Master Series Cincinnati 5 August 2000 ATP
Q. When during the match yesterday did you start to feel a problem?
PATRICK RAFTER: It has been there since Davis Cup. After Davis Cup I took a
week off and it was just a lot of fatigue. I got very tired and I think the
shoulder is -- it did its job during Wimbledon and Davis Cup, I really did
not feel it that much. Then after that it just -- I came back and when I
started hitting balls before I went to Toronto I knew then it was little bit
sore, but I thought then I could work through it. And I would be able to get
through it. It has just gotten progressively worse and worse as the
tournament has gone on with a lot of treatment and I just thought if I could
get through a few more matches, see what happens and it just never got any
better.

Q. Did you go back to the doctor (inaudible)?
PATRICK RAFTER: No, in hindsight it was a real problem, I should have gone
back because I was talking to her quite regularly while I was at Davis Cup
and before and during Wimbledon and she said she would have liked to have
looked at me. Then at the end, I said about having a the whole day. She said,
listen, have a whole day. She had a lot of confidence in the way I summed it
up and obviously I misread my shoulder. I didn't -- I wasn't expecting
something like this. I thought -- to me, it felt very strong and very stable.
I didn't realize the implication of all those matches. So that has sort of
set me back a little bit by not going to see her.

Q. Now what is your--
PATRICK RAFTER: I go to Bermuda now. And I start doing the rehab now; been
talking to her quite a lot and she kind of assessed it okay. Obviously it
would be better if she had a hands-on look at it, but I am pretty sure of the
treatment and it really needs rest is what it needs. And something, as
delicate as my shoulder, is and has been over the last few months, it really
needs to be looked after very well and to rest. That is what I need to do.

Q. Do you know how much rest?
PATRICK RAFTER: It is a pretty week-to-week thing and I really -- I can't
commit to anything at the moment, unfortunately. I'd love to say I have got
two weeks off and it will be better, but I am hoping I will get a few matches
before the US Open, but even that might be a little bit optimistic.

Q. Did she advise you that you were going -- you should pair down your
schedule...
PATRICK RAFTER: Yes, but it is very, very difficult to organize a schedule
because my whole year has been first round/second round and is it okay, I can
go and play as many tournaments as I'd like when you are playing that many
matches. Then you can organize your training, your practice, your days off
all around that. But when you are playing matches at tournaments, you can't
organize -- you got to play the next day. You can't have a day off, when you
say, oh, I'd like a day off. That just doesn't happen. So all of a sudden I
won the tournament before Wimbledon which I was not going to play, but I felt
like I needed matches before Wimbledon. I played Wimbledon and all of a
sudden I have had 12 matches in three weeks. And they are not easy matches.
And then back for Davis Cup straight-a-way again. You can never count on how
many matches you are going to play, so -- and I am not somebody that likes to
-- no one likes to pull out of tournaments that you enter, you commit, and
that is what you like to do. That is what I like to do anyway. I like to show
up for them.

Q. How disappointed are you not to play here because you have had good
success here?
PATRICK RAFTER: The hard court season has always been very good for me and
this tournament has been great. Especially the last two years, and this is
like a catalyst for me for the US Open and this is a bit of a blow for me
because I know I am hitting the ball well, I am playing well. And now I have
got to just sort of sit back and take it easy now and there -- my mine goal
is now try to get ready for the U.S. Open however I can. But when you haven't
got the matches and playing tough matches and this is what you get here in
Cincinnati. It is a bit of a blow. So it is just -- it is something --

Q. Would you take back the Wimbledon final (inaudible) --
PATRICK RAFTER: No way. That is something that you get your shoulder ready
for these sort of tournaments, the big tournaments. Maybe I look back and say
maybe I shouldn't have played some of the smaller tournaments, but you never
play -- the big tournaments is what you play for.

Q. Can you describe the level of pain? Is it about what it was before you had
the surgery?
PATRICK RAFTER: It is in a different area all together.

Q. Oh, it is?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yes, it is from a different symptom. My muscles and
everything are strong, like last year they weren't. They got weak. Then it
put pressure on the tendon. This year the muscles are strong, but it is
fatigue. They are all very tired so it is putting pressure on a different
part of my rotator cuff. It is just pain pretty well on the impact of serve
and on a lot of forehands. So every time you go to hit those sort of shots in
the back of your mind, maybe it is going to be a bit of pain coming with it.
And with the -- with my serve, it is just sort of a half-pace, 3/4-pace serve
at the moment and you can get away witness on certain courts in Toronto it
was great because the ball was kicking and biting and I am sure the same
would happen here in Cincinnati for me, although I serve very well here. It
is just not worth it. In the long run if I keep this going then I will keep
myself out for a few more months.

Q. This isn't - you wouldn't need surgery right now?
PATRICK RAFTER: Not right now. Let's say things don't happen in five weeks,
six weeks, then I will be getting nervous. But I am hoping to knock this on
the head in a few weeks' time.

Q. Maybe Doug can elaborate a little bit more on that particular aspect of
it. Do you see this as something that is just a little minor hiccough, you
know, rest and get back or?
DOUG SPREEN: I think the hope is that it is a minor hiccough. That is what we
are hoping for. I think the one thing to remember about Pat is his shoulder
has been through a heck of a lot really over the last 18 months. This is
something that has been ongoing (inaudible) you have to remember he had
shoulder surgery not many months ago. (inaudible) even after surgery, they
come back. The rotatory recovery after shoulder surgery is not six month it
is not two months. It is a year or two. It is a gradual progression uphill.
That is what we hope to see. The fact that Pat was able to win a tournament
on grass; made the Finals of Wimbledon, and then have a very successful
Toronto, I think things are starting to come in place for him. But there is
definitely no way that he can play the type of schedule that he would like to
play. The shoulder is just not in the condition right now that -- it is fine
when it is strong. He has got great strength. The fatigue is something that
(inaudible) after shoulder surgery is kind of the last thing to get rid off.
He built the strength back. These guys go out and hit thousands and thousands
of tennis balls. All of a sudden you don't do for a while, the shoulder has
got to adapt; has got to learn. (inaudible).

Q. Is it is sort of like somebody who is a weekend athlete and maybe would
just go out and play on weekends, you know, they have to build up to the
point where -- the muscle just kind of atrophies; is that what you are saying?
DOUG SPREEN: What happens is the muscle fatigues. It gets inflammation in it.
It gets sore. The weakness comes in. And that happens. I mean, it is like
anything, if you go to lift -- do the bench press, and you do ten times,
after that 10th time you can't get it up anymore. It is not because you are
not strong, it is because the muscle is fatigued. It is the same thing, in
Toronto to watch him serve, you can definitely tell that he wasn't at his --
at nearly at the top of his game with his serve.

Q. Is all this normal? Is it something you would have expected to go on?
DOUG SPREEN: I wouldn't say "normal" because every injury in the shoulder is
individual and everyone is different. But I would say that it would be normal
that you don't have just a completely smooth progression.

