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US OPEN

September 1, 1998

Wayne Ferreira

U.S. OPEN, FLUSHING MEADOWS, NEW YORK

Q. Second tiebreaker seemed to be some exchange between you and Rusedski on the court. Were you upset about something?

WAYNE FERREIRA: I am not with you.

Q. It was hard to hear. Couldn't tell whether or not --

WAYNE FERREIRA: I didn't say anything to him.

Q. Did you think he was taking too much time or trying to delay the match?

WAYNE FERREIRA: No.

Q. Two matchpoints that you had, Wayne, did you feel like you had a good crack at both of them?

WAYNE FERREIRA: I gave him a good chance, yeah, the second one was a better one. Got a little unlucky. I hit it as well as I would have liked to have.

Q. Do you find it a little hard to realize how that match slipped away?

WAYNE FERREIRA: I wouldn't say it slipped away. I played well. As well as I could. It is just an unfortunate match and you have these kind of ones. I didn't really let up to much. I think I played well the whole match.

Q. The key, do you think, was that service break against you at the end of the second set?

WAYNE FERREIRA: Yeah, I mean, if I had won the second set, I think things might have been different. But it is hard to say.

Q. You played him eight or nine times over the last few years. How has he changed in terms of -- can you see any difference in terms of mental toughness - a long match at the end where things can get kind of tough - do you see any difference in his attitude out there?

WAYNE FERREIRA: No. Not really. I am sure he is more confident now that he has been winning a lot more matches. But, no. Same playing, the same as he used to.

Q. Did you sense that it might be there for the taking being that he was out for ten weeks ....

WAYNE FERREIRA: I think he played as well as he normally plays. I don't think he played -- at the beginning maybe he didn't start off that well, but I think he played, I wouldn't say as well as he can, but he played good.

Q. Are you surprised at how far he has come in the last two years?

WAYNE FERREIRA: Well, geez, if I had that serve, I'd also go far. If anyone has a weapon like that -- I mean, if you don't do well with a serve like, that then there is something wrong. You know, anyone would do well, I guess, would do relatively well if they had a serve like that.

Q. He has had this ankle problem, but you have had major ankle problems over the last two years, basically. Is everything okay there now?

WAYNE FERREIRA: Yeah, mine is fine. And I don't feel sorry for him. No, it is fine. I still have a lot of pain. I keep playing through it. It is just the way it is. It doesn't go away so I have to just keep playing with it.

Q. Do you think a match like that would have taken a lot out of him for the next round, three hours, in that heat?

WAYNE FERREIRA: I am sure it will. It wasn't really that hot. Even just a three-hour match, just mentally it is draining. It takes a lot out. I am sure he will be okay for maybe the next one. But if he has a tough next one, then later on in the tournament it is going to be quite hard for him. I think it is always important to get your first couple of rounds as easy as possible.

Q. Players have mentioned that the courts seem quicker this year than in the past years.

WAYNE FERREIRA: Yeah.

Q. Is it a little unfair to favor the big hitters like Ivanisevic, and Sampras, and Rusedski which takes away from the guys that have a more all-around game?

WAYNE FERREIRA: I do agree. I think the court surface -- this is by far the fastest court surface we have had the whole summer. Besides that, the balls, I don't know if they are different, but not one ball had any fluff on it today at all. They didn't fluff up and they just flew real fast. I don't know if that is because of the court, but this is definitely out of the summer last five weeks by far the fastest.

Q. Could be just because there isn't much grit on the course?

WAYNE FERREIRA: I am not sure. I would think that is a big possibility. Normally when it is sort of rough it fluffs the ball up and then when the ball is heavier it goes slower. It is actually, to be honest with you, it is quite a change having to play the last couple of weeks and then come here. It takes a real big adjustment to get used to it. It is sort of -- it kind of sucks in a way that it is so different. It makes you change your whole outcome and look at the game when you come.

Q. You beat Henman second round last year, Wayne. Obviously a year has gone by, but comparing the two players who represent Britain now, what would you say?

WAYNE FERREIRA: I still think of Tim as a better tennis player than Greg. I think he has a better all-around game. He is -- to me, he is -- I guess just a better player. He has a good serve, as Greg does. If you had to take away the serve and put just the rest, Tim is by far a much better player in my opinion, that is.

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