Patrick Rafter Interview - Day 14
Monday, July 9, 2001

G. IVANISEVIC/P. Rafter
6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7


MODERATOR: Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. After a tremendous final,
could I have first question, please, for Pat.

Q. Obviously disappointing for you, but I don't think anybody in this room
can remember a men's singles final like that, not only here, but perhaps
everywhere. What's your impression of it?
PAT RAFTER: Yeah, sort of hard to put in perspective right now, I think. You
know, it's disappointing. You know, this time hurts a little bit more than
last time, that's for sure. You know, I'll put it all together later.
It was a good final, an amazing, amazing atmosphere, and it was a lot of fun.

Q. Why is the disappointment greater this year?
PAT RAFTER: What do you reckon (smiling)?

Q. Last year you were in a good position in the second set and it slipped.
PAT RAFTER: Yeah, I guess because, you know, the first time was just fun to
be there. Second time, you know, I didn't want second. I wanted to win this
time. Like the first match, I think this time I was really close again, but
it was really taken out my hands this time. He served very well when he had
to.

Q. Is that an example at 7-6, Love-30, what you're talking about?
PAT RAFTER: Yeah, exactly. You know, he put in a couple really big serves,
didn't allow me really to do much with it. You know, you've got to take your
hat off. It could have been easily a double-fault and 15-40 - especially the
second one. But, you know, that's the way it goes. Nothing I can do about it.

Q. When things started going for you in the fourth set, he lost his temper,
did you feel at the start of the fifth that you had this in your hands?
PAT RAFTER: No, not at all, no. No, he's just serving really well. It's not
much fun down the other end trying to get it back. And I knew, you know, he'd
regroup, and he did. It was too big an occasion for him to let that sort of
thing worry him and get him down.
There was still another set to play, and he knew that, and I knew that. He
came outplaying and serving very well the fifth set.

Q. Serving for the match, four match points, he's double-faulting, what is
running through your head as you're hanging in there, the crowd is going
berserk?
PAT RAFTER: Yeah, hopefully he's missing a first serve, and I've just got to
try and make him play. I really didn't do that enough. I was trying to make
him play, but I wasn't quite sure where he was serving, where he was going.
I knew he was tight, but I just couldn't get the ball back over. It's a
really nice serve he's got.

Q. Would you have preferred to play yesterday, in the ideal world?
PAT RAFTER: Yeah, but if I was in that position, I wouldn't have played. I
definitely wouldn't have played. Had to change my flights, that's the thing
that hacked me off (smiling).

Q. Tell us a bit more about the atmosphere.
PAT RAFTER: I don't know if Wimbledon's seen anything like it. I don't know
if they will again. You know, until Tim makes the finals, you know, I think
they'll see it.
But it was just -- it was electric. He had a lot of support. The Aussies that
were there were great. Oh, it's exactly what I said on court, it's what we
play for. This is what it's all about. It was so much fun. It was really good.

Q. Are you aware the Australian cricket team were watching you?
PAT RAFTER: I was speaking to them. We were organising tickets for them
yesterday. Because Tim wasn't there, it was a lot easier to get them.

Q. (Inaudible) in the ticket organising?
PAT RAFTER: What's that?

Q. Did you help them get the tickets?
PAT RAFTER: My brother did it, yeah, through their contacts. The Aussie
cricketers have always come out here during the Ashes, always come out to
Wimbledon, so they've had their contacts here, as well.

Q. You've openly spoken about the effect of your nerves on the match, you
were very open. Could you talk about your nerves during the match today?
PAT RAFTER: Well, I'm actually pretty happy with the way I controlled
everything today. I didn't have too many opportunities or occasions that were
out of my hands.
The 15-40 point, when he broke, I decided I'd give him a really slow serve. I
got it in perfectly, just how I wanted to, because I thought he was very
tight. He whacked it by me. I went, "Bad move." When he's serving like that,
there's not much you can do.
I wasn't happy with my first serve at all. I didn't serve how I would have
hoped to have served today. He made me play a lot. It was eventually someone
had to break down. Because he put more pressure on my serve, mine was
probably more likely to break down than his was.

Q. After playing so well, I was wanting to ask you about the status of this
idea of taking six months off or possibly retiring. How would you respond to
the claim after playing so well that you can't really be serious?
PAT RAFTER: Oh, no, I'll be definitely doing it. Definitely I'll be taking
time off at the end of the year.

Q. Will you be at Wimbledon next year?
PAT RAFTER: Who knows.

Q. Who was supporting you from your family?
PAT RAFTER: Two brothers there, yeah, and I guess my girlfriend is my family,
isn't she?

Q. How was your shoulder today?
PAT RAFTER: It was pretty good.

Q. Was it okay?
PAT RAFTER: Yeah, yeah, it wasn't too bad. I felt it maybe once or twice. You
know, when you're out there and the adrenaline's pumping...

Q. No twinge?
PAT RAFTER: No twinge, not really.

Q. Is the disappointment any greater - and I don't mean this in a bad way for
Goran - but you went on thinking that you had a better chance against a guy
who came in on a wildcard?
PAT RAFTER: The way you put the wildcard, I think it's not really fair to say
it like that. He has been playing really well. I knew it was a 50/50
occasion. When I went out to play Pete, I probably thought I was the
underdog. This one I thought, you know, maybe I was -- I still think it's a
50/50 match.
I don't care what anybody else says about it. The way he's playing, the way
he's serving, there's always going to be that occasion. But I knew I had a
good chance. The score line reflected that. It was a very tight match.

Q. Have you contemplated why he has managed to go from where he was to where
he is?
PAT RAFTER: He's just serving very, very well. Once he serves well, the rest
of his game comes together. He just picked it right up.

Q. What are your US tournament plans?
PAT RAFTER: I start in Montreal, and I play Montreal, Cincinnati,
Indianapolis, Long Island and US Open. I'll have plenty of tennis before the
US Open, but I will be taking three weeks off back in Bermuda.

Q. Tim left here yesterday thinking he could still win this championship. Do
you feel that way?
PAT RAFTER: Bloody oath. I get pissed off with the press that write him off.
He handled himself great. He was a real credit, I think. The public and the
press should be proud of him for the way he conducted himself. He's
definitely a contender, no doubt about it.

Q. The question referred to you as well. Do you think you can come back and
win here?
PAT RAFTER: I don't know. But I know Tim can (smiling).

Q. You seem to be (inaudible) pretty well now. How do you think it will be
when you get home, start sinking in a bit further?
PAT RAFTER: No, I've pretty well had my little depression. You know, I mean,
listen, it's disappointing. But at the end of the day, it's a tennis match.
We're out there having fun. If you can have that attitude, you're not going
to get too down.

Q. What was your depression bit that you referred to?
PAT RAFTER: I might have said a few curse words when I got to the locker
room. Didn't smash anything. Just said, blah, blah, blah. That's it, I think.
We're all a little bit flat in the locker room, no doubt about it. All my
mates are there. Just having a couple of beers and just thinking about what a
great two weeks it was.

Q. What did Rochey say to you?
PAT RAFTER: He's okay. Yeah, I mean, I would have loved have done it for
Rochey, as well, today. That part sort of hurts for me, as well, because I
consider Rochey and I a bit of like a 50/50 combination. And he's a great
mate. I would have loved to have done it for him, as well.

Q. Could you just give us perhaps some kind of impression of what it is like
to face that serve on that court?
PAT RAFTER: Not much fun. I don't know. In the first court, I felt okay
returning. Second court, I felt, "Where do I stand? What do I do? Where is he
going? I hope he serves a fault." I got no idea really. Not much.

Q. If there is such a phrase, the most unreturnable serve in the game on
grass? Sort of the difference between Sampras serving at you and Ivanisevic?
PAT RAFTER: Well, when Goran's serving well, he's pretty tough. I still think
Wayne Arthurs has got an amazing serve, as well.
Pete probably backs his serve up a little bit better than what Goran does.
But, you know, I thought Goran played well today.

Q. Do you think everybody underestimates his passing shots and returns?
PAT RAFTER: Well, he hadn't done that for a couple weeks, how he returned and
passed. He played well today. That's probably the best I've seen him. Well, I
don't know if it's the best he played, but he did play well. I probably
allowed him by not serving as well as I would have liked to have. But he did
pass well.

Q. Did you get any sense of destiny? He talks about God being on his side,
certain things happening at certain times.
PAT RAFTER: I don't know.