Q. So it doesn't surprise you?
DOUG SPREEN: No, it doesn't surprise me. I have always said this was
something you see a lot of times, you see a lot more baseball pitchers get
surgery. It is not the first year after the surgery. It is the second year
after the surgery that you really look for them to make the comeback and to
hopefully be back to 100%. That first year back, it is always a battle for
them. I think that is the way it is with Pat, and I think one thing he found
out here is that just -- it is not so much the tournaments that you play. It
is the number of matches you play.

Q. You wouldn't expect him to be painfree 'til maybe a year after or longer?
DOUG SPREEN: I expect him to be painfree at times, but I don't expect him to
be able to play week after week painfree.

Q. You are going to try to play Long Island if it feels better?
PATRICK RAFTER: Totally up in the air. I really think (inaudible) I will
probably need to take a week off, ten days from tennis all together and do
the treatment and then see how it goes after that. Long Island, if we get
another longshot, if I am ready by then, then I will be happy - be ready to
play a few matches before the US Open and then go on to the Olympics.

Q. Is the US Open a longshot or you don't know?
PATRICK RAFTER: All I need to do is if I feel my shoulder is right. If it is
not right, I won't be fine, it's as simple as that. As Doug said, the first
year -- and my goal for this year was to remain injury-free and not let the
shoulder blow up again. If I can remain and keep the strength that I have got
now and make it stronger; keep a bit of confidence with my tennis which I
think is also another important part of it, and keep the ranking so I can get
into tournaments; then hopefully next year can be another good year for me
like 1997, 1998 and even 1999.

Q. How much do you want to make sure you don't miss the Olympics?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, I have never been. I'd like to go. I still think tennis
is probably an event that doesn't belong with a number of other events in the
Olympics. There are plenty of others that I think should be there, but I
can't wait to go.

Q. Because you are an Australian --
PATRICK RAFTER: I think all of that would be nice. I'd love to see a lot of
the other athletes too. I think it will be pretty special.

Q. What events would you --
PATRICK RAFTER: I will get in to see any events I can. I don't think we have
a choice of tickets. They give you -- "This is what you got, mate." I will
take anything I can get.

Q. Who do you pick as the favorite here?
PATRICK RAFTER: It is very hard to pick a favorite in any of these
tournaments these days. Pete came off probably three, four really tough
matches. (inaudible) The courts are traditionally quite quick. Very hard to
not pick Pete as one of the top players. I think you pick Pete as the
favorite in any tournament he plays. (Inaudible.). It will be interesting to
see how Andre goes. He has got a very tough first round match. Probably
lacking a little bit of form right now, but once he gets a bit of form, we
all know how dangerous he is. I think Pete is probably the standout guy. He
is a guy that everyone would not like to play.

Q. When are you going to Bermuda?
PATRICK RAFTER: I have got a car in 15 minutes to take me out to the airport.

Q. What made you come here today?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, I need to come here to get a checkup from the doctors
because I couldn't pull out before the draw was done. And I think it is also
for the respect of the tournament to come here as well and show up and do
what you can. Paul has really been great for me here. So Paul, if my ranking
is terrible next year, I might need a wildcard (laughter). I haven't missed a
tournament -- I think this is my eighth or ninth time here and I have been
here -- I have been here since 1993, so it would have been my ninth time.

Q. Would you have been more upset about the setback had you not had the
results you have had this summer?
PATRICK RAFTER: I think so. I really do think so because during the clay
court season is very tough time for me. I was taking very little confidence,
very little form, very little practice into that tournament, and also with
the clay, of am I going to come back and people starting to take it as a bit
of a joke again, Rafter is coming back; he is not a bad draw (inaudible).
That is not a nice feeling to have around the Tour. It is a bit of fun. I
know the guys. That is just the way you feel. That is the way we all used to
feel about Michael as well. And Michael now has proved himself that he is
coming back, so you want to keep away from Michael again. That is a good
feeling. You need that psychological thing with the other players. That is
nice to have that back and nice to know that I can come back and the shoulder
is capable of coming back and being strong and healthy again. That is what I
am excited about and I am glad I have done it once and I know I can do it
again.

Back to List of Titles

Patrick Rafter Defeated by Jiri Novak 6-3 6-7(1) 2-6  4 August 2000 Masters Series Toronto ATP

TOUR OFFICIAL: Okay. First question for Pat?

REPORTER: Pat, I understand you pulled out of Cincinnati. So obviously the shoulder is a problem and was it a problem today?
P. RAFTER: It's been a problem straight after Davis Cup. I took a week off and after I came back there was a problem with it. So I just sort of took one match at a time here. I served - the whole week, it's just been really down on my serve. But the court's been actually helping the slow serve very well. And it's just not worth me going through the whole pain and trying to push through it. I've had a lot, a lot of therapy here, worked very, very hard, had a couple hours each day. It's not getting better. In fact, it's starting to get worse. So I have to take time off now, if I want to be ready by hopefully the U.S. Open.

REPORTER: Do you know enough about your shoulder now that you can tell when it's time to lay off, as you've just mentioned that, but in Montreal you said by then it was gone. Now it's not quite gone, but is it still a big worry?
P. RAFTER: The lesson that I learned from the last shoulder thing, the last shoulder problem was that if it's not getting any better, while I'm playing, it's time to take time off. Get it while it's early. Because if you keep pushing through it, it will just escalate into a bigger problem. And that's something that I want to avoid because I know what it was like last year.

REPORTER: Can you tell us what it was specifically today, was it an overall feeling?
P. RAFTER: No, it's been the same all week. Just today, it was working well, it was working fine. I lost a little bit of rhythm on the serve and Jiri is someone who returns very well. So you don't want to serve into his hitting zone. I just couldn't get it out of his zone there. He played very well. I just probably wasn't as sharp as I have been in the other matches.

REPORTER: Patrick, when you had the operation, were you warned that this might happen? And does it mean that you'll play no more tournaments until the U.S. Open?
P. RAFTER: I'm taking it week by week. All I know is that Cincinnati will be out. And then I'll just be taking each week at a time. I won't be back until I know it's right. With this shoulder thing, it's very delicate and very sensitive. And if you don't look after it every single day, it really reacts and flares up. And I'm learning more and more about it, as well. This is something that I was doing the work, but I've played so much tennis that it's become now fatigued and I haven't done the right type of work. I've done different work but not the right type of work to stop it from fatiguing. So I've got to go back to the drawing board and the only way to do that is by taking time off and rebuilding everything.

REPORTER: Bermuda or Australia?
P. RAFTER: Bermuda.

REPORTER: Patrick, do you think it was this layoff time after the Davis Cup when you maybe didn't rehab it properly, or something like that, that it got a little bit weak in the period; is that what you suspect?
P. RAFTER: That would have been a perfect time for me to do the work. But I chose not to go down to Melbourne and see my physio down there. And in hindsight that was a mistake. I really should have gone down there and made the effort. I really wanted to just really relax there. She would have then been able to evaluate how my shoulder was and how it was reacting. You know, I was doing my work, but I should have probably been doing a specific type of other stuff. Because I was tired and this was a time where I had time off to rebuild the structure that I needed again.

REPORTER: Pat, I wanted to ask you your reaction to the fact that Mark has been dropped from the Davis Cup final squad.
P. RAFTER: He dropped himself, didn't he?

