THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 25, 1996

Jean Philippe Fleurian

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: Yes. I think he did. In the second, I really did a good game to break him, and then he got a little down, you know. I knew I had a good chance. If he gets down, you know, if he's not up -- when he's ahead, he's very good. When he's down and he's not in front, then I think I had a good chance. So in the second set, I got ahead; then he broke back, but I was still okay, you know. Then I broke again. In the third set, I'm disappointed because I lose the first game. I kind of lost it myself. I did a bad mistake to lose the game. Then he broke me; then it was very difficult for me because once he's ahead, he got confident, and then he started to really, really stab the returns. Especially when I was hitting really flat serves, you know, he was really good returning, awfully well.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: Yes, I thought so. But still he was much too strong for me. He was hitting too fast for me. Usually in the game he was in the court and I was back. Then once he's in the court, inside the line, it's very difficult to play him because he just hit the ball very hard, flat, one side; then the other side. For me, it was not very -- it was very difficult. Yeah, it seemed to me that he missed a few easy shots, especially his backhand return on the high-bouncing kick serves. He was not at his best. He missed, yeah, a few balls, a few easy ones that he doesn't seem to miss usually when I watch him on TV.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: Yes. When I was younger, when I was 15 or 16 years old, I was not a good junior in France. I was a very bad junior, so I couldn't get in any of the French Federation facilities, so I had to -- if I wanted to make it, I had to come to the States because in the States you prove yourself on the court and you don't need a ranking to prove yourself. In France, you need a ranking to prove yourself. I decided to come here with my parents. I started to practice a lot. I came to Florida because in the winter, in the French winter, it's very difficult to practice in France, but in the States, and in Florida especially, it's very easy. It's warm and it's great weather. There are a lot of tournaments. I came here every winter since I'm 15 or 16 years old. I was living -- I found this tennis club when I played a tournament once. I found that place, and I thought it was a great place because of the people who live there are tennis fanatics; they're just crazy about tennis. It's a great atmosphere, tennis atmosphere, only a tennis atmosphere. Like a club in France, there are a lot of clubs in France that are like that, but in the States I never found quite that atmosphere. I loved that place and I came there again every year, year and year. I know all the people who live there. They all know me since I'm 15 or 16. That's why I have a lot of support every time I play Key Biscayne.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: Between Sunrise Park.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: East of 95.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: I bought a place four years ago, but I've been coming there for the last 15 years.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: Half of center court.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: You're tricking me.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: But he's not here.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: And my wife is half coaching me also.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: Yes, my wife.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: That's why I'm not playing too well. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER).

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: Her advice?

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: Just try to win.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: No. I'm a resident in Fort Lauderdale.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: I don't have enough time actually. I'm on the road. I wish I had more time. As I'm almost 31 years old, I think in the next few months I might have a lot of time.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: I will stay in Florida in the winter. I'm coming from the French islands so I love the sun, the coconut trees, the beach. I used to love the girls. That's why I love Florida so much. It's warm. The beach. The sea. I think when I retire, I will either come back to Florida, to stay in Florida, or go back to one of the French islands, like New Caledonia, French Paradise.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: When you play Andre Agassi on stadium court in front of the TV, first you think, "My God, I hope he's not going to blow me off the court." But then once you're on the court and you've won one games or two games, you start to get into it and you start to enjoy it, yes. Yes, I enjoyed it today. I was really happy to go three sets against him, run around. I'm disappointed that I didn't do better, but it was a good game. I did a few shots that were okay, you know.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: You know, I don't think about winning, losing. I don't think about that on the court. I just think about playing every ball my best, you know. That's all I'm thinking about. Winning, losing, it's at the end that you win. When you win the last ball, that means that you have won. If you lose the last ball, then you have lost. I just try to win every next point. That's all I'm looking for. Like when I play, I don't look at the draw. I always look at my next opponent, that's all. When I beat Gaudenzi, I didn't know I was playing against Andre. If I won today, I don't even know who I'm playing next, doesn't matter.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: Playing, yes. I'm playing this weekend in France. No, actually, I'm playing doubles tonight.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: Next tournament will be in New Delhi in India. I'm very happy because I'm not going with my wife this time. She doesn't want to come with me over there, so I'll be there alone with my computer. I'll be able to type a little, you know.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: Really happy, yes. Not to listen to her, you know. (audience laughter).

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: I'm kidding. She's not laughing. All the guys are laughing.

JEAN-PHILIPPE FLEURIAN: Oh, I'm learning. I love it. I do -- I don't know. Right now I am connecting on the Internet. I just love to -- I'm faxing every night to my relatives in France, the islands. I just love it.