Interview after game with Grojean - 網球

A. AGASSI/S. Grosjean

6-2, 2-0 (ret.)


Q. Did you realize that Sebastien was injured?

ANDRE AGASSI: Not really, no. You know, I started noticing there late in
the first set just him pulling triggers a little bit sooner on the shots,
going for more shots, which once he was doing that, I was just thinking
strategically that he was playing low percentage. So I didn't know he
was struggling.


Q. What did he say to you when he came up there at the end?

ANDRE AGASSI: That he had pulled his groin in the fourth game or 4-0
game of the first set, and that it wasn't getting better; it was getting
worse.


Q. Does it matter to you that you had such a short match? Would you have
preferred going through a three-set match?

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, I would have preferred to finish the match, no
question. You know, not for any reasons of concern. It's not that I feel
like now I'm sort of not prepared. But you just don't want any match to
end that way. I felt like at different stages of the match have sort of
different personalties to them. You try to rise to the occasion for
what's required.

Starting a match is a heck of a lot different than finishing one. It's
always nice to play a complete match.


Q. You look like you were really mixing it up out there. Did you feel
like sometimes you're out there playing a bit of a chess game?

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I think one shot leads to the next with my game. I
try to make sure that each shot has a purpose, and depending on who I'm
playing, what it is I'm trying to accomplish. So I suppose in some ways
you're thinking one or two steps ahead.


Q. Is it hard to assess your own form considering what's happened out
there? You look like you're really on. Does it sort of confuse you a
bit?

ANDRE AGASSI: I don't find myself concerned about anything. Up to that
point in the match, I was feeling really good. So that's really all you
can assess. You can't read into it more than that.

Again, it's disappointing and unfortunate that a match would ever have
to end that way for the sake and the health of the player, also for the
spectators. I mean, it's not a good situation. But you don't read more
into it than that. I was playing well, and the match finished.


Q. I've never seen or heard you were hurt. What's the secret of your
fitness?

ANDRE AGASSI: You never what?


Q. I've never heard you been hurt or had any problems?

ANDRE AGASSI: Oh, no, I've had plenty. I've had plenty.
I've had plenty (laughter).


Q. Everybody says, "Agassi will win this tournament."

ANDRE AGASSI: I've had wrist surgery before. Last year I missed a few
tournaments because of my shoulder. My hips. I have gone through
different times where they hurt. My back. I mean, everybody has ailments
out here. Everybody's playing with a little something. It's just the
nature of the beast.

You know, for me, it's about making sure I listen to my body so that when
something does hurt, I don't ignore it until it becomes a real problem;
I tend to take care of it. I have the luxury these days to choose my
tournaments carefully.

Again, I believe that if you listen to your body, your body will listen
to you when you ask it to do something. But if you don't listen to your
body, you're going to tell your body to run to a shot and it's gonna say,
"Sorry, can't do that."


Q. It seems like match in, match out, you're able to produce a pretty
high level. Some players, Pete, for example, he could produce a high
level, but then there's some matches where he looks pretty off. What
do you attribute that to, day in, day out, at a pretty high level?

ANDRE AGASSI: The style of game I have to play. What I have to do to win
was a whole different animal than what Pete had to do to win. Pete could
play a match 7-5, 7-6, 7-5 and have it be the most uneventful match he's
ever played. It could be something that he never was concerned for one
second throughout the whole match.

And if I'm playing three close sets, I'm asking myself, "Why didn't the
last sets get better," because my game is sort of designed to pick apart
what it is I'm trying to do out there and to elevate on a consistent
level. I tend to squeeze more than just hold serve and play one, two
good points to win the set. I try to put together a set that's gonna
allow me to win the second, the third, so on and so on.

So I think it is a style of play that has conditioned my mind to go out
there and concentrate. It's really a function of concentration.


Q. Is it almost like you expect, as the match goes along, because of
your style, your rhythm is going to get better and better so by the
end of the match you're...?

ANDRE AGASSI: That's definitely the game plan. I mean, obviously, there's
matches that don't go according to game plan either, based on my own
execution or based on what my opponent is doing to me. Sometimes those
guys are just too good.

But that's ultimately my goal, is to make somebody play too good. And if
they can do that, then I have no problem learning from it because I feel
like it makes me better. But, yeah, I need to play with a sense of
purpose and plan.


Q. Roddick or Safin in the next round. Do you remember the last time you
played Marat Safin and what the result was?

ANDRE AGASSI: Last time I played Marat was in Lisbon where we had the
World Championships, and I beat him, I think it was 3 and 3. He was
going for No. 1 that tournament.

So, yes (smiling).


Q. The weapons, particular weapons that might weapon you?

ANDRE AGASSI: Yes (laughter). Big serve. That worries me. 6'5" always
tends to worry me a little bit. Monster forehand is a bit concerning,
as well as a backhand that he can crush both directions, and the fact
that he moves well is a bit unsettling (laughter).


Q. What about Roddick?

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, well, that's going to be a great match tonight. If
both guys are ready physically and mentally, it should be a battle. The
biggest weapon Roddick has, as we all know, is his serve. That's
something that I think - Safin is one of the handful of players that
can -- not neutralize, not so far as to neutralize, but to be able to
make Roddick play a lot on that serve, you know.

Again, if Andy's missing a few first serves, and getting away with
seconds, then I think guys -- he tends to pick up a lot of momentum.
But Safin is a good returner of the ball who's 6'5", so I think he's
going to have his opportunities. And it's going to be who plays better
on the big points, which is going to be nice to watch.


Q. You don't look or play like the oldest man in the tournament. Short
match today, cooler conditions this year, does that fuel the belief
you can win again here or is it just match to match?

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, it's always match for match. I come here with the
belief I can win. That's, like I said, my motivation, is the fact that
"If I play my best tennis, can I still win?" I need to be able to answer
that question "yes."