REPORTER: No, actually the report said he was dropped by the captain.
P. RAFTER: Oh, I haven't read it. Until I read the article and know exactly what's been said, I won't comment on that.

REPORTER: He said that he's disappointed he hasn't had more support from his colleagues on the team.
P. RAFTER: It's a complicated issue. Something that's hard for me to talk about until - you know, there's two sides to every story. And it's very hard for me to talk a lot about it.

REPORTER: Patrick, arthroscopic surgery, was it one of many solutions proposed by the doctors that you chose?
P. RAFTER: Yeah, it was. And I think I wanted a conservative method as well. I probably could have tried to get it better by taking time off, but I'd taken nine weeks off and it hadn't gotten any better, so I felt like I'd done that side of it. Then I went for the conservative operation as well, without being - there was other operations they could do for that type of injury, and I decided I didn't want to do that. It's too risky, I think. And I'm glad I've done this type of operation. And now I can manage it, as long as I take my time off and - but the problem is you never know how many matches you're going to play in a week. You never know how you're going to go. So you've got to plan your schedule and if, for instance, you lose the first round, okay, then you play the next one. But if you continue to win and win matches, you've got to then start pulling out of tournaments, which no one likes to do and it's very frustrating. It's frustrating for tournament organizers, it's frustrating for yourself as well. It's very hard to make a schedule around something as delicate as my shoulder is right now.

REPORTER: You said you're taking the next week off. Will you fly back to Australia, or what will your plans be?
P. RAFTER: I'm going to Bermuda. And I've got to find out if I can get the proper treatment in Bermuda. If I don't think I can, then I'm going to have to think about either coming back here to Toronto ... I've been getting great help here ... or going to New York, I suppose. I haven't really thought of my options yet.

REPORTER: A lot of top seeds have already gone out of this tournament. You mentioned the scheduling and leading up to this tournament. Does that give the lower ranked players maybe a bit of an advantage? You've seen some of the best players out of the tournament now.
P. RAFTER: Yeah, well, this is pretty well the main tournament that everybody comes to. It is the first hard court tournament, as well. If you do have a look at a lot of the seeds, probably a fair bunch of them are clay court players, as well. They're not extremely happy on this type of surface. And there are plenty of guys out there that aren't seeded, for instance, Wayne Ferreira, who I think is a great player and could very easily be seeded. And, you know, that's the way it goes. As competitive as these tournaments are now, and competitive as every player is out there, it's very, very hard to say "Oh, he's going to get through, he's not going to get through." I think Sampras is probably a bit of an exception, I think. But up until that, that's just the way tennis is. Some people might say it's not healthy, but I think it's very competitive and I like that side of it.

REPORTER: Patrick, did you say you were getting treatment here?
P. RAFTER: I have been getting a lot of treatment here all week.

REPORTER: From who or where?
P. RAFTER: Marlene - I have her card right here let me give you her last name - Nebrega. Probably, you know, today, even to get ready for the match. I was thinking of not going out there, I probably did at least two hours before walking out on that court. And still then I was thinking maybe I can't play today. Because it just got worse and worse. I went out there and everything, the adrenaline is sort of pumping and I was very happy I went out there and I could play. So she's done a great job of getting me out there on the court every day.

REPORTER: Patrick, could you ever see a time when you might slightly adapt your style and maybe not do quite as much with the serve and work your way to the net?
P. RAFTER: It's not going to happen. I sort of made that decision. When I first came back, I was trying to serve a bit flatter and that sort of thing. I just wasn't enjoying it. I said if I can't play my type of game and the intensity and the power that I want to play it at, then I don't want to be out on the court. Because I feel like I'm - this has been my whole game my whole life. I can't change it right now, because haven't got that many years left to develop a game. It just doesn't happen overnight. So I'm looking at this as I've got to maintain it and work around the way I play. And that's how I'm going to get my best results.

REPORTER: My name is Maja, from Slovenia, I have a different question. With so many lady fans outside, do you have any problems with that at any time?
P. RAFTER: Any fans?

REPORTER: Lady fans.
P. RAFTER: Lady fans? Have any problems with ladies?

REPORTER: Yes.
P. RAFTER: Well, no. I mean, I've been very, very quiet. No, I don't think you can get in any trouble with lady fans.

REPORTER: I would like to know which tennis player you respect the most.
P. RAFTER: That's a difficult question, because a lot of the players have different qualities about themselves that you like and - oh, wow.

TOUR OFFICIAL: Do you want to come back to that one, Pat?
P. RAFTER: I'll come back to that one.

REPORTER: Given what you've been saying, do you think you are in a situation where you have to think about having to employ a full-time physio to travel with you?
P. RAFTER: I think I'll be looking towards that, yeah. Next year, in particular, and probably at the end of this year as well. Because we do have the Davis Cup final coming up and I'm not going to miss it again. You know, I want to make sure that I'm ready for that. But I want to make sure that I've played a lot of matches going into that as well. So I want to play the tournaments and be very competitive in those tournaments in the indoor season. You can't just go there and train very hard, be fit, blah, blah, blah. You've got to have the matches behind you. It's something that I'll probably have to evaluate very smartly after the U.S. Open.

REPORTER: Patrick, if your shoulder is okay, will you play in the Olympics in your country?
P. RAFTER: That's another thing, you know, that's pretty important for me. I've never played before. It's something that I've always wanted to participate in. I've got to go all the way back home to Australia. I'll be carrying the torch there, as well, the day before. So if I've got to go all the way back, I better be playing.

REPORTER: Are you the last one?
P. RAFTER: No, God, no. There are many other important people in front of me.

REPORTER: Will you enter the stadium?
P. RAFTER: No, I'm around the Opera House.

TOUR OFFICIAL: Did you think of an answer to that other question?
P. RAFTER: I'm just looking at all the names. It's a very difficult question. Respect and like, you know, I think I've got to like a person to respect them. Well, yeah, pretty well. But, you know, there's a quality about, let's say, Guga, who's a great guy, a great, great player, but he has - I like the way he thinks about life. He's very laid back, he's very friendly to people and someone as good as Agassi is, as well. He has a very good approach to people as well. And people, you know, like him the first time they meet these people. I think that's a pretty good quality to have.

TOUR OFFICIAL: Okay. We'll leave it at that. Thanks very much, Pat.

Back to List of Titles

Patrick Rafter Defeats Sebastien Lareau 6-4 6-2  3 August 2000 Masters Series Toronto ATP

REPORTER: Congratulations, Pat. I talked to Sebastian and he was very 
impressed with your serve today and he was giving you full credit. I have to 
wonder, did you feel for him, the fact that last night, while you were maybe 
at your hotel resting, he was out playing a tough three set in doubles and 
then had emotions and playing you and then turns around and playing another 
doubles tonight. Did you feel any compassion for his situation?
"His returns are very flashy" 

P. RAFTER: I guess "compassion" is probably not the right word. You know, you 
go out there, you do your job and that's what it was like for me. Tonight I 
had to go out there and play and what had happened in the past is whatever 
happened. But it's always very difficult playing singles and doubles at any 
tournament. You've got to make your mind up whether you want to do that.

