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| US Open 1998 - after win over Graf | |||||||||||||||
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Patty
Schnyder beat Steffi Graf
6-3 6-4 PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah, I think so. It was really quick, I felt comfortable on my serve. I think she had really problems, yeah, to return those. Everything went so quick, and I was there serving for the match. Yeah, it was great. Q. How much were you specifically trying to hit it to her backhand? Seemed like that was what your goal was. PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah. Especially with my serve, I tried to hit it on her backhand. Yeah, I think that was the key point to win that match. Q. Were you surprised to see a Steffi Graf who was hitting the ball long, into the net, pretty routine during the match? PATTY SCHNYDER: Sorry? Q. Were you surprised to see Steffi Graf hit the ball into the match routinely throughout the match? PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah. She made a lot of mistakes. I don't know how she was feeling, but I think she was not happy with her game. Yeah, I was playing good. I didn't make a lot of unforced errors. So she really had to play hard and make the winners. Q. Were you able to stay pretty calm? Were you having to tell yourself to calm down? What was going through your head as the match went down? PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah, at the beginning I was really nervous. Then it was the quick break, I could make. I was up 3-Love. Then I calmed down a little. At the end, it was, yeah, also -- I was terribly nervous. But somehow I could get over with it. Q. Were you actually like telling yourself to calm down, were you talking to yourself? PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah. I didn't think of staying calm. Just focus on the ball, moving, just thinking like that. Q. How did you keep from getting intimidated playing such a champion like Graf? PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah, I think there's a lot of respect I have towards her. She's the greatest player in the last ten years. Yeah, sometimes it's really difficult because you think of such things. Yeah, I tried to play against her like all other opponents, so. Q. Did you ever allow yourself at any point in the match to say, "I'm going to win this match? I'm playing well enough to win, I'm going to win this match?" PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah, for sure. If I didn't think of winning at the beginning, I don't have to go on court. I'm lost. I always thought of winning. Q. Do you think with this victory people will stop referring to you as "the other Swiss player on the tour? " PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah. I mean, I'm a little unlucky that the other Swiss -- the first Swiss is No. 1 in the world. But, I think I'm happy with my career, moving up in the rankings. People get to know me better. Yeah, I'm happy with my career. Q. During the Federation Cup, what was it like being coached by the mother of that other Swiss player? PATTY SCHNYDER: I mean, we have a good atmosphere the whole week. She just tries, yeah, to help me to win that match. We talked a lot on the bench. Yeah, it's good with her. Q. You've beaten a lot of good players. This is obviously the first time you've beaten a very good player. Given that it was Graf at the US Open, how does this moment compare to other thrills you've had in tennis? PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah, I think it's the biggest win I had. To beat Steffi in a night session before such a big crowd, to go to the quarterfinals, yeah, it's just really great. Q. Would you say that you would be more excited about, getting a big win like this at the US Open or skiing down some freshly -- some fresh powder on a Swiss slope? PATTY SCHNYDER: At the moment, tennis is my life. That's the greatest moments I live now is with tennis. Q. But you do love to ski? PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah, that's true. Q. What was going through your mind in that last game that she got a couple of breakpoints on you? Was there anything conscious going through your mind? PATTY SCHNYDER: No. I just tried to put the first serve in her backhand, yeah, tried to win every point. Q. How much of an advantage is it to be a left-hander? PATTY SCHNYDER: Today it was obvious that it's a really big advantage. But sometimes, yeah, people they return well on their backhand side, so it's not such a big deal. I'm happy I'm a little different with the left hand. Yeah, I take the advantage. Q. Could you explain why you decided to go to her backhand? Could you explain that? PATTY SCHNYDER: Because it's her weakest side, I think. Q. It's her weakest side? PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah. You always can play the rally then. With the slice, you get into the rally. Yeah, I like to play the rally, not to run after her forehand. It's really fast and deep mostly. Q. How did you keep moving (inaudible)? PATTY SCHNYDER: I don't know. I was just trying to play my game from beginning to end. Q. Was there any point where you were like thinking to yourself, "Wow, I'm doing this, this is going to be a straight-set win over Steffi Graf, centre court, US Open?" Anything like that going through your mind? PATTY SCHNYDER: No. Like I said, I was nervous to serve it out, to make that step. But I think the feelings now, they will come afterwards. I think it's just really great. Q. Did you happen to see the Graf-Serna match at Montreal? PATTY SCHNYDER: No. Q. Do you feel capable of winning the tournament? PATTY SCHNYDER: It's a long way to go. But I think I take it match after match. Let's see how far I can get. Q. What would it mean to you to win the US Open? PATTY SCHNYDER: It's a dream. Yeah, it's a dream I think of every tennis player to win a Grand Slam. Yeah, it's my dream as well. Doesn't matter if it's the US Open or the French, just to be a Grand Slam winner is great. Q. But now you have the Wimbledon Champion ahead of you. How do you feel about that? PATTY SCHNYDER: I'm happy that we don't play on grass (laughter). I think it's our first time meeting on hard court. I think I know her really well. We played I think three times this year already. I think I have good chances to win. Q. After a match like this, would you be feeling more confident or intimidated going up against her? PATTY SCHNYDER: No, I'm feeling really comfortable. I mean, to be in the quarterfinals, you have won four matches here. Just try to keep on playing good tennis. Q. Would you say that Novotna is going to play her backhand returns off your serve pretty much the same as Steffi tried? PATTY SCHNYDER: I think in the last meetings we had in the first set, she had a lot of problems as well with the serve on the backhand side. Then she was really able to adapt. Let's see how it is. Q. Do you think that's because both of them, their natural return is a slice? PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah, it must be. I think all slice players, they have more problems with my serve than the two-handed backhand. Q. You said you were nervous about Steffi Graf. Her backhand used to be her great strength. Is there no real fear of Steffi Graf anymore? PATTY SCHNYDER: I mean, it's hard to tell because I didn't play against her when she really won all those tournaments. I just think there is such a lot of respect towards her. But I think fear is not the right word. |
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