Again, you have to execute and you have to play your best when it's
asked of you. If you lose, you've got to be objective as to why and
could you have done things differently? Could it have gone differently?

Today was the first warm day we've had in a while, I mean, going back to
the start of the tournament maybe. I think it sort of snuck up on us.
It was, all of a sudden, you were well-reminded that you're in the middle
of summer down here. But that's something I've prepared for and so have
many of the other guys, something you come to expect, so when the cooler
conditions come, it's more of an adjustment than it is when you get the
hot weather.


Q. Lleyton said last night the court was a bit slower than last year.
What are your thoughts?

ANDRE AGASSI: Actually, I thought it was a little quicker than last year.
That's what I thought.


Q. You're pretty brave last year with the mixed doubles issue. You
reentered the fray today. Is there more hope for this one to happen?

ANDRE AGASSI: Listen, you can count on something: I'm not going to say
anything that's going to get any sideways looks when I walk through the
front door (laughter).


Q. Haven't said anything?

ANDRE AGASSI: I promise you, Steffi can say more without saying anything
(laughter). It's just a great ability to have.


Q. She just arrive or has she been here?

ANDRE AGASSI: She's been here, yeah.


Q. Can you imitate that look?

ANDRE AGASSI: No. If I could imitate that look, I'd have it on the
tennis court. That's where I'd have it.


Q. Can I ask you how you prepare yourself when you have a big match to
play in the afternoon or evening, how do you spend your day before
the match?

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, it's not easy to play in the evening, for the sake
of the whole day, you have to -- you're preparing by resting, you're
preparing by not doing anything, by, you know -- and you have to, you
have to not do anything. You have to keep your mind fresh, keep your
mind distracted but not expending energy.

You know, it's a long day waiting to play, especially with two kids.


Q. A lot of players speak about the game plan, a lot of players look for
comfort during the match by watching all the time up to their coach.
You never do that. Can you speak a little bit about the main tasks
that the coach has to have for you now, and how that has maybe changed
over the last couple of years?

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, first of all, coaching is illegal, so I think looking
up only tempts the situation that, you know, it wouldn't be fair play.
For me, the homework's already done. The work's already done. Until the
sport changes, until we have time-outs or coaching or...

You got to go out there with the belief that, "I'm prepared to handle
this situation and make the necessary adjustments."

Coaching is a huge part of the sport, especially with the way I play the
game. I need to have an objective eye. I need to have somebody that
understands the subtleties that make my game tick to make sure I'm
pushing all the buttons I need to push so that my game can elevate when
it's necessary.

When I'm out there on the court, the preparation is done, and now it's
about the work. After the match, it's about you and the coach again.


Q. Do you support a call for time-outs or coaching?

ANDRE AGASSI: I don't know. I don't know. You know, I've come down on
both sides of that issue a few times. I've come down on that issue a few
times. I've come down on both sides of those issues a few times.

On one hand, there's a certain tradition in the game that I believe
needs to be sort of nurtured and protected, which is it's the only sport
in the world where you got two guys going out there and having to deal
with the environment, the elements, the circumstances just themselves.
It's a lot to respect about that.

On the other hand, I do wonder if coaching would help the standard of
play and where you could actually have game plans changing throughout
the course of a match that might give more of an interest to the
spectator if they were a part of that interaction somehow.

So, you know, I don't know if it would be a good thing or not.


Q. Assuming you play Roddick in the semis, do you feel any different
playing an American, playing for the No. 1 spot in your country,
or playing against somebody else?

ANDRE AGASSI: No, I don't. To me, it's always about the Xs and Os on the
court, it's always about what a player brings to the table, what a
player's weaknesses are.

There's a lot of guys out here that inspire me to improve, and every
time I step on the court, I step on the court with the intention of
learning something else. It would be no different.


Q. Do you have any good-natured kidding with Brad now that he's coaching
a rival?

ANDRE AGASSI: Yeah, we get along great. I mean, Brad and I have been
close friends for a long time, you know, and still are and have a lot
of support for each other.

You know, it's a different sort of thing. I mean, he's coaching a whole
different animal now, you know. You know, the things that make Andy's
game go are pretty different than the things that make my game go.

Like any good coach, you have to make those adjustments. And he seems
to be doing a great job with Andy. I'm happy for him as far as that goes.
I think it's great for Andy and it's great for American tennis. It's been
a good thing.

Listen, we all won. We all won. I got who I consider to be the greatest
coach now, and Brad has the guy that's ranked No. 1 in the world, and we
might play in the semis.


Q. If he does win tonight, would you expect any trash-talking leading up
to the match tomorrow (laughter)?

ANDRE AGASSI: No. That will come a week later or something. No, no, no.

There's a great respect we have for the other one's profession. We still
try to maintain the integrity of the sportsmanship side of things.
So, you know, you shake hands when it's done and it all stays on the
court.


Q. When you come to Melbourne, does your confidence immediately rise
because of the success you've already had here?

ANDRE AGASSI: Well, I think sort of the other way around. I mean, I've
had success because I play well here. It's not that I play well because
I necessarily had the success. That's the reason why, because it's a
great place for me to play and compete.

I kind of try to come down here ready and prepared, which always gives
my confidence a boost when I come down here knowing I'm ready to go as
opposed to, you know, dealing with some sort of body ache or feeling not
rested or not prepared or.

You know, there's a lot of times through the year -- it's a long year.
That's why it's so hard to finish No. 1. It's not just about playing
great tennis or how you play when you do play great. Finishing No. 1 is
about a lot of environments, a lot of surfaces, a lot of countries,
a lot of weeks. It's not easy.

For me to come down here feeling rested and prepared, that's the part
that gives me the confidence.

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