With the weather early on, and the bad weather, it's been a bit crammed now 
for the guys who are both in singles and doubles and again he's out there 
playing now. It is tough for him and, you know, probably he had one of his 
biggest wins of his career against Gustavo and it is always tough to back 
that up because you're still on such a high and to try to come out the next 
day is a very difficult thing to do.

REPORTER: Pat, what do you think earned you the win tonight?
P. RAFTER: I think the serve did work very well out there. I wasn't serving 
really hard, but the court is really responding to sort of slower serves. 
It's getting up really high, I'm mixing it up well and they're not quite sure 
where I'm serving right now. So when you're having those service games that 
you're not struggling with and you're not having to fight that hard with, you 
can always put so much more pressure on the next guy on their serve. And the 
guys get under pressure that way. It's not a good feeling when you're 
struggling on your serve. I know that's what happened at Wimbledon this year. 
I was playing Sampras and every game I had to struggle on my serve and after 
a while it gets too much.

REPORTER: Having said that, he put a lot of winning returns past you, didn't 
he?
P. RAFTER: Yeah, he did. His returns are very flashy. And he can pull off a 
lot of really good winners. And I've played him many times in the past and 
he's been able to do that and he's been able to break my game down, but 
tonight it was probably a little bit difficult for him to keep making those 
winners.

REPORTER: Does it really feel good, being back on the hard courts and is 
there something that all of a sudden, your serve, all the things started to 
work for your game on the hard courts; is it a good feeling?
P. RAFTER: This is the surface I got brought up on my whole career. I never 
played indoors. I lived in a very hot climate in Australia. This is the way I 
learned to play my game around, on these courts. It is just perfect for this. 
I love moving on the hard court. You can cover the net so much better and the 
way the ball reacts off that court is a nice -- it's a nice change to the 
normal dead sort of feeling you get on the grass anywhere.

REPORTER: Pete kind of choked in the first set at Wimbledon and then you kind 
of choked in that 4-1 in the breaker. Have you had a chance to look at that 
on T.V., or to think about it a little bit, exactly what went on there when 
things really looked like they were going your way?
P. RAFTER: No, I'm not going to really reflect on it, either. Sometimes they 
say you should go back and look at your matches to learn from them. I don't 
really want to look back at it. I know what went wrong and I put that 
straight out of my mind. It's something I might reflect on at the end of my 
career, but it's not going to happen now, I don't think.

REPORTER: Patrick, I think there was something like six breakpoints against 
your serve in the first set. How important is it to save those and avoid 
going to a long match at this stage of the tournament if you are to have a 
chance of going all the way?
P. RAFTER: It's a best of three. There should never be a problem playing best 
of three sets and fitness. If we were playing best of five in a Grand Slam, 
you've got to wonder how many five-setters you can play back-to-back. But if 
you can't play a three-set match, then you really shouldn't be out here, I 
don't think.

REPORTER: How about Novak in the next round?
P. RAFTER: Novak, I played very well against him last year in Montreal and it 
was a pretty tight match. I had to play great tennis. He is one of those 
guys. He returns very well again. So if my serve can react like it did 
tonight off those courts, then I've got a good chance of holding my serve and 
I've got to again just try to make every return, put it into play and then 
just try to do what I do best from the baseline. He's -- I think he's very 
talented and he hasn't achieved what he fully can yet.

REPORTER: Pat, I know a lot of things have happened since 1998 when you won 
this tournament. Could you compare how you feel and how you're playing now to 
how it was two years ago?
P. RAFTER: Well, it's a very comfortable court for me to play. '96 was the 
quarter finals and I remember playing very well here. And then, '98 I won, 
and again, I'm in the quarter finals here. For some reason everything here, 
just, the court is perfect for my type of game. I've come into this not 
knowing exactly how I would play, but I'm playing better and better with each 
match. There's probably not a great deal of difference between the way I was 
playing in '98. I was playing some of my best tennis then. I feel like I'm 
hitting the ball very well at the moment again. Just, again, just play one 
match at a time, got to not look too far ahead, but I know my side of the 
section has opened up a little bit. So I just hope to get through the next 
couple of rounds.

REPORTER: How did mom and dad react to the long and quick trip to Wimbledon?
P. RAFTER: Oh, they loved it. They came over, they arrived Sunday morning, 
left Monday night. But I was glad that they came and saw one of my Grand Slam 
finals. Because the U.S. Open, you know, I've never wanted them there for 
anything to change or for anything different. But Wimbledon was something 
special because we used to wake up very early in the mornings together. So I 
think, I think they were very bubbly and very cheery. So I don't think they 
really felt it that much, the whole jet lag thing, anyway.

REPORTER: Pat, I just wanted to clarify, when you talk about the courts, are 
the courts here, are you saying the courts are slower than you're normally 
accustomed to and the ball is kicking up on your serve; is that what you're 
saying?
P. RAFTER: I can't remember exactly what it was like two years ago, but I'm 
presuming it's very similar to the way it's playing here now. The purple on 
the court doesn't make any difference to how it's playing. The first time I 
hit them, I thought it was a medium-paced hard court with a lot of bounce. 
That is pretty well my best surface and favourite surface to play on.

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Patrick Rafter defeats Karol Kucera 6-3 7-5 2 3 August 2000 ATP

TOUR OFFICIAL: Okay, '98 champ Pat Rafter is back with us, through two rounds
already. Tomorrow he will play Canadian Sebastian Lareau in the third round.
First question?

REPORTER: Have you seen any of his matches at all this week?
P. RAFTER: I've known Sebastian for a long time. I've played him many times.
He's had a lot of success against me. In the last couple of matches I've been
able to beat him, but just watching his play lately, he's playing very well,
so I'm going to have to play some good tennis to beat him. He has improved
certain areas of his game which he needed to improve to make that next step
up. It looks like he's starting to play some good tennis again.

"Each time you walk on the court I find it's a bit of a lottery." 
 
REPORTER: Did you make a step up in your game today from yesterday?
P. RAFTER: Yeah, I was very happy with the way I stepped up today. Because I
knew I had to serve well on my serve in the corners very well today and mix
up the pace of the serve very well. I knew I was going to have a chance on
his serve. He had a bit of trouble with his ball toss, which is a bit
unfortunate for him. Because you feel a little bit sorry for him when he's
out there. So the things I needed to do well today, I did do well today.

REPORTER: Patrick, we've seen six of the top ten seeds already eliminated
here. Are you surprised to see all these good players going down early on?
P. RAFTER: Each time you walk on the court I find it's a bit of a lottery.
You can lose to anyone on any given day. I'm not surprised at all. It's just
the way the men's tennis and the men's tour is at the moment. You have 50
guys that anyone can lose to. So I'm not surprised at all, especially on the
hard court surface.

REPORTER: You've had some success playing here in Toronto, do you like this
tournament here?
P. RAFTER: I've always liked hard courts and I've always played well here.
The last couple of times I played here I reached the quarters and the finals.
It's just the hard court season I enjoy.

