US OPEN
Date: 1997-08-27

US OPEN

August 27, 1997

Mark Philippoussis
Flushing Meadows, New York
Question Can you comment on the match, how was it, how do you feel?


Mark Philippoussis Well, it was a strange match. It was extremely windy out there on
Center Court. The wind wasn't sort of blowing one way, swirling around, balls moving
around a lot. And it was just hard to play out there. But, I am just -- I played I think
good enough. Not as well as I'd like to, but just happy to get through. Obviously, I
didn't want to win it that way. I would have liked to have played the whole match.


Question Did he show any indication that he was hurt earlier on?


Mark Philippoussis I thought he was serving pretty good actually. I had no indication.
Before you play matches, he was getting his arm warmed up, he was getting a massage on it.
But a lot of people do that to get it warmed up. I do it, too. But I didn't know that it
was that bad.


Question That first set was reasonably tight. Was there enough in that set to give you an
idea as to how your game is going?


Mark Philippoussis Well, I mean, like I said, it is always difficult to play great
when it is that windy. You sort of just want to get by. Not make too many unforced errors.
I thought I served rather well as windy as it was, got a high percentage of -- got enough
first serves in. But, you know, you got to move your feet a lot more. I was trying to come
to the net. But I think I was trying too hard and rushing a bit and missing some
approaches.


Question At this stage of the tournament would you have rather have had a long match or take
it anyway you can?


Mark Philippoussis You know, you take it anyway you can. I think I am going to play
until I think, Saturday, I don't know, my third round, but I play mixed doubles tomorrow
which is good keep going with match play, have some fun, work on some things out there. So
just take it a day at a time.


Question Things going along this year as planned?


Mark Philippoussis Yeah, I mean, things are great at the moment. My dad is here with
me. I am feeling comfortable on the court, having fun on the practice court. Feeling
confident in my matches. I know what I am capable of doing and how far I can go in this
tournament. So, I am just keeping my head down and let my tennis do the talking.


Question How does it feel yesterday in the doubles when you had all those people there, quite
a large crowd?


Mark Philippoussis That was great doubles. We are playing against Korda and Reneberg,
a great doubles team. That was really tough doubles. Great one for people to watch. We
played good together. We combine as a team. We are getting better. We enjoy playing out
there and it definitely helps our singles by playing doubles.


….