GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE ATP CHAMPIONSHIP

August 4, 1997

Gustavo Kuerten

JOE LYNCH: Gustavo is turning into a hard court specialist now. 2 and 0 against Agassi now on hard court and will face Todd Woodbridge in the second round. Gustavo cracked the top-10 the ATP Tour Rankings yesterday for the first time at No. 10. First question.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, I think it was easy than I expect. But, I come from a good tournament so I am very confident and the -- he had not so many rhythm. He played like maybe 8, 9 tournaments this year so it is tough to come and play like me, one guy, that just played five games last week and finding good rhythm. So, I think I had control of the match and I was playing pretty good, solid and was easy than I thought it would be.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, you play every point so you don't think too much about five, ten minutes that you have played or 30 or one hour. You just -- I was just playing all points and when I saw it was 35 minutes, 4-Love, I think, in the second set, so I see that it was going pretty quick. But, also he tries to hit winners and I have my style, some of the same thing, trying to win the point quick, so maybe both together it will always be a fast match.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, I played him once before so that time was more like my great dream and the first guy that I played that was -- my first win of a good player, so when I was like 4-5, 3 or 5-4, I don't remember, in the second set the last time I thought I can beat Agassi, it would be great. But this time I beat already four Top-10 players. I won the French. It is a good win for me for sure that I was still alive in the tournament and this is the main thing, but I just -- I was more comfortable, more relaxed and I could play my best.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: The best that I played ever?

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Well, last week I played pretty good against Chang. I think was my best match. But, also easy to play when you are like 6-3, 4-1 when I was playing Chang than in the French when I was playing French, Kafelnikov and Muster, five sets, it is a different situation. Every win for me, it is good. But, for sure, this was the best match that I had.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, but I was ready for that. I can't come here in the States, play Agassi and wait for support from the crowd, so, I just was prepared and last time I played it was the same. Maybe if I play in Brazil it will be not like this, it will be different.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, I think he was a great player and still having very good strokes so I always watch him and try to play maybe catch a little bit of him. I play one-hand backhand, so it is pretty different to two hands to play like him, but you can learn a lot seeing him play and try to control the points, get into the court and dominate the opponent, so for sure that I -- I wish I could play like he played many, many match.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: For me it is great to see like (inaudible) -- all the people follow me everywhere I go, every match I play, so, for me, always it will be great, that. And, I hope I could have maybe half of the fame that he has. For sure that he has been like more than ten years maybe in the circuit, he is I think the famous player in the circuit. For me, it is no problem just to be with the crowd and if they like me, it would be great.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: I was flashier than him today. The Jensens gave me a tip to play one blue pair, another yellow, with one yellow sock in my blue shoes and one blue sock in my yellow shoes, so I don't know, I am thinking about it.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Jensen brothers. You know Luke?

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: No, I am not going to take it.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, but like I told you, well, maybe in the beginning he didn't feel so good and I was playing well. He had not many matches this year so maybe he felt he don't know how is the way to win again. And, that was -- I lost my final on Sunday, but I also played good, so I think the situation was very difficult for him. He had this tournament to the -- the title so he was little bit under pressure and I was relaxed playing good.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Sorry, I didn't understand. Yeah, normal, like two, three years ago I think he used a little bit more flashing clothes and today was all white. Maybe if he use the blue or yellow, it would be the same, both, so, not going to be fun.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yeah, man. I didn't get my mail.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Yes.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: That is the problem, I don't know. I saw what these guys write up about me.

GUSTAVO KUERTEN: Now we are going to make it in the U.S. So.....