REPORTER: Pat, sometimes you've done so well on hard courts that you've ended
up by playing a tremendous number of matches by the time you get to the U.S.
Open. Is that something you've given some thought to, particularly bearing in
mind that you've had shoulder problems, and might want to pace yourself?
P. RAFTER: Yeah, it can be a concern. For me, it's only more an injury
concern. In the past, I have played a lot of matches, especially in '98, I
played a lot of matches and also in '97. I came through those, through the
U.S. Open very well. So I don't mind having the matches. As I said, the
biggest thing you've got to look out for is the problem with the shoulder or
injuries. If you've got something niggly you've got to sort of lay off. But
I'm just sort of taking one match at a time at this stage and hopefully the
shoulder will get better and better as the week goes along.

PEPORTER: Patrick, I think you said last week at some point in Australia that
you were planning on having a talk with Mark Philippoussis. You said last
week you were hoping to have a talk with Mark Philippoussis on this Davis Cup
stuff that's going on. Have you had a chance to talk with him this week to
sort things out at all?
P. RAFTER: We'll come to that probably. You know, we are trying to have a
conversation this week, so we'll see what happens.

REPORTER: Any reaction to John Fitzgerald and Wally being named as captain
and coach?
P. RAFTER: No, it's good, because all of the guys get along well with them,
and I'm looking forward to giving them a hard time. So it's good fun.

REPORTER: Patrick, you've always been a fan favorite here. And now you're
going to face kind of a Canadian. So will you feel the switch in the emotion
in the stands? Or do you think about that? You've always been so well
received here, but maybe the Canadians will back one of their own, instead?
P. RAFTER: Yeah, I mean, they should, too. I mean, I'm playing in their home
country and they should support him and they will support him and that's part
of it. We play all around the world, players in their own country all the
time. So you get used to it. I have to go out there tomorrow and be prepared
for the majority of the crowd going against me. Which generally they're
pretty nice, there are one or two comments out there, but they're generally
good.

REPORTER: Last year, Patrick, I think that match against Kiefer on the
Thursday night in Montreal was a heck of a match. I think you went and played
doubles after. In any way, I guess, was it a cumulative thing? Is there any
way that all that action that one night could have been something that sort
of triggered the shoulder in a real bad way? Or do you think it was
cumulative?
P. RAFTER: No, it was gone by then anyway. It was just starting to go. I
hadn't taken anti-inflammatories just yet and I was just going to start going
on a course of them. It masked the problem for so long. And then after that
it just blows up and that's pretty well what happened. I don't put it down to
that night, because it was since the French Open.

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Patrick Rafter defeats Arvind Parmar 6-1 4-6 6-3 Masters Series Toronto 2 August 2000 ATP

REPORTER: He gave you a good work out.
P. RAFTER: He's plays a lot like Henman, obviously not quite as good. He's got quite a good serve and can work on that. Can work on various parts of his game. "I think I relaxed pretty well" 

REPORTER: Good first round match?
P. RAFTER: Good one to get through. I felt like I could keep myself involved. I didn't want to get down a break in the third. He was close to getting that. If he'd got that, I think he would have had a bit of momentum. It was good to get that match under my belt.

REPORTER: Pat, it was an easy first set, it turned into a very close match. Do you think you could have left the door open for him a little bit in the second set? Or did he just improve?
P. RAFTER: I think I was a little bit loose on a few of my shots and then he had some good shots when he needed to as well.
Yeah, and you don't want to let a new guy come through, because they get excited and up for it. And a lot of balls can go in, and you can be down very early in the third.
REPORTER: How exhausted are you? You went from Wimbledon to Australia to play Davis Cup and now you're back here and crisscrossing the continent. How exhausted are you?
P. RAFTER: I had a great time back home. I went back to Australia. I think I relaxed pretty well. I didn't overdo my training before I came here.
Since I've been here, I haven't been training very much because of the shoulder sort of hasn't been how I'd like it right now. So I've got to be careful with it.
Every time I go into a tournament I feel I want to win it. That's what I'm feeling like here and it's going to be no different how I approach my matches here than I would in a Grand Slam. So far I feel pretty fresh.
REPORTER: How much extra time did your shoulder take with any kind of rehab or constant care?
P. RAFTER: I don't understand what you mean.
REPORTER: Did you do extra things with your shoulder after the surgery? Does it require constant care that you didn't have before?
P. RAFTER: Oh, yeah, there is half an hour of stuff you have to do every day and every few days you have to do a couple of hour gym session, weights. And you've got to look after it very well and sometimes I neglect it and it will tell me straight away. But if I keep on top of it, it reacts well.
REPORTER: Are you still feeling pain on any particular shots?
P. RAFTER: I'm working on my serve. It is frustrating. But it's probably my fault. When I give it is week off, I thought it would be good, but you have to sort of keep moving the joint. I though golf would have been fine.
REPORTER: Could you look ahead to your next match against Kucera, he is a tough customer.
P. RAFTER: We have very close matches. I have in the past anyway. He likes to play a player like me, so when it comes to that and he loves a target, he is very quick. I'll just have to try and -- if I serve well, if I can serve well, I'll have a chance to and get myself to the net.
But I have to get myself to the net.
REPORTER: He's had kind of and up-and-down year.
P. RAFTER: It surprised me because I thought he was going to come through. He got in the top 10 and after that he didn't do much. I think he's a great player, but he does suffer from nerves. We've all seen the way -- no one cusses the ball off his serve more than I do except him.
REPORTER: It's going to be a great match.
P. RAFTER: I don't know what he says in Slovakina, or whatever...
REPORTER: Are you someone who replays your matches in your mind? I'm thinking about Wimbledon.
P. RAFTER: I haven't really, I don't really want to replay it. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I'm glad I haven't gone over that one.
REPORTER: Why that one?
P. RAFTER: Because it will keep me up, knowing I had my chance and blew it.
REPORTER: What do you think of -- towards doing the marketing right now -- the purpose courts and the younger guys. What are your thoughts about tennis and the direction it is taking?
P. RAFTER: It still needs a change. The things are doing great, with the new balls, the courts and all that sort of thing. I think it's great. I really like the idea.
I still don't like -- I think we're playing far too much tennis and it's really hurting us. They're forcing us or trying to force us to play and the guys really won't have it. I think it's a part of the -- they've got to do it for the young kids coming through as well, they'll lose these kids at a young age. It's just too much tennis. Something's got to be done about it.
REPORTER: What do you think about the new short sets idea that they're trying out at some of the Challenger Tournaments?
P. RAFTER: Short sex?
REPORTER: Short sets.
P. RAFTER: I've always thought it was like a movie, you get like a build up and then, when you come to the climax, that's what it's all about, it's great. Sometimes you have a short set, then you don't get that sort of climax. It's like a short story.
So I like the long story, you get the big build up, it gets 6-4 and everyone is getting really nervous because it has been building for the last 40 minutes, 30 minutes. It could work. I haven't played it.
Sometimes you don't want things to change do you, when things are working well, you just want to keep them the way they're going. But it could be an initiative that might work well.
REPORTER: Do you think it would work well because you have more climaxes?
P. RAFTER: That's another way to look at it. It could be a good idea.
REPORTER: Do you have any problems -- people said that the purple courts create a perception problem.
P. RAFTER: I haven't heard any negative response from any of the players.
REPORTER: I'm sorry if you've been asked this before, but do you feel that you've recovered from all that you've been through in the last three or four weeks, the Wimbledon and the Davis Cup?
P. RAFTER: You're going to have to get that off that.
REPORTER: Too late, go back to your corner.
P. RAFTER: That's right. Yeah, as I said, I had a good week off, after Davis Cup. Yeah, I feel like I'm pretty up for this. So, yeah.
I've got a long year ahead, though, it's not going to get any easier for me. But so far I'm pretty fresh and I'll just have to pace myself and if I feel like I'm getting a little bit stale, then I'll just have to withdraw from one of the tournaments. But I think I have my tournaments pretty well planned out.
REPORTER: Are you going to be playing Cincinnati?
P. RAFTER: If I feel good I will be playing it.
REPORTER: Hoping to peak for the U.S. tournament?
P. RAFTER: I hope to peak for every tournament. If it's here or the U.S. Open, it doesn't matter -- well, it does matter, but it would be great to peak here.
REPORTER: How sweet would it be to face Pete in the finals?
P. RAFTER: I would love to get to the finals, I don't care who I face.
TOUR OFFICIAL: Okay. Thanks, Pat.

