RCA CHAMPIONSHIPS

August 19, 1995

Pete Sampras

PETE SAMPRAS: I played a loose game at 5-4, and, you know, everything was in control; won the first pretty easily; hold my serve pretty easily. He was just hanging on and hanging on in the second and 4-5, I just got a little bit tight; before I knew it was 1-All. I was a little bit upset and just didn't really regain my composure in the beginning of the third. He really -- he hit some pretty good shots, but it's a match I probably should have won if I could have just stayed on top of him a little bit more in the second. But he played pretty well.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, he just winds up and cracks it, you know, that is what makes him pretty dangerous. There is no letting up when you play him. He just goes for it. He will hit a shot ten feet long or he will hit a winner. It is just the way he plays.

PETE SAMPRAS: I felt fine. It was pretty warm, but didn't really compare to how I felt in Cincinnati. I felt pretty strong at the end. Just didn't play well enough.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I just -- the way I played yesterday, I was so on and today I was serving well at the beginning and I just -- just started missing a little bit. The ball was really flying, because the conditions were pretty warm and I am disappointed because I played pretty well all week; pretty pleased the way I played; especially yesterday and today everything -- starting off the match went real well and I just let him back into the match and the third set I just got outplayed.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I just, you know, never really felt that comfortable from the ground this whole week. Felt like the ball was really flying on me a little bit and it was tough to control it, and it is good for my serve and my volley, but it is not -- it is tough to return. It is tough to kind of keep the ball in play. It is the same for both guys, so, you know, just have to rebound from this and have a couple of days off and obviously head up to New York sometime next week and get ready for that.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, it was -- it was tough. It was tough to return. I mean, the ball was really kicking up pretty high and as far as just kind of keeping the ball in play, it was -- I had a hard time. The ball was really just flying on me, but again, I mean, it is the same for both guys, so I mean, there is no excuse from that end. But, you know, that is the way it goes. I wish I could have played a little bit better.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, I am definitely a lot more prepared than I was last year. Last year, I didn't play at all. Whereas, this year, I felt I played some pretty good tennis over the summer, but it would have been nice to go in the Open with a victory here or Cincinatti or wherever. So, you know, get up there and do the best I can. I think I am hitting the ball pretty well. Just need to play a little bit more solid throughout the whole match, so hopefully I will get better.

PETE SAMPRAS: Well, after he broke me in the second, he really felt like he could have had a chance to win it. He just really hit some really good returns and I was just stuck flatfooted; didn't know really what, you know, what was going on; before I knew it, I was down a break. The way he was serving, he was tough to break. I was kind of digging myself in a bigger and bigger hole. That was it.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, I don't know, what he is ranked, but obviously we are going -- it is Becker and Stich when we think of the big time German players, but he is a dangerous player, but I feel that I should beat him. I feel like if I play my tennis I should take him down, but he played pretty well. I give him credit. He hit some good shots at the right time.

PETE SAMPRAS: Yeah, sure. Yeah, I mean, it is not fun losing, that is for sure. It would have been nice to have a better summer, but it was okay. I mean, it wasn't something to write home about. I feel like I have had my share of matches throughout the summer and hopefully going into the Open I will be playing my best tennis, but the way he is playing, I mean, he hasn't lost a match all summer, so he is clearly No. 1, but U.S. Open, anything can happen. It is the last major.