WIMBLEDON

July 6, 2001

Andre Agassi

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I mean, really there wasn't much more I could do. I thought I was playing really well. You know, I had so many opportunities. You know, he just kept coming up with the goods at the right time. I mean, I had breakpoints to go up double break a number of times. Felt like I played some good points. He guessed right on a forehand when I kind of had the easy put-away. I executed it well, felt good about it, but he just kind of reflexed it back. I mean, that's just too good. The 5-4 game, serving for the match, missed a couple first serves. But, you know, he put the pressure on. He hit a couple good returns deep, on the line and, you know, he stepped up his game. At the end of the day, he played better at the most important moments.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, I was trying to hit the line, and it just got a little bit away from me.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I mean, listen, you know, while we can always say there's bad calls, it's hard to play a match where one player doesn't feel that way. I mean, there was just a ball at 30-All in the fourth set that floated and sat clearly wide, in my opinion. You know, that gave him the break and ultimately the fourth set. You know, you can't let that get the best of you. I felt like I turned it around in the fifth, started playing some good tennis again. You know, just not quite good enough.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, big time. Big time. I blame her husband for that.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, no, I meant to hit that in the net.

ANDRE AGASSI: Deserves it?

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I mean, Sunday will determine who deserves it. You know, he deserves to be in the finals, that's for sure. And it's going to be a good match. We've got another good match out there now. Who's to say who can win it. I think Pat, certainly seems to me like, if he physically feels good, I would favour him. But, you know, a lot can happen out there in a very short period of time, so...

ANDRE AGASSI: I thought it sucked - really did.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, we both were out there to execute our game. I mean, I have no ability to assess the quality of the match, especially when I come on the losing end. It's going to take me weeks to assess the quality of that match. I was certainly highly competitive. That's a given before you go out there. But, you know, I'm just disappointed and I let an opportunity go by. That frustration won't allow me to size up the quality of it. I mean, that's for everybody else to judge. I thought it was pretty disappointing.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, I'm sure it wasn't my first time. Nothing comes to mind right now, except kicking myself.

ANDRE AGASSI: I mean, the closer you get to winning, feeling like the harder it is to accept not. So in that respect, I mean, he won the fifth set decisively last year, and this year I had a lot of chances. You know, it's more disappointing.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, I had breakpoint, you know. He had the sixth return. You know, I was anticipating him taking something off the first serve and just getting in tight behind it, making me play a good return. I got the return down. You know, he hit a good drop volley. I mean, that's just another example of how he came up with the right shot at the right time.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah. That's very observant.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah. You know, you always enjoy it. But right now it's hard to enjoy anything. I mean, you've got to, you know, just shake it off, try to move forward. You know, what else can you do?