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DAVIS CUP 2000 AUSTRALIA v BRAZIL
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA
POST-MATCH INTERVIEW
FRIDAY, 14 JULY
P.RAFTER/G.Kuerten
6-3, 6-2, 6-3


MODERATOR: Okay, ladies and gentlemen, Pat Rafter. Can I have the first question, please?

Q. How was your experience of coming back home and playing so well?

PAT RAFTER: It was good to have a win. The Davis Cup, it is a very different feeling, and from the very - from about a couple of hours before, it is a very nerve-racking, it is very different, because when you play for yourself and you are playing at Wimbledon, for instance, you are playing for yourself and you are just thinking, you know, for yourself, but here, there's some different emotions that go through your mind. You have to try and control them to come out and win, for your - it is like for your country, it is a good feeling.

Q. Had you visualised this dream start, straight sets?

PAT RAFTER: Every time I tried to visualise, something negative would come in, like last night and this morning and I just said, "Forget it, I am not doing it", and it was actually a little frustrating. I wasn't full of confidence before I walked out.

Q. You visualised that you lost?

PAT RAFTER: Not necessarily that I lost, but I couldn't keep my train of thought or I couldn't focus on what I wanted to focus on, and other, you know, just thoughts would come, just come in when you're visualising. It is very frustrating.

Q. Do you put that down to nerves coming home, Davis Cup?

PAT RAFTER: Definitely, it is a whole different feeling, and you have to try and relax. About 10 minutes before is the hardest part.

Q. First set, down love-30 and two games, you dug yourself out of those many holes. In terms of settling the nerves, that must have been ideal?

PAT RAFTER: Again, I never really felt comfortable with my serve. Started off great, made a lot of first serves, but to me it didn't feel like I had a great rhythm. I was getting them in eventually. It just got worse, my serve, and worse. It was frustrating there for a while. I knew if I keep giving him chances, keep giving him serves, making him pay, if I got off to a good start next set, it's very hard mentally to come back from that.

Q. Were you surprised it wasn't a tougher match?

PAT RAFTER: Yes, 3, 2 and 3 is not a result that I thought I would get off Gustavo. I don't care what surface you play him on, he can be dangerous, so I am very lucky and very happy.

Q. Did you feel something was not quite right about Kuerten today?

PAT RAFTER: I don't know if he really believed that he could beat me. I don't know; I might be totally wrong as well. Either that or he really struggled with the conditions, and near the last couple of games looked like he pulled up a little bit, little bit sore in the groin, I presume. He didn't make any noise about that earlier on in the week. So when you are down two sets to love and a break, your groin feels a hell of a lot worse.

Q. Would you like to play doubles tomorrow?

PAT RAFTER: No, I would not like to play doubles tomorrow

(LAUGHTER).

Q. Would you be prepared to?

PAT RAFTER: I reckon I could persuade him out of it.

Q. Much pressure by Newk particularly?

PAT RAFTER: No, because I think Sandon is a very competent and accomplished player, and whether I play or he plays, I don't think it is going to make any difference to the outcome. Win or lose, you know, those guys have to play exceptionally well to beat the pairing of Woodforde and Stolle, as they would to beat myself and Woodforde as well. I'd really love to see Sandon have a game and to win, because he hasn't won in Davis Cup in doubles yet.

Q. What is it like playing at home in Brissie? Last year you were a spectator; this year you were out there. What is it like being in Brisbane?

PAT RAFTER: I was quite nervous at the beginning. There's a very large crowd in. I really wanted to perform, you know, and put on - just show that I can actually play the game instead of seeing me on TV all the time. So I guess I felt a little bit of nerves outside of the whole Davis Cup thing as well, and after that, it was very satisfying to look up and give them the fist and the thumbs up.

Q. Where do you think you did well today?

PAT RAFTER: I dug out a lot of tough shots, a lot of good half volleys and a lot of tough volleys on some really big points, and it could have been - you know, sometimes it would have been 15-40 or 30-40 on my serve or 0-40 and I got out of them with some good volleys, and I think that just sort of annoyed him more than anything. He had thrown his best at me and I just sort of dug it out and got back in the games.

Q. Did you serve as well as you would like to?

PAT RAFTER: Yes, when you are on a roll, you are on a roll. I think that has a lot to do with it, and to dig out those shots that I did, I think it just comes with matches and confidence and all that sort of thing, and if I was on a losing streak I am sure those half volleys wouldn't have come off at all.

Q. Was there a follow-on from Wimbledon, or did you start from scratch when you arrived here?

PAT RAFTER: There was definitely a follow-on. The momentum was there and the preparation I had here - I hit a little bit, but I would have liked to have hit more, and with the different court and the different balls to what it is at Wimbledon, but as I said, there is nothing like match practice or match confidence.

Q. That first two days you were home, did you get a lot of phone calls from friends or blokes you went to school with wanting to bludge half a dozen tickets?

PAT RAFTER: I came straight under a different name in the hotel and no-one has been able to track me down, and that's like Wimbledon, too, and people ring up and say, "Can I get tickets?", And it is like, "It is not that easy, I am sorry", but I don't deal with any of that sort of stuff. I have too much pressure on me as it is out on the court, so I leave all that up to family, and if family organise it, then too good.

Q. How many brothers and sisters were here? Was it the biggest Rafter turn-out for a match?

PAT RAFTER: I just saw Peter then, and I haven't seen anyone else, but he said that everyone is here, so I will go up and have a look for them now, scattered around.

Q. Is that the first time at one of your matches the whole family has been here?

PAT RAFTER: Been a long time. I am sure they have all seen me play together once before. Maybe it is the first time; I don't know.

Q. In terms of things being a bonus, are you happy to take another bonus like this?

PAT RAFTER: Oh, mate, there's nothing like winning, you know. There's a good crowd out there, good atmosphere, and it is just nice to be out there and winning still. No-one likes to lose, but it is a different feeling when you lose in Davis Cup as well. It is not for yourself; you have put Australia down 1-0, and that's a lot more pressure you have to deal with, but when you win it is so much more satisfying.