Q. On court you said that you had written Goran off. Do you remember what
went through your mind when you thought he didn't really have much of a
future? Did you feel he was toast or what?
PAT RAFTER: I think it's fair to say that everyone thought -- I mean, he
hadn't done anything in Grand Slams for the last few years. Why would anybody
give him any hope of coming back and doing what he's done? I think you were
thinking the same as I was.

Q. Considering your break at the end of the year, does that make you even
more fired up regarding Davis Cup for this year?
PAT RAFTER: Oh, I don't know. Davis Cup always fires me up. If I'm playing,
I'm fired up. I'm ready to go, so...
If I'm not fired up, that's when I know I need a break, and I do know I need
a break at the end of the year. You know, Davis Cup is special, means a lot
to me. The US Open will be special, as well.

Q. When you saw all the flags, all the chanting, what went through your head?
PAT RAFTER: It was just electric. It was great to be out there and playing in
that atmosphere. I don't think Wimbledon's ever seen it. The Duchess of Kent
said she wished that every match was like that because she enjoyed that - as
well, the atmosphere.

Q. Did you in any way expect something like that or were you totally
surprised when you stepped on court?
PAT RAFTER: No, I was expecting that actually. I heard yesterday that the
boys, a lot of the Australians were lining up outside. They were great. It
was a real pleasure to play under that sort of atmosphere. The Aussie crowd,
I'm really proud of them, the way they conducted themselves. You know,
they're great losers, as well. I'm really happy with them.

Q. What do you do tonight to get over that?
PAT RAFTER: Oh, we're just going to go and enjoy ourselves, go out and have a
few beers. You know, I think, it was a great two weeks, what can I do? It's
all over. Still going to celebrate. It was good.

Q. Beyond his serving, what else can account for Goran coming back like this
literally from nowhere? This kind of thing really doesn't happen often.
PAT RAFTER: No, I guess he started believing in himself. Believed in his
serve. When he served well, as I said before, he plays well. The rest of his
game comes together.

Q. There was a time when we feared that Goran would be perhaps the greatest
player never to have won a major championship - that that could have
happened. It looked to most of us that probably it had. In a way, it's great
for him. Probably inspirational for a lot of other people that he's come back
and done this.
PAT RAFTER: At the expense of me (laughter).

Q. At least you made history.
PAT RAFTER: I'm sick of making bloody history (laughter). Thanks a lot.

END--http://www.wimbledon.com/news/interviews/

<<<<< END >>>>>

Patrick Rafter Interview - Day 11
Friday, July 6, 2001
www.wimbledon.org

P. RAFTER/A. Agassi
2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 8-6

MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. Silly question, but how are you feeling right now?
PATRICK RAFTER: I don't know. Still hasn't really sunk in yet. I don't want to get too carried away with the whole situation. I still have one more match to go.
Sort of relieved and excited at the same time.

Q. Can you reckon how you won it yet?
PATRICK RAFTER: No. I mean, funny games. Not over until the last point's played. Not too many matches, maybe one in a hundred, one in 200 matches that you play something like that happens, it turns around for you. Just got to hang in every match. That's pretty well what I did. Got very lucky, yeah.

Q. How were you able to overtake him, especially in that fifth set?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, once I broke, you know, it was a 50/50 ballgame, and I knew that. I knew that if I kept serving aces - which I sort of found I had to do to try and hold serve - that I would have a chance to definitely break his serve. And I got that opportunity.

Q. You say you were lucky. Is that just an expression or are you referring to anything in the match, line calls against him, whatever?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, I think the big turning point in that match was the 15-40 game that he had, had that pretty easy forehand. I guessed the right way. I knew if I lost that game, the match was over, as simple as that.
Being down double break against someone like Andre, it's not going to happen. You're not going to come back from that.
So I knew that. That was a big turning point for me.

Q. Can you think of better matches that you've played? Not many, I guess.
PATRICK RAFTER: When you're on the court, it's difficult to know how well you're playing and to gauge it. You're just concentrating on the match. From a spectator's point of view, it might be easier for you, for you guys, to sort of judge the match and how it went.
But, you know, I don't want to get carried away. I've got another match to play. Don't want to lose sight of that.

Q. Obviously it was a big point. Were you surprised that he got distracted by those calls, got distracted? You've played him many times before. He really let it affect him.
PATRICK RAFTER: I think the fourth set, you know, that's when the points didn't go his way. You know, they were close, though. I think that was sort of 50/50 anyway, whether in or out. I don't think they were definitely clear-cut out. They could have been called out and I would have accepted the call.
The turning point was not then. I still think it was -- what affected him was that lady who reported him. You know, I think just let it go. Only one person heard it. It's not that big a deal.

Q. Speaking of another match, could you size up your prospective opponents in the final, what you think you need to do against either one?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, Goran, you've got to get his serve back. There's no secret about Goran. And Tim and I play pretty similar games. It will just be who can deal with the pressure better on the day.

Q. Can you talk about fifth set, you go down the break early, the whole set to get it back, what goes through your mind as you're going game by game?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, going through that fifth set, I was struggling to hold serve. The last couple I did okay, held them pretty comfortably. Andre was holding his serve very easily. He was serving very well and playing very well. Just thought, "Just got to hang in there, see what happens."
I got the first point of his service game. I thought, "Here we go, we've got a chance now." I played a couple of really good points. That's what I needed to do. I was aggressive, and I stayed aggressive. And it went my way. Could have very easily not gone my way.

Q. Were you aware that he almost hit that line judge with a ball at the end, the one that reported him?
PATRICK RAFTER: Listen, I don't want to look around. He was shaping up after to hit a ball in that direction after the match.
You know, listen, I'm sure he's very upset. He had his chances. As I said, I thought it was a little bit unfair of that lady to report him . I guess she took the rules a little bit seriously.
(Lights go down in the auditorium.)
You guys look great (laughter).

Q. Do you not watch the Wallabies? What do you do to try and keep the lid on it now?
PATRICK RAFTER: Watch the footy tomorrow.
Q. You will?
PATRICK RAFTER: Bloody oath.

Q. They're going to help you stay calm, though?
PATRICK RAFTER: No. It won't help me at all to stay calm. I'll be watching the footy, wishing the boys all the best. Pretty exciting match.

Q. Apart from the football, is there anything you're going to do tomorrow and Sunday differently than you did last year?
PATRICK RAFTER: I can't remember what I did last year. No, pretty cheap to change my routine of what I've been doing on my days off. I'm not about to change that now.

Q. How much do you think about last year, good and bad, getting ready for Sunday?
PATRICK RAFTER: I haven't thought about it much at all. It was one of those occasions that happens. Never really that big a deal.
Right now, I don't know, I'm in the final again. I'm going to have to probably think over that situation and get some positive thoughts out of it.

Q. When you were on the court, could you tell that Agassi was affected by the lines calls?
PATRICK RAFTER: I don't think -- as I said, I sort of answered this question, and I don't think he was really affected by the lines calls. He got up, he was cruising in the fifth. The line calls were in the fourth set. I think it was that lady that really got to him in the end. Nothing was going his way. I think he pretty well snapped.

Q. Did you realise straightaway that the lady affected him, or did you realise just afterwards the way he was going on to play?
PATRICK RAFTER: He played a pretty loose game at 7-6. After about the second or third point, I thought, "He's a little bit upset here." He was a bit hacked off. I could tell then that that lady had played a bit of an influence on the match.

Q. Would you say that you tried to do anything particularly different in the match this year compared with last year?
PATRICK RAFTER: Against Andre?

Q. Yes.
PATRICK RAFTER: No. You know, a lot more aggressive on my groundstrokes. I was aggressive, like last year. I had to be. I had to take my chances and give myself opportunities, and hopefully get the right bounce of the ball. And it worked the same way.

Q. Were you a bit tired in the fifth set or were you afraid to get tired after what happened to you at the end of last year?
PATRICK RAFTER: I was pretty confident the match wasn't going to go on that long. I was pretty sure there was going to be a result within the first few games. I didn't think it was going to go much past 10-All, anything like that. You're playing on pure adrenaline.

Q. In the last game, how surprised were you to find yourself with three match points?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I think things just went very quickly for Andre. He's probably a little bit still rattled from the decision of what the lady said.
I played, you know, a couple of okay points, put a little bit of pressure on him. And he was still thinking of other things. Then he tried to fight back.
Probably a little bit down over it.

