COMPAQ GRAND SLAM CUP

December 12, 1992

Michael Stich

MICHAEL STICH: I mean, I just saw today Michael is a player who never gives up my ball, any points, so that is great part of his game where he is very tough to beat with. But, I mean, I played him twice, I beat him once very easily in hardcourt in Memphis. I lost the last time in Antwerp where I played very bad. But the chance is 50/50. It is a finals. He beat Goran today, I think one of the best players right now. He showed that he is capable of playing on that fast surface as well. It is going to be a tough match.

MICHAEL STICH: I think the toughest match was today because mentally it was very tough. The first two sets were fine. Up to that point, when I had the set point and like made a doublefault, I would say the second serve was out, and I mean from that point on, the whole match like went a strange way; when the machine broke down, I mean the whole match was destroyed and was more like, yeah, call it a war out there than a nice game. But I think nothing is between Pete and me; it was just like we both played well, we wanted to win, just like it was a strange atmosphere. I think from the mental side, it was the toughest match today.

MICHAEL STICH: Why is -- 7-6. Well, that is the way to see it, 7-6, makes 13, but anyway, I think I should have won the fourth set a little earlier when we went into the tiebreak. It was a little bit more close of course and some more luck in the second set. But that is the way it went.

MICHAEL STICH: Well, winning is really decisive. That is of course winning against Pete -- against Chang tomorrow is sort of fundamental for next year. Might sound strange, but you are happy to win and it is only afterwards that you consider the money you made.

MICHAEL STICH: I think I played really well, especially in the first two sets; I was returning very well, on his first and second serve. My first serve was not as good as the last days, but I was moving well at the net, and I mean, the result could have gone the other way, as well, but probably I made the big points in the breaker especially where I just got one or two more returns in than he did. I think all over, I played a good match.

MICHAEL STICH: I could have won the tiebreaks today if I had thought of last year.

MICHAEL STICH: I wouldn't. Probably a lot of people from the press would, but when I still know what kind of year I had, the way I played, I am still going to be No. 15 even after this tournament, so this tournament is not going to change that. I had like an up and down year.

MICHAEL STICH: It was less fun simply than playing Stefan. It is the way the match went today. We both-- I think we demonstrated we both badly wished to win, and there was more aggressiveness on the court, and things that happened were no one's fault. It was just less fun than a couple of days ago. It was sort of a chain reaction. There was a couple of bad -- wrong calls, towards the end of the second set against Pete, and then in a way he gave me the third set, and people seemed to be somewhat disturbed because I got the set, although it might have been a doublefault disturbed the rhythm of the player.

MICHAEL STICH: Well, three matches I played this week, I felt the crowd support. This was something really great and super, and if today might have helped me to close the match, and if I lose tomorrow, which I don't hope, I still believe I have made three good matches and I decided to play a fourth good one tomorrow.

MICHAEL STICH: The crowd was fantastic today. Normally you would expect the crowd to support you, but on the other hand, if I do this, normally it is after a good point played by Pete.

MICHAEL STICH: I mean, I don't -- I don't think for myself that I am the favorite. I mean, Michael beat a couple of good players in this tournament, and as I said, he is a tough opponent, so -- I hope the spectators are coming, hoping to see a great match, hoping for sure that I am going to win and giving me all the support they can. I'm just going to do the best I can, like the last three matches. If I win great. If Michael is one shot better, that is great too.