TMS - THE ERICSSON OPEN

March 30, 2001

Andre Agassi

ANDRE AGASSI: A couple of things were at work I think last night as you might expect from not playing a few days. I played on Monday. Got a default on Tuesday; had the day off on Wednesday; then played a few games on Thursday and I just -- I came out incredibly sharp. On top of that, I didn't know his game at all. You hear things, but -- and today I was still dealing with not playing a whole lot of tennis in the last few days. But I at least knew what to expect. I felt like I had a good assessment of his game and had we continued last night I felt like I would have certainly gotten more comfortable. Obviously it is a good thing that we didn't continue, because hindsight is 2020, but it was a long ways to go still. Last night would have been a certainly a challenge.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I mean, you can count on a few things pretty much in everybody's game and one of the things in his game that is pretty clear is he doesn't hit the forehand up the line. Which is -- you know, which is something I think that I just kind of -- he was just kind of getting away with a crosscourt forehand last night and once I felt like I understood kind of what he counts on in his game I felt like I could work around it. He has a big backhand, big serve. And he can take his game at you, but I felt like I adjusted pretty well.

ANDRE AGASSI: He is a really dangerous player. I haven't seen a lot of consistent results from him which leads me to kind of ask a few questions that I probably wouldn't be able to answer. But I think his game is a game that should be good on a lot of surfaces and should beat a lot of guys.

ANDRE AGASSI: Seeing that I never went to Jose to hire him, I would say that I made that choice a long time ago and feel real good about who my coach is. I think Jose is a great strategist. He is a guy like Brad who had to really think for a living out there. But it's always been my contention I think Brad understands inside the lines of peoples' game; what to expect from them; their capabilities better than anybody, X's and O's. I will take Brad over anybody.

ANDRE AGASSI: Every point is crucial at that stage because the set is about to slip away from you. I still contend even if I lost that first set there was a long ways to go. By the same token you want to get into the flow of the match as soon as possible and getting down two breaks was not going to be a good way to go about that. So I had to play a good point there and hold onto serve. Then it was question of just getting on to his. Obviously a guy that can serve at 140 miles an hour can go through streaks where he can blow it by you, but then you are going to get a few opportunities. I wanted to really convert when I got those. Then I did that game.

ANDRE AGASSI: I think there were some tough calls. I think if there were any tough calls I got the better of them today. But I also think I played well.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I didn't get to see much of that match. Lleyton is a very tough competitor who obviously does a lot of things well. So it is not a surprise that somebody is going to lose to Lleyton. So I -- not seeing the match I really wouldn't have an assessment on it.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I enjoy doing that. I enjoy -- I actually enjoy helping anybody that feels like I can help and that has a desire to listen or to ask me. But especially Americans just because I am partial to the fact that we need some to step up before me and Pete come to the end of our career. And -- but I think above all that it is just about, you know, how you choose to live. Whether it is in the competitive arena; whether it is away from the courts, it is my belief that I want to see the game -- I want to see the game improve. It is the most important thing to me. It is just -- is to beat the best because that is where the satisfaction is. If I see a guy that can be playing better, I welcome that.

ANDRE AGASSI: (Laughs) you know, I think there is probably a less shot of me going up to them then of them helping me with anything, put it that way.

ANDRE AGASSI: I'd have to say right around maybe '92 when we were on the same Davis Cup team. Yeah, somewhere around that year.

ANDRE AGASSI: Sometimes I can't help myself. I practiced with him so there is a lot of opportunities to talk about a few things. You can always tell when a guy is willing to work hard and willing to kind of do what is necessary to get better. Andy is a good worker and certainly a good kid so I have had many opportunities to discuss his game with him and I think it just continues or doesn't continue based on how those interactions play out.

ANDRE AGASSI: I think it's a great matchup between me and Pat. I think it's a really enjoyable matchup for the sake of all the different ways you can play this great sport. It is an opportunity to see the best in their fields, me on the baseline, him at the net. I mean, he is one of the best athletes in serve and volleyers the game has ever known. I just think it is real enjoyable for a crowd to watch how those dynamics play out. He is a great competitor and we have had some real good matches.

ANDRE AGASSI: I don't know. It's different two out of three than it is that three out of five. Plus the windy conditions. You know, sometimes points end a little quicker than either of you might want them to. I am going to have to be playing well and picking up the ball early, and hitting my game quick. Three out of five always allows me to relax into my game a little bit more. Because it is such a long ways to the finishline that it is easy not to worry so much about the start. But with playing Pat two out of 3 somewhere like this, I mean, the guy can just jump all over you like he did against Federer in his last match. That I can't afford to happen.

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, he is-- obviously what he has done has worked for him for many years. It is my belief that just because something works for you at one stage of your career my experience tells me that it doesn't always work. You have got to be willing to change how you go about things. I don't know what he is doing or what he is not doing. I can assure you that you can't stick with one formula for 15 years. Your body changes, your mind changes and the game changes. I think one of the things that I have managed to do is to develop myself with the game, but also make adjustments to the needs that my body is asked of me and my mind is asked of me. I can't play as much as I used to, for example. It is hard for me to mentally do it because I pour so much into it when I do do it. Physically I have to watch out for how much I am playing. Where my recovery time is and where my preparation time is. This is just a balancing act that has to happen. Only experience really can teach you that. I am sure Pete has learned a few things.

ANDRE AGASSI: What, L.A. environment?

ANDRE AGASSI: I mean, I don't know if it has to do with where you live.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, I hope I get a lot of opportunities to look at his second serve. But I have to say that his advantage with the serve is that you know, like Edberg except a little bit harder, he has great racket speed, he can hit a big serve 114, 116 but with a lot of kick on it. That gives him time to get in and that gives him a high percentage, especially in windy conditions. With the ball moving around out there as it is, it is going to be that much more difficult to handle his kick. You know, he is just -- he is just a great server of the ball, great volleyer of the ball and a phenomenal athlete. Those combinations make for me to have to hit my shots very accurately tomorrow.

ANDRE AGASSI: I think he has been playing great. I watched him obviously in Australia a lot, and even last week at Palm Springs. I thought it was unfortunate for him to not have won that match against Pete. This week he is playing great again. Yeah, this is I think some of his best tennis. I think it is only getting better too because set kind of guy that gets a lot better with matches.

ANDRE AGASSI: You know, I mean, I guess we have life in common. We are just trying to go through it.