Q. Do you see a symmetry, the fact that maybe the match in Australia this year when you had the cramps, maybe you deserved to win that one and you didn't, and this one maybe he deserved to win it, and you did?
PATRICK RAFTER: I don't know. I guess that's more fate, isn't it? I don't know if anyone deserves it. You just go out there and see what happens. I don't feel -- I didn't come off and say, "He should have won that one, so I should have this one." Didn't flip a coin over it. I don't really, so...

Q. Last year when you reached the final, knew you had to play Sampras, obviously very difficult. With Henman or Ivanisevic, do you go there knowing that you think you have better chances to win?
PATRICK RAFTER: I guess so. I guess you feel like you're more of a contender now. With Pete, you know, you might be 40 on, 60 off. Now you're definitely 50/50 opportunity. That's always a nice feeling going into the final.

Q. Who would you like to play in the final, and why?
PATRICK RAFTER: I don't really have a preference either way. You know, both have got very different games. They're going to serve and volley. Don't really know. Doesn't really worry me that much. It's the finals match. I'll just accept whoever's there. I don't have a preference.

Q. Let's say it is Henman, how good are you at putting the crowd out of your mind when you play a highly partisan match, as that would be?
PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, I don't know, mate. I'll wait and see (smiling).

Q. Have you been in a position like that before?
PATRICK RAFTER: I've been in the situation a lot. I've had a lot of experience at it. I'll just look to my bench and my group of fans and friends and focus on them, if that's the case.

Q. You've talked about how you tightened up in last year's final. Do you think this time around, if you get into that sort of position again, like you were in the second set last year, what do you think you'll be saying to yourself this time around?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, I don't know. I hope I get in that situation again. It would be a nice position to get into. Well, I was saying "relax" last time. "Relax, relax." It didn't work. Maybe I might say, "Choke, choke." See what happens (laughter).

Q. Do you think you'll be in a better position to handle it this time around?
PATRICK RAFTER: That I don't know.

Q. How much does Wimbledon mean to you compared to the other Grand Slams? Is it the Grand Slam you always wanted to win or was it the Aussie Open?
PATRICK RAFTER: I'll take any Grand Slam, anything, you know. They're all very difficult to win, and they're all very prestigious in their own little way. Wimbledon has always been something that's been pretty exciting for a lot of Australians. It would have been great to have won the Australian Open, as well. Don't get me wrong.
I think Wimbledon has always been probably traditionally the most exciting for us to win.

Q. Does Rochey deserve to coach a Wimbledon winner?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, he does. I think he's going to coach Sampras next year if I don't win it (laughter).

Q. Andre took that first set rather easily. Did you think it was his day at that point?
PATRICK RAFTER: No. It's best-of-five sets. When it's best-of-five, I know there's time to work things out and to try different things.

Q. Did it take a while to do that?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, sort of went backwards and forwards a little bit. The game sort of went up and down a little bit from both of us. You know, even in the fifth set it was all over the place.
Five-setters are very different to three-setters. You've got time to experiment with things. When Andre comes out pretty hot, you know you're in a bit of trouble.

Q. Because you're taking time off, do you relish this Wimbledon any more or is it just like any other Wimbledon, any other Slam?
PATRICK RAFTER: I'm just playing it like any other Slam. I don't feel any pressure to win it. From that point of view, if I miss again, which it may happen, I'll always come back for Wimbledon.

Q. Did you have a chance before going out on Centre Court to read the Kipling poem?
PATRICK RAFTER: I've actually found it hard to find it. I looked it up every now and then. I've read it a couple of times. Yeah, I don't know, I looked the other day and I couldn't find it. It was probably there, I just didn't see it.

Q. Of the match-ups this weekend, who do you think has the better chance, you, the cricket team or the rugby team?
PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, the cricket team.


Q. Take them out of the equation. You or the Lions?
PATRICK RAFTER: Me or the Aussie team.
Well, after their last performance, you know, I guess I do. You know, they'll be fighting hard, the Aussies. They know what it takes to win. I don't know, mate. I don't know.

Q. Did you send a good luck message to the Wallabies?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I'll try to send a fax or get a message through to them. We've been talking about it for the last couple of weeks here. It's always something pretty exciting for us. I'll probably give George Gregan a call and wish him all the best.

Q. Did you get one from them for today?
PATRICK RAFTER: No.

Q. You did.
PATRICK RAFTER: I did?

Q. It came through.
PATRICK RAFTER: Even if you didn't get a fax from them, I know they're thinking about it, because Wimbledon is a big event. You know, I know all Australia's behind me. It's always good. Always nice.

Q. How much strength do you draw from that? You said you know all of Australia is behind you.
PATRICK RAFTER: We're a pretty proud country, I guess. You know, we're a pretty good sporting nation. I remember last year, getting phone calls from Greg Norman, as well. I've had that a lot from him. From actors, all the Australian people. They're always thinking about it. Even if you don't get messages from them, they're always thinking about it. I know I'm always thinking about other people in big sporting events, as well.

Q. In the tenth game of the last set, when you broke back, you were going very quickly to the net. Seemed almost an element of desperation. Did you feel it was a big gamble, what you were doing or was it just normal?
PATRICK RAFTER: Just give it a go and see what happens, you know. All you can do is just do it and see what happens want. When you walk off, you hold your head high, "Bad luck, gave it my best shot, lost 6-4 in the fifth." I go in, here I am talking with a big smile on my face.

Q. Can you talk about what this means to your family, what they've meant to you?
PATRICK RAFTER: They don't give a shit (laughter).

Patrick Rafter Interview - Day 9
Wednesday, July 4, 2001

P. RAFTER/T. Enqvist
6-1, 6-3, 7-6


MODERATOR: Can we have the first question for Pat, please.

Q. Are you surprised how easy that first set was?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, it was pretty windy out there. Thomas didn't have any
rhythm there at all on his serve. I think he struggled with it pretty well
the whole match.
It allowed me to sort of put the ball back in, if I could. He has a very big
serve. Held my serve really well.
Yeah, I mean, I didn't expect a 6-1 set, that's for sure.

Q. When he started coming back at you in the third set, were you happy the
way you managed to hold him off?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, just sort of relaxed a little bit on my serve. After I
got down an early break, I started serving well again. It's very hard to
serve the way he does, I think, and keep getting them in. I knew that there
would be a chance for me to break again, and I took it. He may have given me
a double. Yeah, he did. Well, he gave it to me, so...

Q. Is your serve the best thing about your game right now?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I would have liked to have kept it going today. Sort of
fell off a little bit. The last few matches I've been able to maintain a
really good serve the whole way through. It would have been good to have kept
it going. But put a couple of pretty bad games together. Hung on there. But
it would be the strongest part of my game right now.

Q. It's premature, but could you talk about what it would be like to face
Andre again in the semis for the third straight year?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I guess it's starting to become a little bit of a
tradition here at Wimbledon. I know the English love their tradition.
Yeah, it's probably a little bit premature. But, you know, nothing more
exciting than playing a guy like Andre at Wimbledon. It would be better if it
was the finals, actually (laughter).

Q. Would there be extra significance attached to this one, do you think,
there won't be Pete waiting in the final this time around?
PATRICK RAFTER: Listen, you know, he's struggling out there, as well. I don't
want to talk too much about that scenario. So until that really happens, it's
sort of stupid to go into it too far, I think.

Q. Had you done any kind of preparation for the Enqvist match today? Did you
approach it with a kind of game plan in mind?
PATRICK RAFTER: I got a little mate that hits with me every day. He tries to
play a little bit like him. But it's pretty hard to play like Thomas. I think
he had some like a ridiculous eight percent of first serves in the first set.
Even my mate can't do that (laughter).
Yeah, but with Thomas, you know, I played him enough to know what I have to
do, just to get the ball back over, try and go from there. Because he likes
to dominate the points, he's got a very big serve, hits his next shot very
hard. It's more of just being patient and trying to take your chances when
you have them.

Q. Will Paul Kilderry do a better Agassi impersonation?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, maybe. May be Escude. He has to work on his returns a
little bit.

Q. Do you think you're playing well enough to beat anyone in the tournament
at the moment?
PATRICK RAFTER: Mate, I definitely put it down as one of four. I still think
that. Every time I go on the court, I feel I have a very good chance of
winning against that opponent. I also realise that he has a good chance, as
well. If you want to get to the semifinals of a Grand Slam, you have to be
playing well. One of those two guys will be playing well when I get there,
when we play on Friday.
Yeah, so it's always going to be a difficult match.

