COMPAQ GRAND SLAM CUP

September 30, 1999

Andre Agassi

ITF: Questions for Andre.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I mean, it's always tough, your first match after a few weeks away, especially after a long summer. You know, I mean, plus, too, only being here a couple days, the ball is moving rather quick. I was really having a hard time picking it up. It took me, you know, about a good 45, 50 minutes of playing out there before I started getting a little bit more comfortable with the pace. But he played well. I mean, he served big on some crucial points. I felt like I could have got the momentum in the second set, a number of breakpoints. He came up with some big shots. You know, I gave myself a chance. But you got to play well to beat a guy like Tommy.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, the score certainly did, didn't it? No, I mean, I was missing a lot of shots. I mean, he hit a couple good shots. All he really had to do was keep the ball in the court, and I wasn't so clean on my timing for a while. I knew if I could just settle down and make some shots, at least I would make him have to play well to beat me. And he managed to play well in the third, real well.

ANDRE AGASSI: Not a whole lot. I mean, I started playing about -- I took a good, solid week off, started hitting some balls. Good thing in Vegas, there's altitude, so it was actually not bad getting ready for here. More than anything, it's being over here enough time to be ready. I would have been better off with a Friday start, at least for the start. I managed to give myself a chance, which felt good, considering how it started.

ANDRE AGASSI: I'm sorry?

ANDRE AGASSI: Did I feel a kind of what?

ANDRE AGASSI: I don't understand.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I mean, I felt a little flat, no question, in the first set. But then I thought the tennis got pretty good.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah. I'll stay certainly for a few days. Got some good players here. Got to get over to Basel, get ready for Basel.

ANDRE AGASSI: I did. I did. I felt tired, which was a surprise. You know, I felt so sharp the whole summer. You know, again, the first match after a lot of intense tennis is difficult. Then there's a lot of nervous energy at the risk of losing 0-0. I really was concerned about that. I just wanted to get into it. So I spent probably a little bit more energy than I needed to in the second set. Served for it at 5-4. Then we started having a few more rallies. But, you know, he hit some good shots. He was just a little too good there at the end.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, no, no, no. I don't take anybody easily, ever. It helps to get the match in. I mean, the air is light here, so the ball gets away from you. The tendency is to pull back a little bit. The more you don't execute your shots, the quicker the ball will fly on you. You have to make sure you're executing. Sometimes you can get tentative when you don't want to hit it too big because it's easy to miss here. It took me a while to find my rhythm. But when I did, I mean, I was, you know, in the third set. I had a chance. But he played well towards the end. Just broke me down.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I mean, you come here to play tennis. It's not ideal. You know, it doesn't affect you on the court. You try to focus on what you're doing. It's more difficult than if there wasn't so much attention, definitely.

ANDRE AGASSI: No. There's enough pressure just trying to beat these guys, you know. Just got to work hard to try to win. If you don't play your best, it's easy to lose against the best players.

ANDRE AGASSI: No. Doesn't come too easily.

ANDRE AGASSI: I have no plans, no.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah.

ANDRE AGASSI: That's a good question. I think, you know, you learn to separate it a little bit easier. I think it somehow gets a little bit easier. You never quite get comfortable with it. You get more used to it, though.

ANDRE AGASSI: Not really, no.

ANDRE AGASSI: Of course I'm going to focus. It's important to me, I would like to finish the year No. 1. That's something I've never done before, which is going to require me to play well this fall. While I wish I would have won today to even play another round or two matches against good players, I have to just, you know, practice and get ready. I'm not too concerned about my game. I just need to get out there and play.

ANDRE AGASSI: I don't know if I can explain it.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I mean, every match is different. You know, let alone every year. Last year I played the first round and had a quick match, a lot of confidence. You know, this year I came out here, played against a guy who was playing well. If you expect me to win every time I play, then you expect a heck of a lot more than I do. I just want to go out there and make sure I give myself a chance and work hard. I was lucky that I had a chance today.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think every year the Slams are important. You can talk about how you'd like to win them all again, but it's not easy to do. After the World Championships, I'll spend a solid time training, working hard and even getting fitter and sharper with my game because that's going to be a key advantage in Australia, it's important to be physically ready. A lot of times it's difficult at the end of a long year. Guys don't start very well. I want to make sure I can rest and prepare and be physically and mentally ready. I would like to win them all again. I mean, so would a lot of players.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, I've practiced with a couple before.

ANDRE AGASSI: Before Wimbledon, I practiced with Amanda Coetzer. Who else did I hit with? I hit with a couple of them. Just don't remember them (laughter).

ANDRE AGASSI: (No response.)

ANDRE AGASSI: What does that mean, buzzed me?

ANDRE AGASSI: If he can beat me, God bless him. He did today. Not too concerned about it. I mean, he's a good player, who, I'm going to have to play well to beat him.

ANDRE AGASSI: I've been this light pretty much the whole year, I guess maybe starting from March. Then back in the beginning of '94 maybe after my wrist surgery, I spent a lot of time training physically, but wasn't quite as strong as I am now, but I was as light.

ANDRE AGASSI: I don't remember that quote.

ANDRE AGASSI: I've just enjoyed my time with her. It's not any different than anybody you enjoy spending time with.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, no. I mean, I'm excited about the Davis Cup. I'm excited about John being the captain. I'm looking forward to experiencing, hopefully, a great team. But, you know, Olympics is awesome, too. It's going to be a full year next year between Davis Cup and the Olympics and the Grand Slams. There's a lot of important tennis to be played. All of it has great importance.

ANDRE AGASSI: No. You know, I'm older now, more aware of what I'm looking for. I certainly don't have the energy to go down again. To me, it's physical. If I'm physically as strong as ever, if not stronger, than I have no concerns. As long as you're more fit, age won't have any factor, except being an advantage with your experience. I've just got to make sure I'm fit and moving well.

ANDRE AGASSI: No. I mean, that's her business, what she's doing.

ANDRE AGASSI: De La Hoya won that fight.

ANDRE AGASSI: That's my opinion.

ANDRE AGASSI: Then you start showing the scores. Both fighters came out in the last two rounds. One says, "If I stay on my feet I win," the other said, "If I knock him out, I win." If you thought Trinidad won, then you thought something different than even Trinidad thought. Took him a solid 12 seconds to put up his arms after the fight anyhow. I mean, granted, De La Hoya shouldn't have ran from him. I don't believe in that ever. I don't think he did enough to win the fight. Seven, three and two.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, no, no. I don't even leave room to think about that now. That's hopefully a long ways away.

ANDRE AGASSI: That's for me to know and you to figure out.