U.S. OPEN

August 29, 1996

Sergi Bruguera

SERGI BRUGUERA: Well, maybe not my confidence, but my peace inside because I was very, very nervous about my game, that I cannot recover, my injury. Then when I get the silver medal, for me it was like so much relaxed. I make in my worst year one thing that I'm going to remember for my life, which is amazing for me. That gives me a lot of peace, and also I was more happy when I was going to the court to practice. I was like another spirit, maybe not with my tennis, but mentally approaching the practicing in the matches.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Well, I still have problems with my foot because it's very dangerous for your body, these courts. It's difficult to recover.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Yeah, but the other days I lost very easy also sometimes.

SERGI BRUGUERA: You never go to the court thinking it's going to be quickly. You always think it's going to be difficult, then try to play your tactic, play your tennis. You don't expect anything if it's going to be easy, three, five sets. You don't know. With Stich, hardcourt, you always play a tough match.

SERGI BRUGUERA: If I would what?

SERGI BRUGUERA: Hardcourts, very difficult, yes.

SERGI BRUGUERA: The difference is almost everything. The bounces, you cannot slide, you have less time for movement, you can go much faster when you go to the net, the serve is much more dangerous.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Injuries and almost all the year without playing. I mean, it's difficult for everything, especially with the foot, you cannot move. You lose confidence. Normally you start completely healthy. When you have a little pain, you start to lose matches. Normally you hit here, you hit it here (indicating). It's like a wheel, every time is getting worse. When you're really healthy, then you can win matches. I think it's very important, the confidence in yourself, you win matches. You can practice a lot, but if you have not continued with the matches, it's very difficult. You cannot have the practice. Match play is very difficult.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Well, I think any match is good for your confidence. If you beat a great player on another surface, it's much more.

SERGI BRUGUERA: No. If you don't have motivation to play in the Open, they don't have to try to do something better to you to be motivated. Grand slam is enough to be motivated. You cannot be more motivated than anything than for Grand Slams.

SERGI BRUGUERA: After I have to think about my match with Muster.

SERGI BRUGUERA: I feel very good. I was playing very deep, big top spin. He cannot come in very easy. He was trying to attack from very far from the baseline. That's where he made more mistakes than usual. He was trying to attack from very far. It was impossible. You have to wait for the right shot. I was not giving easy balls to attack.

SERGI BRUGUERA: Yes.

End of FastScripts….