US OPEN

August 28, 2000

Andre Agassi

MODERATOR: Questions for Andre.

ANDRE AGASSI: You know, in all honesty, my mind doesn't work that way. I give every player so much respect on the court, as far as their game goes, because that's the way I perform my best. So I make a lot of assumptions that a lot of times aren't accurate, like the guy's going to go out there and really expect to beat me. I guess at some moments of a match, you kind of get to feeling like they could be overwhelmed with the situation a little bit. But never really going out there.

ANDRE AGASSI: He's a good player. It's a tough match-up against me because he really has to stay in the point and hit a few big shots. He seems to be a pretty good counter-puncher where he can hit one or two good balls, but eventually I would stretch the point. So I think it was a bit of a tough match-up for him. But, you know, he has a good backhand that he can hit both directions. His serve could improve a lot. I think he could utilize kind of coming in a little bit more.

ANDRE AGASSI: Somebody else can pick up the slack. I certainly wouldn't mind that. That's no problem with me.

ANDRE AGASSI: Not really. Not really. I welcome that time. I welcome that time.

ANDRE AGASSI: You know, a little difficult to tell tonight. I was in control of the match early in each set. My shots are there, but there's no question as the tournament goes on, I'm going to have to pick up my concentration and my focus a little bit more. I think it still has a tendency to wander a little bit because of the lack of matches. I'm not closing out certain situations the way I like. But that can come around. That part can come around in a few matches. But I like the way I'm striking the ball.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, it matters substantially. It matters how the surface suits your game. I grew up on hard courts. I'm the kind of player that likes to hit six to eight balls and then end the point. When you're talking about clay, you're talking about a surface that you have to be sharp and disciplined on the right ball, which for my game tends to be 10 or 14 balls. On grass, it seems to be, you know, 2 to 4. It's about where you're comfortable most with your game. On a hard court, it's bouncing clean, I'm hitting the ball two, three, four times, ending the point. I find that my confidence in that scenario comes around a lot quicker, my execution and concentration, as well.

ANDRE AGASSI: No, it can come real quickly. I mean, really all it takes is a great match. Step out there and raise your level to a standard that you beat somebody better than what you even expected, and you play one great match, and that seems like it can really do it for you - at least for me on hard court.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, I felt a lot of love out there, a lot.

ANDRE AGASSI: I mean, it's hard not to hear it, yeah. It's hard not to hear it. You know, as long as they don't want her playing instead, as long as I'm getting the job done.

ANDRE AGASSI: I think a lot has to do with Jim and Pete, just really what they asked of their bodies. Jim really trained arguably at times more than he should have. I think that takes a toll. He went through a stage where he had that dead arm, where his arm wasn't even responding. Other times where I saw him, his legs weren't responding. He was always in great shape, but he didn't feel like he was moving as well. I think the work, the miles he put on his body. I think it's the same thing with Michael. Those are two examples of guys that are just more beat up these days. I think Pete has an incredibly efficient game. Pete can win a very lackadaisical 7-6, 7-5 match. And me, I would fall a lot more probably in Jim or Michael's category, except I take off every other year. I haven't quite been consumed with that part of tennis. When I'm in it, I go hard. It's tough.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yes. Physically I think it's a big issue. I think it's also a big issue mentally, too. Let's be honest. At a certain level, that's what makes a difference out there, is your mind, how much you want it. I think the more toll you take on your body, the more difficult it is for you to stay hungry.

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, very much so. '95, I won every match in the summer except the finals of this tournament. I never felt worse about a summer. It was even that much more disappointing to lose here. I think if you can play a great Open after a tough summer, you can make the whole year. Forget the summer, you can make the whole year by winning here.

ANDRE AGASSI: Not any more than I did last year. Obviously, it's a year later. You know, I feel the same sense of urgency as I have the last couple years, to be honest. That's a question of perspective. I feel like I've had an accurate perspective. You never know, whether it be by choice or by injury or by anything, when is going to be your last Open.

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