1999 Australian Open Interview ~ 31 January 1999

A: He was more consistent than me, I think. I think I had a good attitude before the match. I felt comfortable. I start off the match in the same kind of style I've been doing all this trip, and I was going for my shots. I played aggressive, and after the first set I was hitting them just outside the lines all the time, and in the tape, and it was not enough.

Q: Thomas, how much did you feel the mental pressure of playing in a Grand Slam final?

A: I felt great. I think I showed everybody that I was relaxed in the beginning. I played same kind of tennis I've been doing all the week.

Q: What happened in that section of games, after you won the first set, for the next nine? Did you think you relaxed, or did he come on a bit stronger?

A: No, I think the whole match looked almost the same. I served better in the beginning. I didn't get any free points on my serve, which made it a little bit tougher for me to play the kind of aggressive style I usually do, because if I could stay with him in the sets, then I can get some free points and get some easy winners after the serve. I didn't do that today, and he played solid. He was running at all the balls, and he made me play a lot of shots, and I was going for the shots; but I missed a little bit today.

Q: Did you think you were back in the match when you got to 3-all. Did you feel fresh?

A: Yeah, I think, after first two sets it was an open story again. I had 3-all, I had break point and, you know, I had break point to get back even in the third, and I was hitting the very good forehand, just on the tape again; and the fourth set I could have won also. But it was a tough match, but he was the stronger one today.

Q: Thomas, how much do you regret you have lost your first Grand Slam final? Obviously there are others to come, you know, but this was your first one?

A: Well, I hope it's going to be a few more. But of course you feel really bad when you have lost a big tournament final like this, and I felt like I was in control a little bit in the beginning. I felt I was playing well enough to have a chance to win, and there were small things today which decided who was winning today.

Q: Did you feel any difference today compared to the other times you played him?

A: No, I think it was almost the same. Today, he got a lot of balls back. He looked strong. On the other hand, I felt I was playing all right, especially in the beginning of the match, I had some chances. I didn't take them today.

Q: How did the first point in the tiebreak change our mental --

A: Well, not too much. I did a bad tiebreaker, but that first ball was way out. Of course it was tough for me, but that's the way it goes.

Q: Do you find it a little odd, he keeps thanking Pete Sampras for not being here. I guess Pete is the reason he won here?

A: Well, I think he did that more as a joke. But, of course, he's the favourite if he goes to a Slam. But I think Yevgeny could have a good chance to win it, even if Pete was playing in the tournament.

Q: Kafelnikov said he broke you mentally. Do you feel that?

A: No, not really. I think, like I said, I felt pretty good out there. I had a lot of fun. I was not nervous. I was playing the same kind of tennis I've been playing. But today, I missed a little bit more, and he was playing a little bit more solid.

Q: Are you tired at all?

A: No, I felt good out there, you know. I had two days of rest, so I was fresh. So it was - he looked a little bit tired in the match, I think, and he was the guy that was running all the time, so it was too bad I didn't get that fourth set.

Q: What would you change if you were playing him again in a final?

A: Nothing, I think. Of course I like to serve a little bit better. I think if I had served a little bit better today I would have had a chance to win.

Q: So you would have been fresh going into the fifth set, do you think, Thomas?

A: Yes, I think so, yeah.

Q: Thomas, were you aware of comments Yevgeny made a couple of days before the final, the day before, saying that the thought you had a tendency to choke; and, if so, you know, what did you think of it?

A: Well, that was not too nice to say. I think I have been playing, before this, 14 matches in Australia, and I've been winning them all; so I don't think that's a sign of choking. And I've been serving for the match in a lot of matches, and once I lost it, and that's what happens in tennis. I think I'm not the only guy who is losing a serve sometimes when you serve for the match. I've been doing that a long time. Some players against me have been doing that as well. So I'm not seeing myself as a choker. I usually play pretty good under pressure.

Q: Did you help your fans out with tickets, or did they organise that themselves?

A: I think the player service came up to me before the match and asked me if I wanted to get some more Swedish fans in, and I think they gave a few tickets.

Q: You must have a tremendous amount of confidence after your performance here for two weeks. Do you feel that's going to influence you in making more of a threat for the rest of the tournaments?

A: I hope so. Definitely. I think it has been a really good start for me this year. Just now, after losing a final like this, you don't feel too good about it, and it's tough to say you feel good, or anything like that. But I think after a while, when I get home and I get to the next tournament, I think I'm going to feel good, and hopefully I'm going to continue this kind of tennis for the whole year.

Q: Do you think you best chance for a Grand Slam is in Australia, or another one?

A: I think this surface and the US Open, that type of surface suits my game best. That's when I feel I have most chance to be successful.

Q: When you review a match like that, would you ever sit down and watch a tape of it, with your coach?

A: No, not really. I mean, both me and Yevgeny have been playing a lot of times before, and we know our games. Of course, we are going to talk with the coach and see where we could have made it different. We usually do that after a loss. But I'm not going to sit down and watch a tape. I don't think so.