THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 21, 1997

Chris Woodruff

CHRIS WOODRUFF: Well, I don't know how to answer that. I prefer not to get into that.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: I've had some problems, but I don't want to get into any names or anybody.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: As a junior, I received what I would call no help. I guess a long time ago they had -- I don't recall really any help as a junior. I would say I received some help from Stan Smith. He was the guy who I felt was most instrumental from them, but other than that I would say probably not. What brought that up?

CHRIS WOODRUFF: Okay.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: Just like I said, Stan probably was the most instrumental. I felt he helped me -- I would say he went out of his way on numerous occasions to help me. Also another guy I guess -- they all kind of helped me in a way. I worked some with Jose Higueras, helpful, went out of his way to help me, Tom Gullikson, worked out many times in Palm Coast, Florida, he helped me out a lot. I never really would consider myself part of the USTA. I felt they were very nice in helping me.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: That's what I would say.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: I wasn't on the junior pro team, didn't wear any USTA shirts or anything like that.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: Well, this is really like the second time I've had to go through this out here. There was another incident that happened to me in Washington where it was like this. I was telling some of the guys in the locker room, it would have been nice today to be a professional golfer because you play until you hear the siren, lightning, then you get off the course. Now it's a little drizzly, we have to come in, particularly on a hardcourt. It's tough.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: Pardon?

CHRIS WOODRUFF: I think, like anything else, it takes time. I always felt like I had the game to play out here. Coming from college where you're used to winning a different way, where the shots I hit in college, they aren't necessarily going to be good enough out here. I found it hard to close out matches. I think on numerous occasions I couldn't close out a match. I feel like I've gotten a lot better at closing matches out than I did when I first started out here.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: Well, no. I mean, it's just tough. You try to go out there and have as much patience as you can when you get out there. I would say I guess I found myself sometimes rushing just because he was making some quick errors. In fact, I think he made a lot of quick errors. I don't think it was one of his better days. I know he's had a lot of good results on fast courts, so obviously I think his game is more conducive to a faster court.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: I guess that was 1995. Was that the right year? It was against France in St. Petersburg.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: I think so.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: I guess you can never really -- I didn't really feel like I was actually a part of the team. That team, those guys were great to me when I was young. All the top American guys like Courier and Todd, they were always very nice to me when I first got on the Tour. I never really felt like I was part of the team. I had practiced with them before. I don't think it helped me. I felt more of an honor that Gully would ask me to come and help out the team.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: I figure I have to get my ranking down a little lower because the way we're going, I guess everybody -- granted, I don't know that much about it, so I'm not going to sit here and say, "He should be playing." I guess I need to get my ranking down a little lower, obviously. Maybe Gully would have to ask me to play, the way we're going right now. I feel if I can get my ranking into the 20s or teens, I would become a candidate.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: It would have to be pretty much, I'd say, hardcourt or claycourt. By no means do I want to go in on a grass court.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: The forgotten American? No. I don't have any animosity or jealousy.

CHRIS WOODRUFF: What do you mean, jealousy or I should get more writing?

CHRIS WOODRUFF: No. I never think about that. That would be a bad thought for me to think about. I just try to go out and play tennis. I know if I keep winning and have good results, the press has got to come to me. I don't think about it.