THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 28, 1996

Michael Chang

MICHAEL CHANG: That's a nice fact.

MICHAEL CHANG: I guess it really depends on how he is serving. I was able to get a lot of serves back tonight. I think on top of that, you know, I wasn't able to quite return them as penetrating as I would like, some of them I got back, but they were more or less kind of sitting for him to hit and, you know, I think that Goran was serving very well tonight. The times he did get them by me, I got a pretty good percentage in. It seemed like, so, you know, he came up with some big serves when he needed it and got them out of a lot of trouble, got a lot of free serves today.

MICHAEL CHANG: I think Goran has been playing some very good tennis lately, you know, he got off to a really good start this year. I think that today he played some good tennis today, he didn't make a whole lot of unforced errors, he served well. That is pretty much how it dictates his plays. Kind of the rest of the game follows. If he is not able to serve well, then it makes it a lot harder for him, so tonight he was able to do both.

MICHAEL CHANG: It would be nice to have those all the time, you know, I think obviously it is nice to be able to closeout the games, but I think you have to serve well in order to get to that point, so, you know, I think I would have liked to have at least a few more service winners, definitely, it always helps when you are serving, you know, when guys are serving big against you, it gives a little less pressure for them and they can just go for their returns a little bit more, so, yeah, but the serve has been coming along.

MICHAEL CHANG: I didn't play him at all last year, so, you know, I really couldn't tell you. I haven't played him since Paris, Paris indoor, we had a tough match there, 7-6 in the third and, you know, other than that, you know, Goran's game, to me, hasn't changed all that much. He still serves big and still goes for his shots and he is still able to come in, you know, and, yeah, but he is definitely playing some very good tennis right now.

MICHAEL CHANG: It's getting there, you know, I think that it got off to a pretty good start, you know, I would hopefully like to capitalize on those opportunities to win the Grand Slam tournaments and hopefully come next time around, I will be able to do that.

MICHAEL CHANG: No, the Olympics is not on my schedule this year.

MICHAEL CHANG: I participated in '92 and I felt that the Olympics is a great experience, something that, you know, given the opportunity all athletes should participate in that. I think it's -- it was something that was -- is very memorable, very unique, but I think as far as scheduling for me, it was a little bit difficult and it was a little bit difficult going in a sense from professional to amateur. I wasn't quite used to that and conditions in Barcelona were a little bit tough, but other than that, the Olympics was great and it's just for me I felt it was better to, you know, concentrate since it is around the U.S. Open time to concentrate a little more --

MICHAEL CHANG: No. I think the other tennis players weren't quite used to that incredibly tight security and Barcelona was a little bit tough because they didn't have any air conditioning and it was during the summertime and it was tough coming out and having to play three out of five set matches on clay and at night you are sitting there going like this (wiping brow) because it was pretty hot and stuff, but other than that, it was really a great experience to be around the athletes and to be in the Olympic Village and see some of the other events. I think, you know, Atlanta will be something very special, especially for the American athletes this year, but, you know, for me, I felt I am not planning the Olympics this time around is better for me.

MICHAEL CHANG: You know, I think that -- I think it is a difficult call, you know, I think that the Olympics is normally something that -- I think it is normally something that, you know, is an event that you see the up and coming-type of athletes, but I think for the other sports it is a little bit different because I think comparatively to tennis it is just different, but, you know, I think -- I am not sure why the other players, you know, aren't playing, but, you know, that those are just my personal reasons.

MICHAEL CHANG: No, I personally don't think that the players would choose the Olympics over the Grand Slam tournaments, no. I agree with that, you know, Grand Slam tournaments for tennis has been around for so many years that, you know, it just goes hand in hand with professional tennis and the Olympics is still relatively new.

MICHAEL CHANG: Later this year I definitely consider it. You know, once again I will take a look at how things fall into the schedule and stuff and we will see how we take things from there.

MICHAEL CHANG: Nothing the last four days, so I guess the tide hasn't been swinging my way. It's still been fun.

MICHAEL CHANG: Hopefully not.

MICHAEL CHANG: Well, I think there is a risk all the time. You can never say one country is a clear-cut favorite always because strange things happen in Davis Cup and even some players who maybe don't do that well on tour and maybe they come out and play incredibly inspired Dennis in Davis Cup. We just have to wait and see, but hopefully the U.S. will pull it out.

JOE LYNCH: Anything else for Michael?. Thank you.