WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 9, 2002

Andre Agassi

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Andre, please.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I mean, every game was a battle there for the first set and a half. A lot of close games, you know - a lot of close games. Had a few opportunities, but I think he just -- he stepped up. He played well on some big points, and then just pretty much battened down the hatches there at the end. Once I started pressing a little bit, he just kind of settled in and started using his legs. He played a smart match.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I mean, the only thing that is similar about us is we both play from the baseline. We both have two entirely different kinds of shots. So it's hard for me to make -- you can't make too many extreme adjustments, because then you're not playing your tennis. So it's a fine line that you got to walk, both of us. Every day you got to figure out how you're going to walk it that day. Today he did that better than I did.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I mean, you know, Lleyton plays well when he's behind, too. It's not just when he's ahead. I mean, great players make it hard for you to beat them throughout the match, every point. That's certainly a strength of his, is every point is up for grabs. He's fighting for it.

ANDRE AGASSI: "Trends"? What do you mean exactly?

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, I mean, you know, so little separates so many players. Again, there's a lot of close games that had it gone one way or the other, it could have been basically a blow-out either way. I don't know how many deuce games we had, and opportunities. But at the end of the day, they equal out and you got to come up with the goods at the right time. That's where certainly he's the toughest.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, yeah, I think people were excited to see the match and to see the matchup. You come to these events with the best players in the world, and you have to play your best tennis when it matters the most. Tonight I needed to play my best tennis. So every time you feel that way, it has a heavyweight feel to it.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, it was a great start certainly, but he made some errors early and I knew that would change. Had a game point to go 4-1 to keep the momentum, but, you know, he fought his way back into it. I expected him to not go down without a fight. He played well when he was behind, he played well when he was up, so he just overall outplayed me today.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I respect anybody that goes out there and gets the job done. We can all sit here and talk about matches and talk about sporting events, but there's only a few guys that actually get that opportunity to go out there and lay it on the line. All my peers I have a lot of respect for - certainly those that get the job done more frequently than not. Lleyton does that, so certainly a lot of respect there.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, yeah, sure it does. You want to be able to take care of your serve and put pressure on his serve. When it's reversed, you know, it makes it tougher. But we were both having tough service games throughout the match. Unfortunately, the last four games of the match wasn't a reflection of the rest of the match. But, again, that had to do with the way he started playing and the few errors that he made.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, I'm gonna try to win (smiling). That's the thing. Again, every day is a balancing act. It's one thing to have a game plan, it's another thing to execute it. So my goal would be to start with the execution.

ANDRE AGASSI: I don't know what his dropshot looks like. What does it look like?

ANDRE AGASSI: What do you mean it looked like Marat Safin?

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, then I guess that's the case then.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I suppose you would have a hard time arguing that grass wasn't pretty suited for his play. But he's established himself now as the best player. Guys are gonna gun for him, and they have been for a long time, for a while now, so... I'd have to put this up there with his best surface. You could put an argument that he won Queen's and Wimbledon. That's not something to overlook.

ANDRE AGASSI: Surprise me? You know, I mean, I suppose it's fair to say that, you know, nothing should surprise you. I don't know Lleyton very well, and I certainly don't know those around him very well. But, you know, it's unfortunate. Nobody wins in those sort of controversies. You kind of wish it just would -- you can rise above the fray and just, you know, keep in good perspective what's best for the game that's been so good to you. So it's unfortunate.

ANDRE AGASSI: No. I mean, not really. He has a great sense for the court, you know. He plays aggressively, he plays defensively. He knows when to take chances, when to make sure he makes the shot. He relies a lot on his wheels, his footwork, and that allows him to play with a high margin for error, which is going to make him hit less errors than most people. Again, that's just talking about a few of his strengths. You've seen him play long enough, he does it over and over again where he gets in battles and finds a way, and that's just because at the end of the day he's tough to beat.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, I don't think -- that's the thing with Lleyton, not one area is going to stand out. Obviously, his movement is what his whole game revolves around, so I'd say his movement is probably what you feel the most when you play him.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, it was a hard match. I mean, as fatigued as you can be for an hour and 40 minutes or however long it was. But I'd still rather be out there playing the third right now.