Q. You kept ... a lot of points early. Was that probably your main tactic?

PAT RAFTER: Well, you know, I realised Gustavo is very good backcourt player, and I felt like I could match it with him at the baseline, but it is a place where I felt that if I got to the net I would control the point a lot better, and especially when I got a little bit tired in the third set, I got to the net and had a few lucky volleys and pick-ups, and that was the place for me to play, especially against Gustavo, at the net.

Q. How would you compare the atmosphere playing here to playing as a visitor overseas. Do you think it was particularly ...?

PAT RAFTER: It is a strange sort of set-up, with the crowd. Wimbledon was probably one of the most amazing arenas that I have played in in terms of the way the voices echo and how tight the crowd is around the court, and here it is very separated and you don't get a lot of the voices carrying at all. So it was a very different sound to Wimbledon.

Q. You don't hear a lot of those comments that are coming, clever comments that are coming?

PAT RAFTER: No. I heard a couple, you know, but when everything is so concentrated in a tight arena, it really does make for a better acoustics for us on the court.

Q. What do you think of the fanatics' performance today. Did you appreciate them being on your side rather than --?

PAT RAFTER: You never want the fanatics going against you, mate, and again, you know, they were great and they were loud, but it is hard for everyone else to hear and to get involved with them.

Q. How is the shoulder after a few days' playing?

PAT RAFTER: I haven't really had time to stop with the shoulder. It has just been go, go, and I am really looking forward to having a few days off. We all come into the Davis Cup after a lot of tennis, and we all have niggly injuries, along with Lleyton as well, and you sort of put that aside and you go out there and you play your best and do whatever.

Q. How was the grass surface out there?

PAT RAFTER: It is a great surface. It is very different to Wimbledon. Wimbledon kicks a lot more, and it is a little bit slipperier. This one plays - it shoots through, it slices a lot more, but the footing is very good. I felt very comfortable out there lunging and moving on the court.

Q. Your backhand particularly, you worked that slice beautifully all the time?

PAT RAFTER: If you keep it low to him, it is probably his weakest area of his game. As soon as you get the ball up anywhere above the knees, he is very, very dangerous.

Q. (Inaudible question)?

PAT RAFTER: When I was up about 0-30 in the last game. I never think I have anyone until I close it out, because I realised he was still hanging in there on my service games. All I need to do is get a little bit tight and he would jump over me. When I got up 5 -3, 0-30, I thought, "This is when I could bury him."

Q. Does this victory help to ease the pain a little of losing the final last Sunday?

PAT RAFTER: I had forgotten about the finals. Thanks very much for bringing it up! Yes, at this stage all I'm thinking about is here and the Davis Cup, and I am sure I will reflect and feel miserable about Wimbledon later.

MODERATOR: Any further questions?

PAT RAFTER: Thanks very much.

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POST-MATCH INTERVIEW
SUNDAY, 16 JULY
INTERVIEWEES: PAT RAFTER and JOHN NEWCOMBE
P.RAFTER/F.Meligeni
6-3 6-4 

MODERATOR: Thank you. Can I have the first question, please?

Q. Nice to have a relaxing morning out there, Pat?

PAT RAFTER: All the hard work was done and we knew it. It is very hard to get out there and play the matches knowing there's not really too much on the line except maybe a record to go beside your Davis Cup record, the wins and things, but it was good fun. I'm glad it didn't go three sets, though.

Q. Looking to the final, you have your dreams of Wimbledon and the Davis Cup. How much does just missing out on the Wimbledon dream drive you towards getting your name on the Davis Cup?

PAT RAFTER: It's not going to drive me any more. I've always wanted to have my name there and I've always wanted to have my name on the Wimbledon Cup. On every cup, you always want to get your name there. If I win the Davis Cup it's not going to make any difference to the Wimbledon. It's not as if I'm going to say Wimbledon is less important now.

Q. How do you feel about playing on clay?

PAT RAFTER: We've got a lot of things ahead of us before that. I think we are very excited, we know we're in the finals now. There's probably a 90% chance we're going to Spain. We have a lot of big events beforehand, the US Open coming up and the Olympics, which are on our minds as well. Straight after that all our thoughts will be centred on the Davis Cup and how we can best prepare for that. And all the tournaments I'll be playing will be played in - to get myself finetuned for the Davis Cup.

Q. But it's not your favourite surface?

PAT RAFTER: Well, I've had some very good results on it. I know I can play on it. I would prefer to probably play on a hard court or grass court, but I prefer clay to an indoor court.

Q. Who would you prefer to play in the finals, the Americans or the Spanish?

PAT RAFTER: We'd love to be at home. I think I speak for everyone there as well. No-one wants to travel away, especially around Christmas time, and that's what we've got to do. We're willing to do that to be in the finals, but we'd love to be at home.

Q. Playing Sampras, Agassi, would that be harder than the Spanish people?

PAT RAFTER: No. I think it's a 50/50. That's the way I look at it.

Q. Tell me about the local tennis situation next year?

PAT RAFTER: I haven't really seen too many of the plans here. I was speaking to John Alexander and he was saying that there are proposals going in for a tennis centre here. Whether Tennis Queensland or Tennis Australia do it or another independent group, it's got to be done. I think it will be done. Brisbane will be rewarded by it. I'm looking forward to seeing it. It will happen.

Q. Do you think you and Lleyton deserve to be first-up starters for the singles in December?

PAT RAFTER: It's starting to get that way now, is it? [Laughs].

Q. Just inquiries.

PAT RAFTER: We'll wait and see. See how the form's going at this stage.

Q. How important is the Olympics for you?

PAT RAFTER: Well, it's sort of hard right now because I think our next big goal is the US Open, and if you start looking ahead of that too much, you lose your focus on the tournament you've got to play. The Olympics is something that [a] I had to qualify for, and I've done that and I'm very excited about it, but now I want to put that aside and look at what I have - concentrate on what I have to do first. The Olympics will be a great experience.

Q. For the Davis Cup final, how many tournaments will you play on clay?

PAT RAFTER: There's no tournaments to play on clay.

JOHN NEWCOMBE: Maybe some challengers.

PAT RAFTER: Some challengers in South America. Jeez, that'd be dedication, wouldn't it? [Laughs].

Q. Who do you prefer as an opponent, the Americans or the Spanish?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: The same answer as Pat: the Americans, because we'll play them at home.

Q. What sort of challenge is it?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: Everybody hates going to play Spain in Spain; they're so tough on clay , but put them at home and you have double tough there. The only thing about the Spaniards is that they don't do very well in doubles, so you can sort of go in and say, "We've got to win two of the four singles matches to win the tie", because you should win the doubles.

Q. [Inaudible question].

JOHN NEWCOMBE: I don't know who they play.

PAT RAFTER: Balcells and Corretja.

Q. What's the schedule like before the US Open? The last two or three years you've done well there playing a lot of tournaments.

PAT RAFTER: Which one?

Q. Before the US Open, you've done well on the American hardcourts.

PAT RAFTER: I have two weeks off now. I was just starting to play well there last year and I was leading in with pretty well a similar sort of schedule as what I had this year, so the Canadian Open, the Cincinnati or ATP championship tournament, then the tournament in Indianapolis, then have a week off and get ready for the US. It was the same as last year. Again, if I haven't had enough matches, I might play another tournament leading up.

