U.S. OPEN

September 7, 1993

Wally Masur

WALLY MASUR: Thank you.

WALLY MASUR: I just can't believe it. I cannot believe that I won that match. I mean, it was just ridiculous. I was gone. He got a little tight I didn't miss a ball for about six games. Just didn't miss a ball.

WALLY MASUR: It was only two feet wide. First point he served for it. It is a huge point, and it just pissed me off. I had just got into it from there on.

WALLY MASUR: I get one game; maybe I'll serve it out. I thought I lost. So I resigned to losing. I hadn't been home for four months, I was planning on what I was going to do at home; who I had to call and what I had to do. Then I just got that call and it just, I mean, I am always trying to stay in it. But I just got that call; from that moment on, I was just so into it. It was a joke.

WALLY MASUR: Yeah, he gave it to me a little. He tightened up. He definitely tightened up a little bit. Like I said, I didn't miss a ball for just so long. I hadn't miss a shot.

WALLY MASUR: I knew I won 12 in a row.

WALLY MASUR: Yeah. I am not much for statistics.

WALLY MASUR: He served unbelievably well for two sets. He was serving so pinpoint; he didn't serve one ball at my body for two sets. Every ball was angled away from the forehand or right angled away from the backhand; it was just incredible. I was just thinking I was looking at the radar he was serving second serves at 119 miles an hour. He wasn't serving too many of them. He was serving a lot of first serves. I was thinking, if a guy just does that to you, it is too good. But sure enough it had to happen, I have five sets -- that is why five sets are so great, it had to happen. He had to miss a few serves and he had to start playing some volleys. It was just inevitable. Sure enough, his second serve starting getting down to 75. That is a huge difference. That is 20 miles an hour. All of a sudden I am getting hit at the ball -- my passing shot, I got so much more time. And I knew I wasn't going to get blown away. I knew it was going to be straight. I knew I could get him a little bit. He dropped off a little bit in the fourth. He dropped right off and I lost-- then I lost a little concentration and squeaked out the 4th. He jumped; he got really intense early in the fifth. Like I said he just got a little tired and I just made a lot of balls in a row. It was incredible. I didn't think I will let it happen to me ever again, I am too old.

WALLY MASUR: Just unbelievable. I have played good tennis all week. I played well again tonight. For me that is good tennis, and so satisfying. I have never done well. It is just so satisfying.

WALLY MASUR: I cannot believe that I won that match. It is ridiculous.

WALLY MASUR: Well, obviously Hlasek. Given that although, I have had a lot of trouble playing him in the past, I think he is a good player, but I just think Becker's best is always better than Hlasek's best.

WALLY MASUR: Yeah, there was something there.

WALLY MASUR: Something that was attached to the seat, but it is not attached now. It was an electrical device.

WALLY MASUR: I could got a bad call, Bud. Just long time out there to get a bad call on a big point.

WALLY MASUR: I tell you that I played him two weeks ago in Indianapolis. He had me 6-1, 4-Love. I got back to 5-4 and I had 6 breakpoints at 5-4 to level it 5-All. I knew if I won that point to make it 5-All in Indianapolis, I knew I was right back in it. I was probably on top, if anything. In a way, that match helped me today, because I knew that he won comfortable putting me away. That was in the back of my mind too.

WALLY MASUR: Yeah.

WALLY MASUR: I suspect that he is only 23 years old. This is his first chance at a quarter final of a Grand Slam tournament. I just suspect that he was 2 sets to love; he still had a long way away; then he is 2 sets to Love; all of a sudden 5-Love; he is right there. I know I have done it in the past, you don't give one moment's thought; then you-- then it enters your head and then you can't let go. You just get it out of your head, that the expectation, and I suspect that is what happened a little bit. Like I say, I just made a lot of balls in a row. It was incredible.

WALLY MASUR: I was in a daze. I don't remember. I was an obnoxious winner today, anyway.

WALLY MASUR: He was serving for the match at 5-1. He was Love-all; he had hit a smash wide, real wide, and it was- -

WALLY MASUR: Love-All. Love-All.

WALLY MASUR: No.

WALLY MASUR: Oh, yeah, whatever. I don't remember.

WALLY MASUR: Yeah.