Q. If you could compare it to last year, do you think you're in with a bigger
chance this year with the way you're playing?
PATRICK RAFTER: No, I don't know. I've been gradually getting better and
better with each match. But I thought last year's match was pretty
exceptional - from where I came from anyway. I played really well. If I can
play that well, then I definitely have a chance. But I'm going to have to
play that well to win.

Q. Compared to the last two years that you've been to the semis, how are you
physically shaping up? Are you feeling stronger now than you did then?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah. 1 hour, 54 minutes. If that's going to knock me around,
I'm in a lot of trouble (laughter). I should be feeling pretty good.
I felt pretty good today on the court. Grass is not that grueling physically,
so there should be no excuses physically, I hope.

Q. Goran getting through to the semifinals, his story this week with all the
different Gorans, do you have kind of a favourite Goran story that kind of
characterizes him?
PATRICK RAFTER: No, Goran, he is a funny fellow. He's always been very nice
to me. You know, when he was at the top, and I wasn't, he's one of those guys
who would come in the locker room and have a bit of a laugh with him. Always
treated everyone the same. That was a really good quality about Goran.
You know, I think he settled down over the last few years ago. A bit of a
wild boy before. But he settled down. He's a good fellow to be around. Even
when he lost, he's funny.
Yeah, he's a good fellow.

Q. Are you surprised, given the kind of year that he's had, not playing in a
Grand Slam, that he is in the semis here?
PATRICK RAFTER: Given the last few years he's had, I'm very surprised. I
think everyone is. But the way he's played out there today, the last two
weeks, it's been exceptional. It was Goran at his peak.
He's really shocked, I know not just me, but a lot of people. It's a great
story. He's a good fellow and he deserves it.

Q. Do you actually think he's playing better, at least for this moment?
PATRICK RAFTER: Haven't faced him for a while, don't know. I can't remember
him at his peak peak. Probably playing his best tennis early '90s, so I don't
really know.
He looks to be very strong out there with that serve. It's pretty awesome.

Q. What will you do tomorrow? Some practice? Try and relax?
PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, yeah, just a pretty standard day of practice and massage,
put your feet up, watch TV.

Q. Going to watch a bit of the cricket?
PATRICK RAFTER: Starts tomorrow?

Q. Yes.
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I think I might (smiling).

Q. What do you like best coming to London every year to play Wimbledon, the
experience of coming here?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, Wimbledon's Wimbledon. It sort of speaks for itself.
It's just a great place to enter, enter this whole arena. It's just got a lot
of special qualities about Wimbledon, a lot of tradition.
You just come here. If you can't get up for this tournament, you can't get up
for anything. I don't know. It's grass. It helps my game. It's over five
sets, I like that. I don't know, it's just Wimbledon.

Q. I want to clarify. I see stories saying this is your last Wimbledon - it
may not be, it may be?
PATRICK RAFTER: I've never said no to anything. I've never said definite to
anything.

Q. It's just a matter of, what, the end of the year you're going to reassess?
PATRICK RAFTER: I'm going to take a few months off, six months off, see what
I want to do.

Q. With that shoulder injury that you had, have you learned how to manage
your game in a slightly different way? Are you still playing pretty much as
you always used to?
PATRICK RAFTER: Last year I really did. I cut out doubles. I tried not to do
as much kicking on my serve. Then I just said, "To hell with it, I'm going to
go hard with it next year. I'm going to play singles, I'm going to play
doubles." That's what's best for my game. I did like doing that. I've played
doubles when it suits me; not as much as I used to. Just go hard. If I want
to kick my serve, I'll kick it.
I also take a lot of breaks now. I'll play six or seven weeks on, then I'll
take four or five weeks off to rebuild it up again. The schedule really
doesn't allow me to do it. You just have to say to hell with it and do your
own thing. That's what I've done.

Q. So when you go to the court, you still play exactly the same way that you
used to?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah. If I can't play my game, then it's no use me being out
here. If that ever comes to that, where it stops me from playing my game,
then it's time to hang 'em up.

Q. Do you still need to pop the few pills for the elbow? And is that
manageable?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, at this stage it's very manageable. I'm getting
through. Once I get off these courts, out of these conditions and these
balls, my elbow will be a lot better. When I get to the American summer, the
conditions are a lot quicker over there. It's a lot easier on my arm.

Q. Escude is close to winning the first set.
PATRICK RAFTER: He was close before, too.

Q. He's closer now.
PATRICK RAFTER: What's the score?

Q. 5-1 in the tiebreak.
PATRICK RAFTER: Okay.

Q. What would it be like playing him?
PATRICK RAFTER: I played Nicolas on every surface. I've had success on every
surface. Listen, I'd prefer to play Nicolas, don't get me wrong, than Andre.
But he's been playing some exceptional tennis, this year especially. He's
very dangerous now. I think over the next year or two he'll develop into a
Top 10 player. From there -- you can go anywhere from there, as I've proved.
I consider him to be very dangerous now, a lot more dangerous than what he
was. I would prefer to play him, but I don't think it's going to be that much
difference between Andre and Nicolas.

Q. What makes him so dangerous?
PATRICK RAFTER: He's serve-volleying very well, he's got great returns, he's
very flashy. He's French. The French are very, very flamboyant. They've got a
lot of talent. They all seem to be the same, with a lot of talent. He's got
it all.

Q. You've probably been asked this a hundred times, but the decision to cut
your hair?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I've been asked that a hundred times (smiling).

END

10 Questions

Patrick Rafter is looking for that elusive Wimbledon title

A two-time U.S. Open winner and one of the true champions in the game, Patrick Rafter returns to Wimbledon looking to avenge his loss to Pete Sampras in the 2000 final. Up a set and a leading Sampras in the second, Rafter lost the second set in a tiebreak, and subsequently the match, but returns hungry for another shot.

Currently ranked ninth in the ATP Champions Race, Rafter fell to eventual champion Andre Agassi in both the Australian Open and the Ericsson Open in 2001. He also put together a quarterfinal showing at the Tennis Masters Series Indian Wells, before falling to Sampras.

1. What makes Wimbledon dramatic and exciting for you as a player?

The tradition of the club. Growing up with the Australians who were so good (at Wimbledon). With the time difference in Australia I had to stay up late, even though we had school the next day. It was a childhood dream of mine to play at Wimbledon.

2. What is your most dramatic/greatest memory of Wimbledon?

Making it to the finals last year against Pete Sampras was probably the most intense. I won the first and was 4-1 up in the second. I had chances to go up to a two-set lead, but that tiebreaker changed the whole match.

3. Who is your tennis hero?

I don't have one single hero. I admired watching all the Aussies coming through like Newcombe and Roche.

4. What would you be doing if you were not a pro tennis player?

I can't say, never had to answer that one.

5. What do you do outside of practice during Wimbledon?

I hang out with the other Aussies a bit. I go out to dinner with the boys as a group. I try not to spend much additional time on-site if I can help it.

6. What is your conditioning routine?

I stretch a lot and I have a couple of workout programs aimed at keeping my body elastic. Flexibility is the main thing.

7. What is it like to play on grass versus other surfaces?

It suits my game since I can come to the net. The ball stays pretty low and that helps my serve and volley.

8. What advice would you give to young tennis players?

Enjoy it, mate! During juniors try learn more about technique and try not to be concerned with results.

9. What are your hobbies?

I love golf and I play it all the time. I also like to spend time with my family, my brothers and sisters.

10. What is your favorite tennis major and why?

Wimbledon is very special because of the tradition. I have fond memories of the U.S. Open because I've won it twice, but I love Davis Cup. I love representing Australia and I have such a great time playing with the boys.

Inside the World Sport . Phil Jones

Patrick Rafter Interview - Day 7
Monday, July 2, 2001

P. RAFTER/M. Youzhny 4th round
2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5

MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Is that a good test for you to have passed?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, it was. Came out on fire. It's a very different pace
court, as well, that one. Took me a little bit to get used to and find what
worked for me.
But I still thought I played all right in the first set, and just got killed.
I thought I was going home, I really did.

Q. Did you?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, too good. Sort of started accepting defeat there for a
while.

Q. When did you start to think you may be staying on?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, when I broke him in the second, I thought, "Okay, we
got a chance now." Up until then, I wasn't on his service games at all. He
was playing the first two points on each game of his serves very well,
putting me under a lot of pressure on my service game every time.
After that, I just found a way to break him down and started holding my serve
a lot more comfortably, took my chances pretty well in that set anyway.