Q. Whom do you want to see take over after you finish as coach?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: That's not my position.

Q. But do you have a preferred team to take on your work?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: Yes, I do.

Q. Switch off the mikes.

JOHN NEWCOMBE: If I told you I'd have to kill you. [Laughs].

Q. Okay.

Q. Pat, have you got a favourite memory of...?

PAT RAFTER: The first one that came into my head was the '97 one, experience, against France in Sydney. That would be definitely my experience with Newk anyway. Rochey. Um. He's had some - we've had some great memories, but I think one of the memories I often remember is not probably a nice memory, is after South Africa, when we lost. We were struggling and we had the loss again to South Africa. The look on Rochey's face and how disappointed he was at the airport. We were all there and all hurting, but no-one hurt more than Rochey in that particular tie. Hungary was worse, but I got out of there before I could see their faces. But I think just how much, you know, Rochey really loved it and cared for it. That was probably the bit I remember of Rochey.

Q. Have you spoken in the last 48 hours to Philippoussis? Any news, either of you?

PAT RAFTER: I haven't spoken to him, no. We've been concentrating on this tie.

Q. Have you spoken to Philippoussis?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: I haven't really had much time to talk to anyone.

Q. Did he send you guys a fax at all?

PAT RAFTER: I haven't got one. [Laughs]. No, we did not receive a fax.

Q. Is it something you would seek to do or give any thought to, to talk to Mark and to try and clear things up between yourselves?

PAT RAFTER: I don't know. We really haven't talked about how we're going to handle this whole situation yet. I still think we need to really talk about it, Newk.

JOHN NEWCOMBE: It's like you say, there's the US Open coming up and the Olympic Games and the Davis Cup final is in December. That's months away.

Q. Lleyton was commenting before about the team harmony, just how tight this unit is and how much that's got you through tough ties in the last few years. That harmony is obviously an integral part of the success.

PAT RAFTER: Mmm, we've got a great team spirit there. We love and we feel very comfortable with the guys we've got. Very, very happy out there; I know I am, and we feel it with each other. There's always good vibes and good positive energy and I think that's very important if you want to win. We've had our negative energy around the Davis Cup before and we've seen how it's affected us. At this stage, it's just been great, and I don't know, I don't know if we want to change anything right now about it. Again, we really have to talk to Mark about it.

Q. Do you think the crowd warmed just as much to the Brazilians? Your infamous jumping kangaroo. How did today - going out there and having fun and having a good game of tennis must've just buoyed your spirit even more even though the crowd was as much on the side of the acrobat who was on the other end?

PAT RAFTER: Yeah. Newk whispered across to me after the first set something sarcastic about how the Russians were very similar to the Brazilians in the way they carried on and have fun.

JOHN NEWCOMBE: I said, "Yeah, that is just what Yevgeny and Marat did, behaving like this."

PAT RAFTER: A dead rubber is hard. It must've been very very tough. It does make it a lot of fun, and just to see those guys, they've got team spirit. You'll see these guys, that they will win a Davis Cup because of that.

JOHN NEWCOMBE: They're terrific. I guess you guys weren't at the dinner last night. I made a point in my speech there of singling out Guga, and I said to him that, in Australia we don't judge you so much by how you are when you're victorious and a winner; we look closely at how you accept defeat. I said to him that Australians have judged him as being a really class act, and that is how we all feel.

Q. [Inaudible question]?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: We're going to have a dirty big mongrel kangaroo spearing a bull; that's going to be our...

Q. Last year's inflatable kangaroo, have you still got it? You mightn't remember.

JOHN NEWCOMBE: No, I don't remember that. Was I there last year?

Q. You were.

Q. Will it be tougher to beat Spain in Spain?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: You weren't there, were you?

PAT RAFTER: I wasn't there.

JOHN NEWCOMBE: Gee. On paper probably, yes. On paper. Because they - Grosjean was 30 or 29 in the world or something and they've got two guys who are in the top 15 in the world, so on paper, yes.

Q. Pat, could you take us through some of your thoughts over the past 8 months and the comeback. That's really captured everyone by surprise, I suppose. Did you have any self doubts?

PAT RAFTER: You want me to go just go back 8 months or longer?

Q. Just a few of your thoughts on the road to your comeback?

PAT RAFTER: I think everyone, if you read the article that Leo writes, how down I've been and how there hasn't been anything really positive for me to say over those past few months. Every other day I get a good day and I'd be happy. As Killer said, I've been one miserable bastard for the last 8 months, that's how I've been. It's been really horrible and when something threatens your career like that, I didn't - it really puts you down and that's the way I did feel. It's the only way to describe it. Then when I got on the run of it, feeling good for a week or two and I started training hard and feeling good, that's when I thought, "Wow, I'm starting to enjoy myself again." Up until then I just never enjoyed myself.

Then the results take care of themselves, if you work hard, play hard - I don't play hard but if you work hard - [Laughs] the results will take - .

JOHN NEWCOMBE: Play hard on the court.

PAT RAFTER: That's what happened at Wimbledon and Rosmalen.

Q. Were you surprised at the rate of comeback over the last few weeks?

PAT RAFTER: I was. Generally speaking, I put in a couple of months of hard work before the results start to happen. I guess this time I didn't have a chance to. I put in a few good weeks training and probably one of my best surfaces being grass. It was very nice to get off the clay.

Q. Can you describe for us your thoughts as you walked on Centre Court that final day at Wimbledon?

PAT RAFTER: It was a good feeling. It was pretty electric out there. You're not getting - I didn't really feel that at the US Open, sadly. But you walk into one of the greatest arenas and playing on the final day against one of the best players ever in the world, yeah, it was pretty amazing. But one of the most amazing things was after. The crowd all stuck around and I had a lot of support there and it was really, really nice. And to meet the Duchess of Kent.

Q. [Inaudible question].

PAT RAFTER: Too cold for the beach, for me anyway. I'll get a bit of golf in. Just really catching up with the family. And then head off again. Try and do a few days of training.

Q. The Davis Cup final last year, you watched it on television. Can I ask where and what sort of experience it was seeing the boys...

PAT RAFTER: Yes, I was calling the boys nearly every day for three days beforehand. I talked to them before they walked on the court and I'd just sort of offer what big match experience that I've had. But Newk and Roche were there for that as well. I was in Sydney with my girlfriend and I just - she'd go to bed, and I'd stay up and watch it until 6am then I'd go to bed. Wake her up and kick her out, say "Get out."

Q. Newk, if you were to play USA in Melbourne, would - any thought about changing the court surface from Rebound Ace?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: We thought about that. We had a look at going to clay which would be a first for Australia. This is before your arm got better. [Laughs].

We're going to stay on the Rebound Ace. Just take what comes. [Laughs].

PAT RAFTER: I was hoping you were going to say you were going to lay a grass court down. I guess we don't want grass.

JOHN NEWCOMBE: Rebound Ace with your choice of balls.

PAT RAFTER: Thank you, mate.

MODERATOR: Any further questions? Thanks.

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