U.S. OPEN

September 9, 1994

Jacco Eltingh

Paul Haarhuis

PAUL HAARHUIS: No, we let our actions speak for themselves.

JACCO ELTINGH: Yes, definitely the wind was-- on Center Court kind of changes around, doesn't come from one side all the time and, you know, it makes it difficult with the ball toss kind of lose your shirt a little bit because sometimes you throw it too low, and also with returning because the ball comes at times quickly and next time a little slower. Actually, we talked to Mark and Todd a little after the match before the ceremony started and they said not really one of us was consistent on either returns or first serves and we pulled it off for the moment and we had to make them that was the difference today.

PAUL HAARHUIS: We enjoy when we, win, but I mean, we didn't enjoy when we lost 9-7 in the fifth at Wimbledon and we see that they win semifinals in straight sets, so-- but they're just, you know, I would think we talked about it yesterday, I consider them of the last 3-4 years -- I consider them the best team around. You know, so, it's always a great challenge and we had to-- some great matches with them last year in the World Championships and we had a great match at Wimbledon, and this final U.S. Open. So it's great to play the top guys in the Open or any big tournaments in the finals. So you are always looking forward to that. So, it's -- I think we played Connell and Galbraith, Black and Stark and we played the Woodies the most, so it's something that you know.

JACCO ELTINGH: Meaning we're the best two teams any time? I don't know. But Black and Stark and Connell and Galbraith, they finished-- they finished here first last year so there's actually a rivalry going on four, five teams-- just a rivalry, and it's just if one of us is not there, the other one is going to win the tournament. So that's how tough it is. Actually, you it is see right now with the top four only, that you know they have so many points compared to the other teams. So those four teams are really strong and we proved by the Woodies today we can hold the number one position the titles we won so far are not any lucky shots.

JACCO ELTINGH: I don't agree. I think the crowd was really into it. I think we played a few evening matches on Stadium after the singles and half the stadium stayed there after the men's singles and they really enjoyed it few times. They were almost going crazy for the doubles and today also because of the circumstances they haven't seen the best doubles today, because it's difficult to play. It is not -- the beauty prize to be won today, it's just a matter of winning the match.

PAUL HAARHUIS: The main reason we playing at 11:00 and whether it's doubles or singles, it is not completely full is if they would have had -- look at yesterday, which was a much better time to play, Novacek playing Yzaga, it wasn't completely full and that's afternoon, but 11:00 there's no way you're going to be filling up the whole stadium and we would have played 2:00, it would have been, I would say, almost full.

JACCO ELTINGH: At the end it was getting full, 75 percent.

PAUL HAARHUIS: More people coming in saying, we will catch a little of the first match and catch the second match and catch a little from the third match and we've had a nice day.

PAUL HAARHUIS: No, I think this Open, was very well-scheduled for -- to give the doubles lot of coverage. This year was almost no night matches for women's or the men's played the single, and we had doubles almost every night and doubles on TV almost every night because not all the matches lasted until the end of TV time. As to exposure, I think this was by far the best Grand Slam I've ever been at for exposure on TV for doubles, this was really good.

PAUL HAARHUIS: Well, not today, but normally, yes. I think it's kind of too bad.

JACCO ELTINGH: Well, I mean, we do get away if we want to, but actually, no. We have arguments, but not only about tennis or because of tennis, also because of different things we argue about. I think that's normal. We never -- maybe for five minutes and next minute we're laughing again. So we really never have --

PAUL HAARHUIS: Not really arguments discussions.

JACCO ELTINGH: Discussions.

PAUL HAARHUIS: About different things, all the-- I don't know, about the world and --

JACCO ELTINGH: Soccer.

PAUL HAARHUIS: And everything. We just have discussion about it and he shows his view and I show my view. So, it's really, if you think about it, we really haven't had in these two years, or year and a half that we really are on the road every week together, we haven't had any fights or anything like that.

PAUL HAARHUIS: Yeah, anything about -- about anything, but also because, you know, when we -- if like say my girlfriend is around, I'm going to eat out -- at night I'm going to go out with my girlfriend, and when his -- well, when his girlfriend was around-- so I mean, it is not that way. Sometimes we say, "What are you doing tonight," and he'll say "I'm eating in."

JACCO ELTINGH: Because we have our coach Alex, if there's something which bothers us which bothers me, we probably go to Alex and he kind of manipulates a little bit and brings the story to the other guy a little better than if we go directly, maybe.

PAUL HAARHUIS: We didn't -- I didn't know if that was the reason that they played best of three, I don't know.

JACCO ELTINGH: Because they changed it last year, I think, already and I heard also more Grand Slams wants to follow this same example, but I think throughout the tournament you should play best of three, but semifinals finals, I think, should be best of five matches, just, you know, for the chance to see who is really the strongest, but for today, for Dutch TV it was best only best of three because they got in the whole match. Best of five, maybe they couldn't get in the whole match, so it depends which side you look at it and I think it's also for the crowd, sometimes best of five matches are very long, but -- and sometimes it gets more intense when you have best of three. Quicker. But I think it should be best of five for semifinals and finals.

PAUL HAARHUIS: Jacco, he says it's the best for me, it's definitely up there because U.S. Open is, you know, one of the highest, I think, also for respect from other people, U.S. Open definitely ranks up there or better than the other ones. So, it's really up there, but as we think about how we got there, is pretty funny because second round down 6-1, 4-2 in 39 minutes and these guys were cruising. So, when you think about that, it's very special that we had some tough matches and we fought through them and you come in the end and win last two matches semifinal, final just win straight sets, so it's really good feeling that's why -- I mean, that makes it all so special.

PAUL HAARHUIS: Right now?

JACCO ELTINGH: Well, would have to take top three from the from the rankings, maybe most consistent--

JACCO ELTINGH: Who we find most difficult are the Woodies, I respect them the most.

JACCO ELTINGH: No, as players, also individually as players, I think them two and, you know, it's difficult because one person is good at this and the other is better at that, so that's why it's difficult to say who's a better doubles player because everybody gives something to a team, but the people we have must difficulties playing because they play smart and consistent all the time are the Woodies as individuals and --

PAUL HAARHUIS: And Paul and Jacco.

JACCO ELTINGH: Right.