Q. How was the humidity out there for you?
PATRICK RAFTER: I found it very hot today. Just muggy and sort of difficult
to breathe, more than anything. I guess I struggled with it a little bit
today. Just such a change of weather. It's been generally dry in Europe, so
the humidity sort of got to me a bit today.

Q. Is that as humid as it's been since that night in Melbourne Park?
PATRICK RAFTER: Miami was very hot, as well, and humid. Brazil was hot.

Q. Talk about where your head is right now? Are you rounding into form?
You're not quite where you want to be yet?
PATRICK RAFTER: I think I'm doing really well to figure out the matches at
this stage. When you find yourself in trouble is when you're trying to figure
out matches and you can't do it. That's the time to really panic.
Today I took a few chances, and they worked well. My game plan started to
come into play really well in the second set.
If he was able to counteract that, then I was in trouble. What happens is you
generally find -- sometimes when you play a guy like Agassi, you'll change
the game, he'll be there ready for it, as well. Against the top guys, it's
tough to do it against.
But I feel my game is pretty close. I'm getting better and better with each
match. Today I was very happy with the outcome.

Q. Do you still feel that you can perhaps compete with anyone in your section
of the draw, based on the way you're playing at the moment?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, take it one match at a time. But I do feel, you know,
reasonably comfortable out there. I definitely give myself a 50/50 chance
against whoever I'm playing. Yeah, I guess I'm quietly confident. But, you
know, the guys are good. You've got to be careful.

Q. Who do you fear the most at the moment, looking at your section of the
draw?
PATRICK RAFTER: In my section, either Lleyton or Andre, one of those two guys
I think in my half are the two toughest. It will be interesting to see who
comes through there in that section.

Q. Assuming they both win today, what would your prediction be for that match?
PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, it's a 50/50. It really is.

Q. Could you just tell us a bit about Lleyton's strengths? Obviously he's
impressed a lot --?
PATRICK RAFTER: I find Lleyton and Andre play pretty similar. They have
different types of serves, but they return as well as each other, they pass
as well as each other, they move well, they read the play well, they're both
smart guys. Apart from their serving, I think they're very similar.

Q. Did you find that Lleyton had a little bit of a breakthrough, having won
on Centre? Is that a big deal? I know you mentioned it the other day.
PATRICK RAFTER: I think he's won two there now. Yeah -- probably he hasn't
been hitting the ball as well, but I expect him to start hitting the ball
well. He's too good a player. He's a tough little bugger. He knows how to
rise for the occasion. I'm looking for him to start playing better and better
throughout this week.

Q. How big of an occasion is it going to be if he faces Agassi? How big of a
match is that for his career?
PATRICK RAFTER: You'll have to ask him that question.

Q. What do you think?
PATRICK RAFTER: I can't answer that question for him. I don't know how he's
feeling about it. I think it's probably fairer if he answers it.

Q. But is it a big step-up match for him to be able to beat a player with
Andre's reputation, titles, all of that on Centre Court in the quarterfinals
of Wimbledon?
PATRICK RAFTER: It would be the semifinals if he plays him.

Q. Semis.
PATRICK RAFTER: Is that right?

Q. Quarters.
PATRICK RAFTER: That's right, a tough little quarter. Excuse me.
Well, yeah, he's got to make that breakthrough sooner or later. He's giving
himself opportunities. He's getting into semifinals consistently of big
tournaments. He's got to make the breakthrough, and eventually he will. You
know, I wouldn't panic. He's only 20 years old and he's already made half a
dozen semifinals on big occasions. If he continues to do that, he'll have his
breakthrough.

Q. You've been traveling the circuit all these years, big tournaments, small.
If you could step back and, aside from winning, what's your favourite quality
of the tour that you really like that's really sweet?
PATRICK RAFTER: Of the tour?

Q. Of being a pro.
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, I think it's the success, knowing that you put in the
work and you've taken a gamble with your life and your career, and it's paid
off. To me, to win a Grand Slam, I've tucked one away, I've tucked two away.
It's really satisfying. It's a life goal.

Q. When did you know within yourself that, "I've got it made as a touring
pro"?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, there's different ways of looking at it as to how to
make it as a touring pro, whether being Top 50 is satisfactory, Top 20, Top
10, or winning Grand Slams. I guess I just ticked them off as I went. Top 50,
great. Top 50, beauty. Top 20, great. Top 10. It was just all -- you know, it
was just really exciting for me. Then a Grand Slam. To me, that was the
pinnacle of it.

Q. And the least satisfying quality of the tour?
PATRICK RAFTER: The traveling would be the number one, easily. Constant
traveling, on the road, different countries all the time, different hotel
rooms, different cultures, different languages, all that rolled into one
makes it very difficult.

Q. Can you talk about Enqvist? You lead him 6-2. What will you need to do
against him on Wednesday?
PATRICK RAFTER: Just keep doing what I've got to do. There's not too many
secrets, grass court tennis. I don't know how he's been playing, if he's been
serve-volleying or staying back. But Thomas has a very good first serve, and
I think quite a good second serve, as well. He's very aggressive with it.
Probably Thomas' biggest weakness is his movement, he's a big man, big,
strong fellow. Grass is a difficult surface at the best of times to move on.
We all find it tough to move on grass, and Thomas does, as well. That's
probably his biggest weakness.
But a guy that hits it that hard, sometimes you can't make him run. And I've
just got to go out there, assess the situation as it goes, hopefully get off
to a good start and keep it going from there.

Q. You seem to come in here maybe a little bit underdone, Lleyton is maybe
overdone - played every week since Rome. Can you comment on your two
situations maybe.
PATRICK RAFTER: Probably Lleyton has been one who plays very well when he
actually doesn't play a helluva lot of tennis. I'm probably the opposite. I
love playing all those sort of matches, so it would be good if the roles were
reversed in the situation.
I still don't see a downside from playing too much tennis. This is a Grand
Slam. If you're not up for a Grand Slam, then you'll never be up. Doesn't
matter how you feel. And he's in the second week now, day on, day off. Don't
think there's been a helluva lot of tennis. When you have that day off, it's
just not bad at all. He's got himself in the second week, in a position where
he's going to give it all he's got for this week, and I'm sure he'll handle
it well.

Q. Do you mind being asked about Lleyton all the time? Seems like you're
getting as many questions about him as you are yourself.
PATRICK RAFTER: I like answering questions about Lleyton. He answered a lot
of questions about me, retiring me, coming back to this place.
I don't mind. Generally there's nothing bad, you know, it's good.

Q. Good, because I have another Lleyton question. You said he was a tough
bugger. When was a good example, best example, in Brazil, anyplace else?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, Davis Cup.

Q. Is that the best?
PATRICK RAFTER: I'm just so glad he's on my side in Davis Cup. You wouldn't
want to play him in a Davis Cup match. He just doesn't give anything away.
Continually puts out and fights. He's team spirit is great. In Davis Cup, he
impresses me more than anywhere else.

Q. And what happened in Brazil with Guga?
PATRICK RAFTER: He was too good and too strong. Simple as that.

Q. Did he shut them up?
PATRICK RAFTER: He shut them up quick, yeah. It was a tough job.

Q. You said you're getting better at figuring out matches. What did you
figure out today?
PATRICK RAFTER: He started off very well. Figuring out matches? My second
serve, I was hitting pretty well, but the court was so much slower that it
wasn't doing what it was doing on Centre Court and Court 1. I just wasn't
getting the reaction off the court. Just decided I've got to hit the crap out
of it. You don't have to be Einstein to work that out, I guess.
Just tried to come in a lot on his second serve, put his first serve under a
bit more pressure, take a few more chances like that because at that stage he
was really dominating.

Q. When you think of players here, obviously Pete Sampras is the guy who has
done pretty well here. What's the thought on how someone beats Pete on grass?
PATRICK RAFTER: You've got to get his serve back. He just serves so bloody
hard. It's a very, very difficult thing to do. It's not only hard, it's very
heavy. You know, he backs it up with a good volley. He moves well. He plays
the right shot at the right time when he needs it. His strength is definitely
his serve on this surface.

Q. What about when you serve to him?
PATRICK RAFTER: When you serve to him, I don't know, some shots are on, some
shots are off on certain days. You've got to try and find it.

END--http://www.wimbledon.com/news/interviews/

<<<<< END >>>>>

Patrick Rafter Interview - Day 6
Saturday, June 30, 2001

P. RAFTER/H. Arazi
7-6, 6-4, 7-5

MODERATOR: Who is first?

