NEWSWEEK CHAMPIONS CUP

March 12, 1995

Boris Becker

Q. What about the two missed forehands?

BORIS BECKER: Please don't. I was just trying to forget about that. In the tiebreaker I had many opportunities to finish it off and I was just -- I wasn't able to do that. I played the right shots. I had him off the court and then I missed two easy forehands.

Q. Any reason for going for such a fine shot; looked like he went for the line each time. He is so fast. What makes you push it a little bit more?

BORIS BECKER: He decided very late to go on the left corner, I kind of followed my eye. I followed him instead of the ball twice. That is how I missed it.

Q. Boris, a lot of balls went against you today. Did you feel unlucky in this match?

BORIS BECKER: There was definitely a terrible call in the first set, 4-All, to lose my serve. He hit a foot out on a return and the umpire didn't see it, the linesman called it out and in a close match like that, every call counts, and I had another bad one when umpire overruled to give me two-set points in the second set when I had hit backhand approach, so, you know, in a close match like that, any call counts and there were a couple which weren't very good for me.

Q. Boris, what is your frustration level playing beautifully serving 125, 127 consistently and this guy beats you.

BORIS BECKER: But it has been the closest I have played him in a long time outdoors especially. This is his best surface, slow hard court, and I really played great tennis today and I feel like I am not far away from him anymore and that is something I haven't been for a few years now and I am -- as I just said, I am knocking at the door there.

Q. Why does he give you such a difficult time?

BORIS BECKER: What is it about his game? If you just follow the match, then you kind of know what is giving not only me, but against most guys a tough time - he takes the ball very early, you know, and he doesn't give you much time to come into the point. You almost have to risk on the first return or on the first point when the rally starts you have to risk going for your shot right away and he -- that is his kind of playing, you know, and for me to stay in the match, I had to serve great. I had to take many chances on his service games and I was able to do that, actually today. I felt like as the match went on and on I felt like I was more and more in the match and, you know, set two, I think I had more chances to win than he had. And then it is the third set and anything can happen. I felt like I was serving really well. I was starting to read his game more and more.

Q. Despite the loss today, what positive things came out of this match for you?

BORIS BECKER: Well, as I just said, it has been the best I have played him in a few years outdoors, and, you know, it is something I would hope to do, but I actually did it and, you know, I had a set point; I wasn't far away from giving him a really close match and that means that the work we are doing is right; that I am on the right track of, you know, becoming even a better tennis player than I am already.

Q. Was the lob something new he threw into this match?

BORIS BECKER: I was trying to cover off the angles; that means I am a bit more forward at the net, but, you know, he kind of saw it as the match progressed and he used his lob a couple of times, but, you know, that is all right.

Q. Had he done that in the past matches with you?

BORIS BECKER: Well, usually he has passed me more on the sides than the lob because I wasn't staying as close to the net. I was trying to cut off his passing shots and, you know, I had to give him the lob then because I couldn't protect the whole court. Give one open space then.

Q. Pete Sampras is always saying he wishes to play Andre over and over again. Do you feel the same thing would you like to play him as often as possible?

BORIS BECKER: Not particularly. I don't mind playing him, because it is a challenge for me, but I think it is a challenge for me to play a Pete Sampras as well or Stefan Edberg or others, something that I am -- I have to play him all the time, no, no, I think there is going to be again a time when I have a chance again. Next time hopefully I am going to take my opportunities, but, you know, just to point out again it has been awhile for me that I actually have a chance of beating him and today was pretty close.

Q. Would you like to play with him on grass again?

BORIS BECKER: Actually in the form I am, I'd like to play him very much on grass, yeah.

Q. Are you happy with your overall form right now?

BORIS BECKER: I am very much, yeah, I feel like I am in very good shape. I feel like I can play out there for many hours day after day. My serve is as good as it as ever been and, yeah, I am feeling very strong right now.

Q. Based on that have you made a decision on Lipton yet?

BORIS BECKER: I will have a conversation with Nick later on and I will decide what we are going to do.

Q. Boris, will you go full out in terms of preparation for the French, you see yourself having a legitimate shot; will you focus more in terms of Wimbledon?

BORIS BECKER: No, I will right now not only set my goal for the French Open because it is still a few month away and still a few big tournaments in between, so I will take it step by step. I am going to concentrate on the next couple of tournaments and improving as I have been in the last year or so and, you know, take each tournament as it is coming down and just trying to get better, serve and volley game trying to get stronger and beat Andre Agassi again. That was actually last time I have beaten him, I forgot already.

GREG SHARKO: 1989 Masters.

BORIS BECKER: That long already, damn. I am definitely overdue.

Q. Vitas Gerulaitis once said no one after he finally beat Borg after 17 tries --

BORIS BECKER: Actually I have that phrase in my mind. I am trying to bring it up after I have beaten him, but I still have to hold back.

Q. So will you use that when you finally beat --

BORIS BECKER: Definitely.

Q. Thank you.

End of FastScripts!