NEWSWEEK CHAMPIONS CUP

March 11, 1995

Boris Becker

Q. Did you get the feeling, Boris, that your opponent was very tired after the first set?

BORIS BECKER: Well, he may have gotten a step slower, but, you know, he was still playing all right. After I was up a break in the second set he didn't seem to hit his first serve anymore and I was able to move him from side to side and, you know, got an early break in the third set and I kept serving better and I kept moving him around, so, you know, he couldn't play as he did in the first set.

Q. Boris, you hit some tremendous serves both the second and third set, but didn't you win the flip and elected to receive to start the match? Am I correct?

BORIS BECKER: Yeah.

Q. What was the strategy behind that?

BORIS BECKER: Nothing special, I do that usually.

Q. You do?

BORIS BECKER: Yeah.

Q. Was it difficult to stay calm after the first set?

BORIS BECKER: Well, I had a million opportunities to break him and he basically had one good game where he had a chance on my serve and he broke it right away and sure, it is kind of hard to stay focused and still believe in yourself, but I was -- I felt -- even though I lost the first set I felt I was playing well, I knew that he has to play another tough set to beat me today.

Q. You feel you raised your play the second and third set?

BORIS BECKER: Yeah, I did. That was a big difference when you are the first who breaks the other guy's serve, then it is so much easier with a break behind to play and he was able to do it in the first set and I was able to do it in the second set and the third set. That was the whole difference.

Q. After the first set did you feel in control?

BORIS BECKER: I felt my chances are increasing with each game.

Q. You lost against him in U.S. Open in '93. Can you describe a little about your feelings which you had on the court during that game and the game today two important matches?

BORIS BECKER: No, because I was trying to forget that match, you know, so I don't want to recall those memories I had then. You know, at that time he was still an unknown player; nobody really knew how dangerous or how good he could be. In that particular tournament he really played well and only afterwards I realized it wasn't not only my bad playing, it was also his good playing which beat me there and we have played since then. It wasn't the first match since the Open. You know, he has come to a point where he is -- he has gotten to be a very good tennis player on all surfaces and he had a great six months now and I am just very happy to have played such a good match against him today and have beaten him because he is a very dangerous player.

Q. Boris, on paper you should be up against Agassi tomorrow. Can you give us your thoughts on that? What is going to be the key in that match for you?

BORIS BECKER: I have to play as today; even a little bit better. I shouldn't take as long to break the serve, which I did today. The game itself I would say it is very similar than today. If Andre wins - even though he has a tough match against Wayne tonight- if Andre wins, he plays a little harder, I would say, than Magnus, but the type of game is going to be very similar.

Q. How important is your serve going to be in that match?

BORIS BECKER: It is quite important part of my game, so I know I'd rather have a good day on my serve tomorrow.

Q. How much do you adjust your style of play to the player on the other side of the net?

BORIS BECKER: How --

Q. How much do you adjust it?

BORIS BECKER: You know, you have a certain type the way you always play, but then it depends a little bit -- actually you shouldn't change too much because, you know, you should believe in your own game and you should have the strength to pull it through and to go through and that is the way I always thought about that.

Q. Boris, you are aware that Andre has beaten you the last seven times?

BORIS BECKER: Don't remind me.

Q. Why is he so difficult against you?

BORIS BECKER: I won't answer you that right now. First, he has to win tomorrow tonight and then we will play and then let us see what happens.

Q. Do you have plans to watch the match?

BORIS BECKER: No.

Q. Was the wind a problem at all?

BORIS BECKER: Actually the lighting was difficult at the beginning and it was swirling a lot, the first 20 minutes. After, you know, a big cloud came and I was praying that the cloud wouldn't come over the courts so I would be able to finish the match tonight, but then the wind was calm on the Center down and it wasn't swirling anymore.

Q. Do you feel fresh at this point? You had that easy victory over Rios where he had to retire. Do you think that may have left you with a little more energy than the rest of these guys?

BORIS BECKER: Well, then I had a little doubles match following that, so I kind of made up there. We played a tough doubles match and I finished at 8 o'clock at night, but my opponent today really had a tough struggle last night and he must have felt it today, definitely.

Q. Boris, if you do play Andre tomorrow will you clearly be the underdog? How do you look at that?

BORIS BECKER: I don't think I am clearly underdog against any opponent.

Q. Being that he has beaten you those several times --

BORIS BECKER: You know, he has beaten me actually when I was ranked -- when I was above him. Now, it's probably the first time when we play each other and he is above me. You know, in the other matches I wasn't the underdog either. I don't see myself an underdog against anybody, really.

Q. How does the fact-- is there an influence on the game the coach, Agassi had Bollettieri before, do you think this will somehow play a role?

BORIS BECKER: In what way?

Q. I don't know.

BORIS BECKER: Well, I guess Nick wants me to win more than Andre, you know, I would say.

Q. I mean, he can help you to adjust your game to him?

BORIS BECKER: He definitely knows Andre's game. He is definitely going to give me some advice about it. But it is still me who is going out there and I have to do it.

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