Q. That looked a bit more comfortable than the last match. Did it feel that
way?
PATRICK RAFTER: Not in the first set. I was a little bit out of sorts. I
wasn't really happy with the way I was hitting the ball.
Then second and third sets, just started playing a little bit better as the
match went along. I thought I played really well in the third set. Very happy
with the way I hit the ball. I served very well throughout the whole match.

Q. Is that just where you want to be now, with a rest day? Everyone says this
is the next tournament.
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, it just gets tougher from now. So there are
improvements starting to show up in my game. I thought I hit the ball a lot
better definitely at the end of the match again.
But, again, just really happy with the way I served. If you're going to win
this tournament, you're going to have to serve well.

Q. Do you feel like you're peaking, your timing is right, the way your form
has been improving?
PATRICK RAFTER: I sort of played some tricky guys, no one really standard
yet. Just haven't really got into the rhythm yet. I think when I play -- who
do I play, Youzhny or...?

Q. Youzhny.
PATRICK RAFTER: Youzhny. When I play Youzhny, you know, he's going to be a
bit more of a standard type of player, he'll really test to see how I'm
playing. If I'm off, he'll beat me. If I'm playing well, then my game will be
in good touch for the rest of the week.

Q. What is your thought on Youzhny as a player?
PATRICK RAFTER: I don't really know him at all. But I do know that he serves
pretty well, pretty flat. Pretty good second serve. Stays back all the time.
And probably a pretty good counter-puncher. Hits the ball pretty well, I'm
sure.
But if I serve the way I did today, I'll be feeling pretty confident of
getting chances on his serve.

Q. Do you know him by reputation? He seems to have some pretty big wraps on
him.
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah. I've just seen a couple of results. I know he played
pretty well against Wayne at Queen's. I saw a little bit of that. I watched a
little bit of him hit the ball today. Maybe Santoro -- looked pretty good
there. But he's a pretty accomplished player. He's starting to come along
just in his results in the last six months.

Q. There's been a lot of questions about your various headbands. Could you
explain when and why you decided to get rid of the ponytail?
PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, I really was going to get rid of it the year before even,
and if we won Davis Cup in France, which they did, but I wasn't there. I
decided to hang on to it for another year. We lost the next one, so I kept it
again.
I really just had enough of long hair. The headband is just more of a joke
than anything.

Q. Andre was saying in here a little earlier that he thought perhaps the way
the courts were playing this year, because there were fewer and fewer
serve-volleyers, the bounce on the court was going to perhaps favour the
baseliners as the tournament went on. What's your verdict on that?
PATRICK RAFTER: He might be right. We'll wait and see in a week's time. But
it is hard out there. You know, tends to suit my type of serve, as well,
because I have a bit of a kicking action, and the court really takes to that.
It's a lot harder, there's no doubt about it, this year. I couldn't tell you
if it's quicker or slower, though. It's a harder court.

Q. More even bounce perhaps?
PATRICK RAFTER: I didn't really notice that.

Q. But harder suits you better?
PATRICK RAFTER: I hope so, yeah. I think it suits my type of serve anyway.
It's still a difficult court to move on. Not just a difficult court. But
grass is always that way to move on. I haven't found it better to move on or
anything like that. It's just the same.

Q. He played a blinder in that first game of the third set. What was it that
you said to him at the changeover?
PATRICK RAFTER: I said, "It's a nice way to start the set, mate." Which I
thought it was. Hit the ball pretty well. He just had a bit of a giggle.

Q. Sorry to digress, but there were two very good Aussie victories out there
today. There was another result somewhere else. Did you watch it?
PATRICK RAFTER: I did.

Q. What did you think?
PATRICK RAFTER: I was bloody nervous for the boys. Yeah, I mean, it looked
like playing someone in the game of tennis and they knew everything you were
going to do, the way you were going to serve. And the way I read it, I mean,
missed a few crucial kicks sort of put them back under pressure, and so did
they. And just too good. Too big and too strong for us.
We'll be back though, mate. Don't you worry (smiling).

Q. What are your thoughts on some of the older guys who are doing well in the
draw like Goran or someone like Todd Martin?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I haven't -- you know, I don't look at them saying
they're older or anything. They're good guys. It's great to see Goran play
well, especially.

Q. Todd?
PATRICK RAFTER: Todd, he's a good fellow. It's always good to see Todd play
well. He's a great player, I think. He deserves whatever he's getting here.
But just to see Goran come back the way he has, you know, he's loving it out
there. It's good for tennis. I think it makes all the guys in the locker room
pretty happy, too. Good fellow.

Q. Are you pleased, too, that Lleyton's finally got into a Wimbledon, into
the real sort of strong stuff of the second week?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, he's doing it the hard way again, though. He's still
not comfortable out there, I don't think. But he's such a great little
competitor that he knows how to win. I am happy because I've been saying it
for the last couple of years that he's going to do something here. He's
finally working his way in there. But I think he needs to lift his game a
little bit. And I really hope he does well.

Q. Why do you think he's not comfortable out there? Is it just because it is
what it is?
PATRICK RAFTER: I think he's just probably getting used to Centre Court
action, yeah. Just such a great tradition in Australia of Wimbledon. We all
just get so excited on playing here. And seeing Wimbledon as a little kid, I
think it sort -- something sits in the back of our minds. We're in a bit of
you a of the place, I think. I definitely am. I've gotten over that. I don't
know if Lleyton's dealing with that. I expect Lleyton to get better and
better as the tournament goes along.

Q. You talk about this might be the last year. Is it one of the places that
you'll miss?
PATRICK RAFTER: You can always come back.

Q. You can't walk out there with a racquet in your hand?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I can. Over 35's or something.
I'll be really looking forward to -- I'm just looking forward not to playing,
yeah, putting the racquets down altogether. If I do miss it, this will be
definitely the first one that I miss. That's for sure.

Q. Do you think if you do exceptionally well here this time around that the
thought of coming back here would be enough to maybe make you reconsider your
plans at the end of the year? Maybe you will definitely say, "I'll take X
amount of months off and come back and have another shot at Wimbledon? "
PATRICK RAFTER: No, I don't think so. If I do well, I can probably leave this
tournament and forget the rest of the year. Forget Davis Cup. Right, I'm
joking. You guys are all sitting there like all serious.

Q. How long did it take you to start feeling comfortable here? You said
you're over that feeling that Lleyton is going through still.
PATRICK RAFTER: I played -- I can remember playing very well here in '96,
losing to Goran in the fourth round. That's when I started hitting the ball
well and feeling comfortable at Wimbledon.

Q. What are you going to do tomorrow to relax?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I won't be relaxing at 10:30. I have Queensland versus
New South Wales, State of Origin. A big weekend of footy. I'll be sitting in
front of the TV. Be about 30 Aussies sitting down watching it. So that's
going to be pretty exciting for a couple hours. Have a hit, put my feet up
for the rest of the day.

Q. All going to your place?
PATRICK RAFTER: No, going over to another mate's place. Just cram in there.
Mess their place up instead of ours.

Q. You've organized cricket matches in the past.
PATRICK RAFTER: The cricket is on, too. I snuck out there last year. Might
sneak out again, see what is going on. Australia versus South African
cricket. Yeah, if I lost it, I was going to play. I haven't played a game
yet. So, bowl a few leggies.

Q. Are you aware that Saturday is a sportsman's day here, the All England
invites various sporting personalities into the Royal Box? Did that message
filter through to the players area before you went out and played?
PATRICK RAFTER: No, not really. But Ted Schroeder showed me the list of guys
who were in there. For some reason, he just said, "This is great. Look who is
here." Yeah, but I didn't realise it was the day, no.

Q. Which name impressed you the most today?
PATRICK RAFTER: I think I saw Retief. Is that Retief Goosen. Yeah, Mr.
Retief. Thought it was interesting. I think Gough was there, as well. But
there were a few names I didn't recognize. I just sort of scanned through it
very quickly. They had them by the first name.

Patrick Rafter Interview - Day 4
Thursday, June 28, 2001

P. RAFTER/S. Dosedel
7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1

MODERATOR: First question, please, for Pat.

Q. How difficult was the wind out there, also what Slava took to the court?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, the wind was sort of a little frustrating at times
because you'd think you'd be against it, all of a sudden, you were with it.
Very tough to judge the lobs. We both had a bit of trouble with that. He
probably had more trouble with the ball toss. It sort of worked in my favour,
I think.
You know, Slava is a very unpredictable player. I wasn't quite sure how he
was going to play. Sort of tightened me up a little bit because I didn't know
what to do, what his weaknesses were, what his strengths were. I was really
trying to just study him in the first couple of sets. I probably came out --
I was very tight, just freed up in the last few games. It's good to finish on
a good note.
I served and volleyed very well again today.

