US OPEN

August 27, 2000

Gustavo Kuerten

IGGY JOVANOVICH: My name is Iggy Jovanovich, Director of Play and Promotion at the ATP Tour. I want to first of all thank the USTA and Joe Favorito for setting this up. Thank you all for coming. I wanted to introduce you to our next generation of stars and champions - they're that already - but they're here for many years to come. We classify these guys as the New Guys Please. As you can see by their hats, they're supporting this initiative that we've got. We have Juan Carlos Ferrero from Spain, Marat Safin from Russia, Nicolas Lapentti from Ecuador, Roger Federer from Switzerland, Tommy Haas and Nicolas Kiefer from Germany. By the way, Juan Carlos Ferrero has to leave pretty soon, so you may want to start with him if you have any Spaniards or South Americans.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: It's my game, no? Always I play the same form. I think it's good for me.

MARAT SAFIN: 100 kilometers. We have the same fitness coach. I know him since 12 years old, I think.

MARAT SAFIN: This guy (referring to Juan Carlos Ferrero ).

MARAT SAFIN: Except for last time (laughter).

MARAT SAFIN: When? Because he was great in Juniors and 14. He won. He was more experienced. At 14 years he played much better, played more tournaments. Also on the ratings, he was much better than me. Also he beat me in the Davis Cup against Spain.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Sure, he's big. He's now 6 in the world. He plays unbelievable.

MARAT SAFIN: But I was smaller.

MARAT SAFIN: I have no coach. I'm looking for him. Alex is helping me, giving some advice to find the right guy. I don't want to rush also with the coach because I'm doing well without him. I can work alone.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. His coach, he came to me to practice. He came to me to ask for practice. I think is right guy to find good rhythm, to play some good points. Play very fast, very good serve. It's very good. He's very good for practice. If you want to play with him, you can come (laughter).

TOMMY HAAS: Well, it's not at its best, obviously. I was injured for quite awhile, had a bulging disc, out for three or four weeks. I just started practicing again a week, ten days ago. Happy to be here, looking forward to play. Certainly try my best, even though I'm probably not in the best shape right now.

TOMMY HAAS: I don't know yet. I mean, obviously I haven't played a match since a long time. Have to see how it goes tomorrow. Obviously I have to watch out, do my flexibility work and strengthen it. Hopefully it's nothing too serious.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes, I'm satisfied. But I lose against Krajicek - no? - 6-3, 6-4. I didn't play so good because in the first round I fell down and I feel not so good with my wrist, you know. With Krajicek, I can't serve so good, I can't play so good. But Krajicek is playing good because he's in the final. Now I feel so good with my wrist. I think it will be a good US Open for me.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yes, it's ready for The Open.

NICOLAS KIEFER: I'm feeling good. I was struggling for a couple months, couldn't play for three or four months. I'm happy to be back. I played good in Washington. I'm looking forward to play good here.

NICOLAS KIEFER: No, I mean, I know that I can play tennis very good. I showed it last year. For sure I try to get back to the Top 10. I do everything for this. I keep on practicing. I go out and give a hundred percent.

IGGY JOVANOVICH: How we came up with the concept, Burson-Marsteller and the ATP Tour just basically thought it was time to kind of raise the bar in terms of getting the next generation of champions out there. These are the guys selected. One of the guys can answer what they think of it.

TOMMY HAAS: Pete and Andre are the ones that have the last ten years maybe in tennis, Pete won how many Grand Slams, how many did Agassi win? Agassi was, you know, 140 in the world, came back to No. 1. These are the guys that make the things happen. People are interested in watching Agassi and Sampras play, no matter where they are in the world. We are, like they say, the next generation. We're young guys. We still have to learn a lot, I think. With time, hopefully we're going to be the next people to talk about. Hopefully we'll have some good success, like Gustavo Kuerten, who has won two French Open titles already. We'll have to wait and see what happens.

IGGY JOVANOVICH: For those of you not familiar with this lanky bloke that just walked in, that's Gustavo Kuerten.

TOMMY HAAS: What do you mean by that question?

TOMMY HAAS: That's a question you should ask the public. Obviously in every country where you're from, people love you the most. Especially when they play in the United States, they're going to want to see Agassi and Sampras. Unless you're as famous or as good players as they are, they're welcome anywhere. I think they want to see Agassi in Germany or France just as much as they want to see them here.

IGGY JOVANOVICH: There's a young American Jan-Michael Gambill, also part of this group. Being in the final of Long Island, it's hard for him to make it today.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Not really. I start to play when I was 14, 15, always when I had the tournaments here in the States or maybe in Europe I guess sometimes, like Wimbledon Juniors. I think, like most of the guys here, someone is practicing in the States sometimes. We have to come out here and practice against the other guys, you know, start to play tournaments, learn how to play outside. It's tough sometimes, like for me, traveling all the time, playing out of my country all year long. It's much more different than the guy that has chance to start here in the States and can play many, many months.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: For me, the main change is just the mental, the way I prepare for the match, the way I focus on the match. It's completely different. I still can be much more relaxed on clay, and on hard I have to be very, very concentrate and don't try to miss any shots, you know. It's not so easy as I play on clay, and everything, it's natural for me.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: I'm still not old enough (laughter). Maybe 35 I'm going to be.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: I think since already last year, I've been much more comfortable. I've been play the same level as the good guys, you know, top players. Right now, even more I think my confidence is higher, I'll be able to win matches. This help you in your game good.

TOMMY HAAS: From the Kids Day last year?

TOMMY HAAS: I don't know if that was the case.