have the doctor look at it I will see what I have to do tonight, and yeah, I think tomorrow you can really tell because now it is still warm, so tomorrow when you wake up, then either it stiffens up or it doesn't. If it doesn't, then it will be okay, I think.