Q. On Tuesday we saw the red band, today we saw the blue one. I wondered what
else was in the locker?
PATRICK RAFTER: Whatever my mate Paul has got for me.

Q. Change for the next match?
PATRICK RAFTER: I better get the green and gold for the Rugby Union. If it
rains, on Sunday I'll get the maroon for Queensland versus New South Wales in
the State of Origin.

Q. Given Pete's struggles yesterday against Cowan, do you think he seems any
more vulnerable this year? What would it mean to get another crack at him for
you?
PATRICK RAFTER: I'd love to have another crack. That means I'm in the finals.
Love to be back there, mate. Very, very tough tournament. I think it's
getting tougher and tougher. I think there are new guys out there believing
that they can do it now. It's not just such a one-horse race anymore. I think
Pete, it appeared to me he took his foot off the pedal a little bit in that
match. Barry took full advantage of it. To his credit, he was great.
You could just see Pete suddenly lift his game. I don't necessarily put that
down to being vulnerable just yet. I think it's more a lapse of
concentration. To Barry's credit, he played very well.

Q. Are you enjoying Wimbledon as much as ever? Has it changed much since you
started coming?
PATRICK RAFTER: I guess when you first come here, especially for me, I was
never really a contender. So I'd always enjoy myself in London. Always could
go to the pubs, couldn't you?
Now it's not like that anymore. It's strictly business, do what you have to
do to get to the next round, the next day. It's very professional.
I feel pressure now, whereas before I didn't. It's good to feel that because
you know you're a contender.

Q. In your next round you might be playing a Belgian, Rochus. Do you know him?
PATRICK RAFTER: I know he's short (smiling). He's the one that beat Norman
last year?

Q. Yes.
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I know him well (laughter).
No, I don't know him much. I know he hits the ball great from the baseline.
He's obviously very quick, returns well, probably lacking a serve-and-volley
game. What he lacks there, he makes up for in speed and good groundstrokes.
Did he win the first set?

Q. No, he lost in a tiebreak.
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I don't know really a hell of a lot about him. I know
some guys said he's very talented. He's a good little competitor.

Q. You're not afraid of him?
PATRICK RAFTER: Oh, listen, I'm afraid of everyone. I think you have to
respect everyone. I'm having a bit of a joke. To be in the third round, if he
beats Arazi, he's obviously playing well.

Q. You spoke about the pressure before. How does that manifest itself at a
tournament like this? How does the pressure affect you?
PATRICK RAFTER: I think it really affected me today because I wasn't really
sure on how Slava played. I was trying to find weaknesses, trying to find out
where I was going to serve, what I'm going to do on returns, from the
baseline. I was just constantly sort of studying the match as it went along.
When you play someone you don't know a lot about, it always starts off like
that for me anyway. But if you come in and play someone like an Andre, you
know you have to go for it. Puts you in a different frame of mind.

Q. You just spoke about preparing for matches with guys you don't know. How
might you prepare for the next round if you would play Rochus?
PATRICK RAFTER: I guess I'll go and ask a couple of guys that know his game,
you know, what he does.

Q. That's the way you normally proceed?
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, I didn't ask anyone about Slava, and I couldn't
remember how he played. I don't know, I guess I didn't prepare too well, did
I (smiling)?
To me, you know, you can play one way. On certain days, certain shots work
better for you. You can go out and say, "Ferrero loves a backhand lob." That
day he may not be able to hit one in. He has this backhand cross-court going.
You go, "Hang on, what am I going to do now?"
I think it's always pretty important to be pretty relaxed with that sort of
game plan, sort of go out there and assess it yourself.

Q. What's the white mark on your head? We've had people asking because it's
picked up on the TV.
PATRICK RAFTER: It's a bit of gray hair.

Q. Is it gray?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah. It's not a vanity thing, don't worry.

Q. Can we assume you'll be watching the Lions' first test against the Aussies?
PATRICK RAFTER: When will they be playing?

Q. About 10 in the morning.
PATRICK RAFTER: I don't want to get that pumped up, you know (laughter). I
don't want to come down if they lose and try to beat the shit out of some
English guy, you know (laughter).

Q. Are you worried?
PATRICK RAFTER: Am I worried? I think it's a 50/50 game. I think the Lions
are obviously a very good team. No, I think it should be a great game. I'd
love to watch it. Have to see when I'm playing. If I'm playing late, there's
a chance I'll watch it. I'll be trying to pull myself away from it.
You know, I'll try not to watch it if I can. It's like a sex question now.
Control yourself (laughter).

Q. The other night you were talking about retirement. Why would you lean
toward it or consider it at such a young age?
PATRICK RAFTER: I think everyone is different. Everyone has their own plans.
You know, what might be right for you, might not be right for me and vice
versa. You know, it's my decision. I know where I'm going with it. It's just
what's right for me.

Q. Have your parents on standby to come back?
PATRICK RAFTER: No. Bad luck (smiling).

Q. Even if you made the final, you'd go without them?
PATRICK RAFTER: I'll tough it out.

Q. Away from tennis, is rugby your favourite other sport?
PATRICK RAFTER: I was sort of brought up in rugby league. Rugby Union, you
know, whatever is Australian I'll watch.

Q. And the cricket boys?
PATRICK RAFTER: I just caught up with a couple of guys in the locker room.

Q. A few around today?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah.

Q. Who was here?
PATRICK RAFTER: Gilchrist and Ashley --.

Q. -- Nofke.
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah. From the Sunshine Coast, yeah. I think Pontino and Wall
were there. I just caught up with Ashley and Adam just then in the locker
room. They're all fired up, okay (laughter)?

Q. You're obviously expecting Queensland to win?
PATRICK RAFTER: The State of Origin?

Q. Yes.
PATRICK RAFTER: Gee, I wish. Going to be a really tough match, I think. I'd
like to think they will.

Q. Do you think it's a good thing that you've been moved up in the seedings
from the entry list?
PATRICK RAFTER: Mate, listen, I'm really happy whatever they want to do. If
they want to seed straight off, then seed straight off. I'm a bit of a
believer in having a bit of luck with the draw. If you're not seeded, you're
not seeded.
I think there is a place for seeding for grass and for clay. I think if
you're going to do it for grass, do it for clay, as well. I think it's only
fair. You know, I think the withdrawals of some of the guys, a boycott or
anything, I think it's a total schedule plan, them knowing they're not going
to be successful on grass, so why come?
I think the schedule needs to be changed around a little bit. Too many clay
court tournaments. The guys play all the way through, are absolutely
knackered before Wimbledon. They realise that Wimbledon is not a good surface
for them.

Q. You seem very relaxed for someone who didn't have the easiest match today.
Now that you've made your decision that you're going to have an indefinite
break at the end of the year, does it make it easier to play the time you
have left?
PATRICK RAFTER: No. I guess you can look at it the other way - it could be
your last time here, so you want to make the most of it. Just got to try and
prepare myself. Always going to be relaxed after you win. I think you're
going to be in a bad mood if you lose.

Q. If you do decide to retire, do you want to stay within the game, like Pat
Cash in a coaching role?
PATRICK RAFTER: I certainly hope not (smiling).

Q. What about the media?
PATRICK RAFTER: Definitely not the media. I wouldn't like to do commentary. I
don't think so. You know, the tennis has been my life and my game. I'd like
to take a step back and see how much I really miss it, how much I love it.
I'm sure, for instance, ten years there will be some capacity that I'll be
involved with tennis. I think it's a great sport and I love it.

Q. You said you don't want to do commentary, but could you make one on the
match, the young American Taylor Dent is up 5-1 over Lleyton. Can you make a
comment?
PATRICK RAFTER: A bit surprised. I know Lleyton is not a big fan of Centre
Court yet, but he's going to have to get over that if he wants to win this
tournament. I'm a little surprised at that result right now, 5-1 up.

