COMPAQ GRAND SLAM CUP

December 9, 1992

Michael Chang

MICHAEL CHANG: Just a precaution. I only wear it during cold weather.

MICHAEL CHANG: I didn't really feel that he was all that uncomfortable. I saw that he started getting frustrated when he was getting down. I don't know whether that is because of the jet lag or what. I think it is really tough to tell as far as coming from the States. Normally, if you have that jet lag, you are a little bit slower but I haven't played Andre for two years now so it is tough for me to really say.

MICHAEL CHANG: It is a little bit on the fast side, but I have done pretty good here in the past few years, past couple of years, so it is really not my position to be complaining. I think that if you compare it to some of the other surfaces, it is a little bit on the fast side, but it is probably one of the reasons why I come here a little bit early, to get used to that and to prepare because you are going to see quite a few bombs this week, and at least you got to give your chance to being able to see it.

MICHAEL CHANG: Actually, three times.

MICHAEL CHANG: I honestly think you are in a difficult situation if you are the one that is making the decision. The reason being is that, you know, Gorman has been captain for quite a few years, and he has gotten to the finals the last three years, winning two years, it is tough to kind of break up a winning style, you know, winning team, winning captain. I know that because this is John's last year of playing regularly on the tour that he is itching to be Davis Cup captain. I think that it is tough to say, to kind of say, well, Tom, you have done a great job, you have won a Davis Cup, step aside. I think that there will probably come a time where John will become Davis Cup captain because I think that he does fit the role pretty well. I think that he -- first of all, he is a great motivator for all of the players. I think that because he has played so much Davis Cup in his career, because he loves playing it, he has so much experience, that he is able to help some of the younger guys in dealing with a lot of the situations, and pretty much he is going to be dealing with younger guys, you know, the new generation of tennis players coming out of America. So I clearly think it's a tough call at this particular stage. I think if you are in a situation where the U.S. loses first rounds or something, you know, and it really came down to, you know, the choice that Gorman made as far as the team was concerned, then I think you have to maybe make a few adjustments, but, you know, you really -- it is tough to make a wrong choice with Agassi, Courier and Sampras, you know, two of the three playing singles. I think it is kind of tough to go wrong there. I think it is you just kind of have to wait around and see.

MICHAEL CHANG: No one has approached me as of yet, but I think, take a look at my past Wimbledon results last couple of years, I don't think you will be seeing me down there. I don't know.

MICHAEL CHANG: Realistically I don't think I'd be chosen. Realistically I don't think that I'd want to play because I don't know that there are better players out there playing on the grass.

MICHAEL CHANG: It is just to keep my back warm. During the colder months or sometimes I just I am wearing it the last few weeks because I am playing in Europe and it is pretty chillly and sometimes you just don't want it to get stiffened up.

MICHAEL CHANG: I think you kind of have to take a look at what it takes to be a Davis Cup captain. First of all, I think that the players have to have a certain amount of respect for the captain. That is first and foremost. I think that the Davis Cup captain also has to have quite a bit of experience being in that situation; having that experience of playing in some of the away matches where crowds-- you just don't see those kinds of crowds in the United States, and if you have been in the States for a while, all of a sudden you are out there playing like-- somebody like Austria's 17,000 people just going nuts, I don't know how well you can handle that. I can say that John has probably been in every single situation you could possibly think of in tennis. I mean, every situation, and I think that just being there and having, I think as he has grown a little bit older, I think he has come to have a better relationship with some of the younger guys. He knows that he is approaching the end of his career and I think that he -- I think he has allowed some of the younger players to kind of get a little bit closer to him him or maybe vice versa. I think when you are in a competing arena I think it is a little more difficult. I think now the walls have been broken a little bit, and things are much more on a level basis instead of, you know, younger guys coming up on the tour and John is pretty much up here, the younger players are kind of making their way up. I think they are on the same level now and they can talk to each other and communicate. I think that that in turn -- that relationship will help John to become a good Davis Cup captain. I would think.

MICHAEL CHANG: That is news to me.

MICHAEL CHANG: I think that-- give me a couple of seconds to think about this. I think that Andre actually earlier in the year, I think tried to work with Brian Teacher, if I am not mistaken. I guess maybe he has been looking for somebody to help him out maybe a little bit more than Nick has already done. I think maybe Andre maybe wants to expand his game a little bit. I think that if you take one of the best serve and volleyers, you know, of tennis and apply that to one of the best groundstrokers, you could have a very dangerous combination there. I know that Andre and John have -- had a good relationship, you know, throughout the last couple of years, in particular, and I think that that in turn will, you know, help each other -- will help Andre to learn a lot from John, because John is very experienced, and he knows a lot of the tricks of playing on some of the surfaces, you know, playing some particular players, maybe. I think obviously John can help him out with his volleys and on his serve, so I think that it could possibly make for a very good working relationship and I think that in turn Andre could definitely improve his game and I think that maybe after this year Andre maybe realizes that he has to expand his game a little bit more, because the courts are getting more faster and it is difficult to blow guys away from the back, if it is difficult to break them and they get four good break them and they get four good shots and one break and that is the set. Is -- it could be very good relationship, or you know, depending on how it works out, these things you really don't know, so.

MICHAEL CHANG: I think tomorrow I expect a very difficult match. I think this is probably Petr's best year as far as his career has gone. He has won quite a few tournaments. He has had good results against some of the top 10 players. I expect a tough match. So --