THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 20, 1999

Dominik Hrbaty

MIKI SINGH: Dominik is our big winner thus far this afternoon in a three-set win over Andre Agassi. It's his second Top 10 win of the year. He already beat Yevgeny Kafelnikov in Marseille about a month ago. First question for Dominik.

DOMINIK HRBATY: I don't think it doesn't happen. In the first year I played well, nobody knows me. They didn't know what to play on me. I have a big advantage now. In the second year, last year, I won my first tournament. It was very important for me. It's always tough to win the first tournament. I played a couple good results last year. I was getting like, how do you say, the shots -- I got shots for the right moment, you know. You have to learn what do you have to play in which moment. I was learning that. This year, I just was trying what I learned last year. It's getting better. I'm just playing well.

DOMINIK HRBATY: First set, I just was missing a lot balls. He was playing so fast on me. I wanted to hit it back even faster. That was bad for me. In the second set, I just wanted to hit the balls across, like a forehand to his forehand, backhand to his backhand, just keep on that. Let's see what happens. I was getting better. Then I get in the shape and I was hitting even harder the balls than him. Then was the opposite side of me in the first set, he wanted to hit it even harder. That was bad for him, I think.

DOMINIK HRBATY: Before the match, I spoke with Miloslav and with my coach. I said to him, "I just going to keep him out of the court. I just want to hit the balls even harder than him." It was surprise for me, but I hit it really harder than him. I was making him a lot of run. It was good. He just made a lot of mistakes. He just was out of mind sometimes. That was good for me.

DOMINIK HRBATY: It just was another win for me. Let's keep look in the next round and we'll see.

DOMINIK HRBATY: These matches are totally different because I played Kafelnikov before when he was No. 4 in the world, and I beat him. I played this year with Kafelnikov after he won the Australian Open, and I beat him. I just like the Kafelnikov game. Andre's game is a little bit different. It's a little bit faster. I was practicing with him a lot of times. I just was trying to hit the ball back. I don't know. It's big difference between these two games. I just did it well today. That was it.

DOMINIK HRBATY: Just these two matches?

DOMINIK HRBATY: The most one was in Argentina in Davis Cup, the deciding point. We won 3-2. I beat Gumy in the third. I played I think the best tennis in my life. The atmosphere was so tough. 5,000 people, they were singing. I like this atmosphere. That's giving me even more like power. I can recharge even faster. I just am trying and fighting for every ball, just fighting against everybody. That's my feeling at the end. Today also the people cheer for Andre. For me was like power to give me something that I have to beat everybody in the whole stadium because everybody likes him and nobody was cheering for me. This was very interesting moment.

DOMINIK HRBATY: Yes.

DOMINIK HRBATY: I hope we going to beat them. Last year we played them in Slovakia, 2-Love up after the first day. We lost 3-2, bad luck. I think we have unbelievable team. We are so good friends. Maybe there are a few teams in the world like us that they are so good friends. We talking between us. We have no like, you say, we have no word to keep it inside me in front of the Karol or Jan. If we are going to be a team like this, we can beat every team in the world.

DOMINIK HRBATY: Yeah. This year I think we are even stronger because I just get -- first time in my life I played indoor season, all February and March. I did it well. So I think we have a big chance to beat Sweden. Karol is playing really well now.

DOMINIK HRBATY: Like I said, there's going to be tough atmosphere, the people are cheering for them. It's going to be better for me (laughter). It's strange, but it's like that. We will see what's happen.

DOMINIK HRBATY: You know, before the match, I just -- I'm just like dreaming that I put in sight of me Agassi and playing the rallies in my head. I'm playing unbelievable rallies, what can be the best rallies in the world. I'm keeping in my head. When I come in the match, I'm just trying to do well, just remember from what I'm thinking about before, just trying to get it out, just play the ball.

DOMINIK HRBATY: Yes, yes. It's good. I don't know why, but I'm just doing that if I'm playing with really good players. Maybe it's going to be better if I do it also with players like, I don't know, about 100. But these players, Top 10, they are always something like special if you can play with them. I just like it.

DOMINIK HRBATY: I don't think too much. I have to play just like today (laughter).

DOMINIK HRBATY: I don't like it, but I like if people are cheering. Everybody I think likes if they're cheering for him. But for me it doesn't matter if they're cheering for me or against me. If they are cheering for me, I don't have that much power if they're cheering against me.

DOMINIK HRBATY: It makes me stronger.