Q. 6-1.
PATRICK RAFTER: Well, even more surprised (laughter).

Q. How do you get that confidence out on that court? Lleyton has had some
problems out there in the past.
PATRICK RAFTER: Mate, it's not the court. There's a psychological thing. He
has to get over that. It's not as if it's a completely different court.
Lleyton is too good a player to have that in the back of his mind. I think --
I don't know how seriously he takes it. I hope he doesn't take it seriously,
that Centre Court is his nemesis or it's against him. He should be out there
performing on any surface. He's too good a player.
But I'd like to think that he'll get back into that match. Yeah, I'd still --
if I had to put my life on it, I'd still think he'd win that match. But I'm
not putting my life on it (laughter).
 
END--http://www.wimbledon.com/news/interviews/

Patrick Rafter Interview - Day 2
Tuesday, June 26, 2001

P. RAFTER/D. Vacek
6-2, 7-6, 6-3

Q. How would you assess your performance today?
PATRICK RAFTER: Pretty happy. Pretty solid. I always was wondering how Daniel
would handle it. I asked him before had he been on centre court. He said no.
Probably got off to a bit of a sluggish start. But he was pretty sharp.
Second set produced some pretty good tennis. Overall I served and volleyed
pretty well. Pretty happy with that part of my game.

Q. What were the emotions coming back onto centre after the last match you
played there?
PATRICK RAFTER: Felt a lot more comfortable. Didn't have any nerves or any
jitters. Been a few times now I've been on that court. I felt more and more
comfortable every time I walk on it. The court is different to the practise
courts. My first few shots were in the crowd. Hoped that it wasn't going to
continue on. Just getting used to the different pace of the court. But it's a
beautiful court.

Q. What did you do between the time you arrived here - treatment on your arm,
practise? Anything special at all?
PATRICK RAFTER: I got here on Wednesday and just went straight on the courts.
It was really good. I found the positive in losing early there in Rosmalen.
Just got on there and hit some balls. A lot of good workouts with Rochey. Got
my hour at Wimbledon every day. Settled in really well. Yeah, for the arm, I
just popped a few pills and it feels better, I'm back (smiling).

Q. That's not a problem for you at all, the arm?
PATRICK RAFTER: Not at the moment. It feels really good.

Q. You said last week that you felt you had choked in the match last year. As
I remember, you had a long flight back to Australia immediately afterwards.
PATRICK RAFTER: Yes.

Q. That can't have been a great flight to have so much time to think about
what might have been. What are your recollections of how that felt?
PATRICK RAFTER: We had Davis Cup. I didn't really have time to sit down and
think about it. Got back Wednesday, played Friday.

Q. You really didn't think back on what might have been?
PATRICK RAFTER: No. Listen, it was a great fortnight. You know, I had my
opportunity, and I slipped. Doesn't keep me up at nights. Still won't. It's
just a tennis match. It would have been great to have won it. I was nervous,
I choked, all of the above. That's the way it goes. You know, I went out
there, gave myself the best opportunity. No one died over it. I don't feel,
you know, devastated. That's the way it is. I wasn't meant to win.

Q. Where did you get that headband? How long have you been wearing it?
PATRICK RAFTER: Little killer, Paul Kilderry gave it to me. Had kind of a
joke over it. He gave it to me in Halle. I decided that I'd wear it. Walked
on the court, couldn't bring myself to wear it. Looked like an idiot. Then I
thought, "Oh, stuff it, I'll do it." Just sort of got a few laughs from
everyone for the first couple days. Everyone knows it looked like an idiot.
Don't care anymore.

Q. Didn't lose a bet?
PATRICK RAFTER: No, didn't lose a bet. That's what I said about my hair.
People must think I'm crazy.

Q. Does it serve a purpose, the headband?
PATRICK RAFTER: It does catch a lot of sweat. Since I've had the hair short,
when I had it long, it was dripping out the back. When I wear hats now, I
need to take two or three hats on the court because they get so soaking wet,
they just drip off. I've found that the hair, when it sweats, just comes
straight -- I don't know what it does, but it doesn't go out the back like it
used to. Now it's just sort of a bit of a mechanism to stop it from getting
in my eyes.

Q. How much more conscious are you of the hot weather, needing to keep your
fluids up, after what happened in Australia? Has it been a factor?
PATRICK RAFTER: I think grass is a surface that - touch wood here - that
doesn't create long points and cramping sort of situations. If it does, I'm
in a lot of trouble now.

Q. Lleyton said earlier this is definitely your last year. I keep reading
"perhaps." He says definitely.
PATRICK RAFTER: Little bugger is making up my mind now for me, is he
(smiling)? A good chance it would be my last year, but I really would like to
take six months off from the game.

Q. Nothing is definite?
PATRICK RAFTER: Nothing is definite. It was never definite, was it, Leo?

Q. You left it open.
PATRICK RAFTER: I broke the news to Leo in Australia this year. I probably
said I'm pretty sure I'm going to retire at the end of the year. You know, as
in life, nothing is a hundred percent definite. I've always kept that little
window open in case I miss it again.

Q. As it gets closer to the time when you're going to have the break, does it
seem more or less likely to you? Has it changed?
PATRICK RAFTER: I've definitely been thinking about it, what it will be like
when I retire, what will I do, blah, blah, blah. Sort of pretty excited to
have a bit of a life and see if I like it or not.

Q. What sort of things would you do?
PATRICK RAFTER: What sort of things? I don't know. It's secret because I
don't know (laughter). I don't know. I just want to wake up in the morning,
go for a swim on the beach, might go down and do, I don't know, some Yoga,
play a bit of golf.

Q. Would you move back to Australia or do you plan to stay in Bermuda?
PATRICK RAFTER: I'll be in Australia after Christmas, then I'll have to see
if I want to spend a bit of more time there. I'm sure I'll go back to Bermuda
for a few months, as well. Spend the first couple of months over
Christmastime, January, in Australia with the family.

Q. Are you under greater pressure this year because of expectations?
PATRICK RAFTER: I think I now know that I have a good chance of winning. Last
year gave me that little bit extra confidence going into the tournament
knowing that, "Hey, I probably can do it now." So, yeah, I've maybe put a
little more pressure on myself. There's always dangerous guys out there
waiting to upset the big guys. I never take any match lightly. We all know
that anyone can lose to anyone on any given day, especially in this game,
men's tennis, as well. I'm aware of that. I'm hoping that that statement I
just said won't come true for me.

Q. Have you put any more particular pressure on yourself because it is your
last year?
PATRICK RAFTER: I've had a really good start to the year. I know it was
pretty well sure that I wasn't going to go back to those tournaments next
year. I'm very sure I won't go back there. I played great in those
tournaments. I don't consider it any extra pressure at all.

Q. Did you see much of Andre before you went out?
PATRICK RAFTER: I saw a little bit, yeah.

Q. What did you think?
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, pretty sharp. You're not doing a special on Andre, are
you (laughter)?

Q. Sort of.
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, I thought his hair looked great, a bit of growth coming
back (smiling). Yeah, I think, you know, Peter was always someone who was
going to give him a bit of trouble.

Q. In light of what happened last week.
PATRICK RAFTER: Yeah, sure. Yeah, I thought Peter was always going to give
him trouble, and he did. You know, Andre just, as you expect, played the
right points at the right time. It was a pretty solid effort. He's a guy you
want to watch definitely for this week, these two weeks, at Wimbledon.

Q. Rivalries in this sport are difficult because it just depended how many
times you play somebody. You are now having some big matches in big
tournaments against Andre the last couple years. Do you feel a rivalry with
him?
PATRICK RAFTER: Gee, I'd just be really happy to get there. If I'm there, I'm
probably playing him in the quarters, semifinals, in that situation. Yeah, I
mean, I enjoy playing Andre. I think we match up pretty well. I'd really love
to say that we had a rivalry going. Unfortunately, I don't think it's fair to
say that right now. But it would be great. It would be a great thing to say
about each other.

Q. Dosedel, he's beaten you the only time you've played. What do you remember
of that match, 1999 Adelaide?
PATRICK RAFTER: I thought I had him once. I know I lost to him. I thought I'd
beaten him. He's pretty talented. He sees the ball as well as anyone. I
consider him a very dangerous sort of player. Depends on what mood he's in.
I've seen him put in some pretty ordinary efforts, and some really great
efforts. He's a very dangerous guy, a guy that I've got to be very committed,
very concentrated against, play some really tough tennis. That's how I'm
going to have to go out there and play. If I'm a little bit loose, if I'm not
really there, he'll have a good day, I'm pretty sure of that.

Q. If you were not to win Wimbledon, would you leave with any regrets?
PATRICK RAFTER: Let's ask that question in a couple of weeks.

END--http://www.wimbledon.com/news/interviews/