GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE ATP CHAMPIONSHIP

August 8, 1997

Michael Chang

MIKI SINGH: First question for Michael.

MICHAEL CHANG: No. Not really. I think that last week was Gustavo's time and this time was my time. You know, it just really kind of seemed to reverse roles a little bit. But, yeah, just almost a complete reversal actually.

MICHAEL CHANG: I think tonight, you know, it's a little bit more focused. That's partly due to, you know, how bad I lost to him last week. You know, I think overall to be able to play a little bit better tennis this time around. I didn't miss too many balls, and was able to kind of keep him moving and be on the switch side of it. You know, Gustavo's missing a little bit more than last time. And, you know, I felt like we were having some good play tonight. I was able to really just, you know, stay focused. That is really the important part of my game out there.

MICHAEL CHANG: I think tonight actually it's a little bit difficult to say. Because, you know, last week we would get into some rallies and for some reason, I wasn't able to stay with him. You know, kind of slow getting to the balls and if I did get to the ball, they would land short and he'd be able to set up and hit winners. And if Gustavo is able to set up for shots, he can really be dangerous. He's accurate, he hits the ball with a lot of pace, and, you know, there's not a really a whole lot you can do. But you know, tonight, you know the wheels seemed to be there a little bit better and I was able to hit with him a little bit more. And more for a few more errors.

MICHAEL CHANG: I think it's always good. You know, I think that even if I were to lose tonight, you know, I think that regardless I would be able to learn more for the next time that I play him. And that's pretty safe to say for all my matches. You know, just trying to constantly learn new things and you know, just make things a little bit easier next time around. And you know, it's just part of learning from your mistakes or learning from what the other guy is able to do well. And you know at the moment, not a whole lot of people are familiar with Gustavo's game. You know, he plays a unique style. And, you know, he takes a lot of people by surprise. And that can be dangerous, which it has been this year.

MICHAEL CHANG: It's difficult to say right now, because I don't know his game that well. I've seen -- I don't know if he's really the type of player who really flip flops or not, because when I think about the French Open this year, he really put everything together. He didn't have really have one good match and then you think normally when a guy had a big win he kind of looks down a little bit. He didn't seem to have that. So, you know, if that's the case, then maybe not. But then, you know, I think it's at this point in time it's probably a little bit difficult to say. I don't know his game well enough. I probably maybe get a better idea toward his results this year. You know if he's had more mixed results rather than more consistent results. But he's young and stuff, so things can change.

MICHAEL CHANG: Well, you know, again Thomas is never an easy match. You know, we've had a lot of tough matches and, you know, tomorrow's not going to be an exception. You know, funny thing is that Thomas has been playing better on hardcourts this year than he has on clay, which is a little bit uncharacteristic. And, you know, he was able to -- he's playing well this week so you know tomorrow I'm going to expects a lot long rallies and long points, and you know a really tough match.

MICHAEL CHANG: No. I don't think so. I don't think so. I think if it were like five sets, maybe, you know, having to come back the next day, but I don't think so.

MICHAEL CHANG: Not a whole lot this week, because he's been playing more on the other courts, and ESPN hasn't been covering him as much as maybe I would have liked at the moment. (Laughter) so I caught the last point of his match today. But, you know, I think that Thomas is always a great competitor and he's always, you know, a great fighter as well. And tomorrow, you know, I'm going to have to be able to play consistent, aggressive tennis.

MICHAEL CHANG: I don't know. I don't know. Have you asked him?

MICHAEL CHANG: What did he say?

MICHAEL CHANG: Technically I would like to play my claycourt game a little better.

MICHAEL CHANG: That's okay. I don't know. I really don't know. You know, it's strange, because over the past couple years his claycourt play have been phenomenal, and who would have guessed that this year he would have struggled as much as he did. When he first lost in Monte Carlo see it was like, "Oh, wow, he lost first round. " But then, you know, lost early started, losing early, you know, it's like, "What's going on?" So, yeah, your guess is as good as mine.

MICHAEL CHANG: Yeah.

MICHAEL CHANG:: I'll probably volley tomorrow left-handed (Laughter) Actually I did catch a little bit his match last week against Santoro. Each week is a new week. I feel like I know his game pretty well, and he knows my game pretty well. I'm looking forward to it. You know, you always get excited when you go up against top players I think, particularly against Thomas. You know he's going to be fired up. And tomorrow I'm looking forward to it. I'm excited about it.

MICHAEL CHANG: I bought a Walkman man at Circuit City. Haven't used it yet, but I bought some speakers, too.

MICHAEL CHANG: (Laughter). No. Actually not. Well, if they put the commercial on, the commercial with all the things that I bought on this card, you would have too long of a commercial. And I'm not kidding, yeah. So other than that, it's been trying to prepare for matches and you know, just pretty much relaxing. You know, watching -- playing a little bit of e-mail. Nothing too out of the ordinary. But this place has always been a relaxing place for me. I don't know, it just seems like it. People here are very friendly, very easy to get along with. And in that kind of atmosphere it's easy to relax and just come out and practice hard and come out and try to play the best tennis. And you always get good crowds here, too. I feel that's important, because I've played in front of crowds that haven't been all that big at some tournaments before in the past, and it's a little bit difficult to play sometimes. So it's nice to see enthusiasm and support of such a great event. Obviously the field helps. They do a great job of running the event here for the players, and I'm sure for you guys, too, and for all the people that come out.

MICHAEL CHANG: Freaking out?

MICHAEL CHANG: Sometimes you actually want to pee your pants in New York. I'm kidding. No actually not. There's always something positive about each place that I play at. And that's something that is important, because if you go out with a positive attitude and a positive perspective about things, it's going to reflect on how you play and you with mannerisms. New York, sometimes that's true. It can be a little chaotic. But positive for me Flushing Meadows is right close to Chinatown, so there's good food. I stay with family so it's a little bit relaxing to maybe feel like I'm almost at home. Get reacquainted with my relatives and, you know, we're staying like 15 minutes away from there. We don't have to worry about traffic. I feel there like there's positives about each place, but some places just seem to stick out a little bit more. You know, the only exception that I might say where I haven't had as much success, where I've enjoyed myself just as much is Memphis. Which was actually was exciting to break through and win this year for the first time. I haven't had all that much success there, but it's a place that I really enjoy. You know, once again, it's the people. For some reason the people have a great deal of influence on me. Memphis is one of those plays where it's a country club setting, and if you had people who were a little bit more on the wacky side or a little bit more on the crazy side, you could not have an event there. And so, you know, if there's a place where you maybe don't have the same feeling, I always try to find the positives.

MICHAEL CHANG: Yeah, sometimes. But sometimes I don't have to look for it. You know, you know it's kind of like when we are on a plane and we're going to land in Cincinnati, it's like, "Yeah, we're in Cincinnati now." So yeah, but other places you do have to make adjustments. There's no question about that. There are certain things you're to the quite used to, whether it's the food or the surroundings or the people driving the wrong side of road. You know, just different things. Hopefully it'll have a better effect on me at Wimbledon. The last couple years have been a bit rough.

MICHAEL CHANG: Yeah. Well I don't drive there. I yeah -- can you see that? Front page tabloid: "Chang gets into accident driving on wrong side of road." Not good. That wouldn't be good.

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