THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 26, 1998

Steve Campbell

STEVE CAMPBELL: First time.

STEVE CAMPBELL: I don't think I performed as well as I could have. I think Alex had a lot to do with that. He hit a lot of heavy, high-looping balls. It was windy. I wasn't really getting set up, really leaning on balls like I had all week. Although I feel I didn't play well, I know he had a lot to do with that.

STEVE CAMPBELL: No, it can't spoil the whole tournament. It's been a great week for me. Of course, I would have liked to have performed a little better, but it's been a good week for me. I'm happy to be in the Top 100 for the first time.

STEVE CAMPBELL: Actually, I feel a little better than I expected. I just expected to wake up one day and not be able to move. But every day I've been feeling decent. I felt I had to work pretty hard today with the wind, and his heavy ball today. I just wasn't able to come up with it today.

STEVE CAMPBELL: I don't know. I mean, every match that I played was just a bonus. I really was feeling pretty loose out there. Maybe in the past, in the big matches, I've been a little tight, not performed my best because of it. But this week, I mean, I've just been so loose. I played a lot of tight three-setters, 7-5 or 7-6 in the third. I got in those situations and I felt great, I wasn't worried about winning or losing. That was a pretty good feeling for me.

STEVE CAMPBELL: That's no big deal. That's just materialistic things. Don't really mean a whole lot to me. I really would have kept taking the vans if they would have been on time every day. As a matter of convenience, I took a car.

STEVE CAMPBELL: I'm going to give it back tonight (laughter). I'll let them drive me back to the hotel.

STEVE CAMPBELL: I haven't really sat down and looked at it yet. I just wanted to wait till it's all over and maybe sit down. Obviously I'll be able to get into a lot of tournaments that I wasn't going to be able to. That's a good deal. Definitely going to have to take a long time and plan out a schedule that's best for me, gives me ample rest and ample opportunity to move up further.

STEVE CAMPBELL: I'm working out with the Davis Cup team next week in Atlanta. Then I'm going to Hong Kong and Tokyo.

STEVE CAMPBELL: Yes. Another long trip. After that, I'm going to try to take a couple weeks off.

STEVE CAMPBELL: I'm sure it is, by far.

STEVE CAMPBELL: It was a little frustrating. In the past I think the ranking I had coming in here would have been good enough to get into this tournament, probably just about any other year. This year, the cutoff was pretty rough. That's just part of the game. I mean, you can be frustrated about it for a minute, but the bottom line is you have to go through qualifying. Nothing can change that. You just have to get ready for it. That's just a part of the game. Been part of the game as longs a I've been playing. I'm used to it. Fortunate enough to come through.

STEVE CAMPBELL: Yes. That's why, I mean, every match has been a blessing. I can't really be too upset. I got in late Sunday night. I was down a set, 4-Love, just totally tired. I was able to grind it out, reach the main draw.