US OPEN

September 7, 1999

Slava Dosedel

Q. Can you talk about what happened when you made that comeback?

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Yeah, I mean even before match, I knew was going to be more a mental match than the game. Yes, I told myself just to keep all the time focused and don't give up any chance, any point, and I think it was -- I just kept fighting and I come back.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Of course. (Laughing). It's not -- quarterfinals, is actually my first time. So, yeah, I'm surprised and I'm very happy about it.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Because I like red clay the most. And if I play too many tournaments on hardcourt, I'm scared that I get injured. And it's very difficult for me because I like tennis more on clay because it's more tactic games. I can do more with the ball and more is tactic. So I like it much more.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Even now, yes.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Because I'm always looking to the strings. I put them back to the right position, and I like to be positive. I try to be positive in my life, so if I look in the racquet, it's making me a little bit better mood.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Kind of yeah, also.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: I used to be much more defensive player. I used to play from the back, trying to get longer rallies. But when the years go, I try to make the point a little faster so I don't give up so many, so much energy. And also, I was working last four years with Coach Petr Hutka who told me to be more aggressive and to do more points on the net and try to win the points myself.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: That's why I don't play too much on hardcourt. Injuries comes with this surface.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Of course. If Pete Sampras was playing against me today, I would have had less chances.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Yeah, I mean, it was very entertainment for me, because it took me only five days; and every one of those days was something else to do. And I played tennis my whole life, so I tried to do something else and it was very funny. I liked it very much. It was a good team; they were helping me a lot because I'm not really professional actor. So it was a little fun.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: It's coming on 3rd of October, the premiere, in Czech Republic.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Yeah, I think so. But I mean, of course the quarterfinal of US Open is much more prestige.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: It's about the guy who lived 200 years ago. It's his anniversary, born 200 years ago. And he was born, like, in 80s, physiotherapy, doctor. He was treating with a holistic style of life. A lot of working exercises, and good eating, and like water treatment. So that's why the character suits me a lot, because I'm seven years vegetarian, and I like that lifestyle and I like nature a lot. So that's why it suit me so much.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Because of the guy that wrote the movie, he saw me on some interview in TV and he said, "That's him."

SLAVA DOSEDEL: I had to learn on the tournaments, I was always trying to get the dialogues every night with my coach. So we were working on it every day. But when the movie came, I mean the shooting, it was the guy would always try to change some words in the dialogue, so it was not that easy. But, as I said, he helped me a lot through it.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Yeah. "Life Water". Because the doctor was treating -- the physio was treating people with water. So it's like cold and hot water, change, mixing. So that's the name.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Vincent Sprietznitz (ph). That's his name. It's on the calendar of UNESCO, like anniversary. So it's quite big in the Czech Republic. Because he was born in Czech Republic, actually in the mountains, where I like to stay a lot. I bought a house there, and I'm thinking about living there.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Yeah, Czech Republic.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: You think he's going to win?

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Yeah?

SLAVA DOSEDEL: I never played him, so I -- of course I saw a lot of matches from him and what was the question? I didn't hear.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: What sort of?

SLAVA DOSEDEL: I don't understand.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: What tactics against Greg? Is quite simply, just to break him once in the set. That's all.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Yeah, I mean I have quite a big support here. I stay with family in Long Island already, last eight years. So it's like feeling like home. I don't like to stay in a hotel every tournament, is boring and I'm alone there so it's not too much fun. But they support me every match, and they are good friends.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: Yeah, of course. My coach and my manager.

SLAVA DOSEDEL: No, I'm not worried at all. Right now I'm enjoying the moment, and I'm looking forward.