Interviews
Q. Talk about how you feel today?
IVANISEVIC: Perfect. Just I serve well,
everything was very smooth. And it's tough to lose when
you play like this, he play also not bad. But I just felt
great. I was not bothered by heat, everything was fine.
Q. Are you surprised you're able to play
like this?
IVANISEVIC: No, I'm not. I play
actually all the year good. And now, when I won
Wimbledon, I just -- I don't care. I mean, I care, but I
play some shots usually a wouldn't play. You know, I go
for a shot, I serve first and second without too many
difference, and going for the shot. So when those things
goes in, I expect to win, that will happen today, you
know, and hopefully I can continue to play like this, with
that kind of confidence.
Q. Is it because of confidence you're
playing that way?
IVANISEVIC: Because I'm playing good,
I'm really hitting the good. Well, in Wimbledon I hit the
ball well, and before Wimbledon I hit the ball well. And
Wimbledon was a breakthrough. And now I continue to hit
the ball well. Plus an enormous amount of confidence in
me. In '96 I wanted lose the match, and I couldn't. And
then for last two years I wanted to win so bad the match,
and couldn't win. Now I'm back again with this, I don't
want to lose, but I just relax on the court, and hitting
the ball.
Q. With a win like the one you've been
waiting for so long, when do you actually start really
realizing that you've done it? Can you take us through
the days before and the day you started realizing you
actually did it?
IVANISEVIC: I'm realizing all the time, but sometimes
I forget. But then when I see the pictures that people
give me to sign, me with the trophy, then I say, okay,
it's me, you know, I won Wimbledon. And then sometimes
when you look at the draw, you know, from 128 guys, you
know, I won, it still -- I going to think all my life.
Sometimes I cannot believe, sometimes I believe. It's
just true, you know, that I won. But that was meant to be
this year, I think, with all the bad things for two years
what was happening to me. It was perfect that I won,
before it wouldn't be so good like this year.
Q. What was it like going back to Split, can
you tell us?
IVANISEVIC: That was thing that you see
and then you can die. Almost 200,000 people, and the city
is 300,000 people. So everybody -- they said everybody
who was not dead came to welcome me there. And was just
-- I can't describe it. It was just greeat. I didn't know
what to say. I took my clothes off. And it was perfect.
Was really -- I saw how these people appreciated I won.
Whole Croatia and my city wanted me to do so well. And
they came to welcome me and thank me that I gave them hope
and joy these two weeks.
Q. And you arrived --
IVANISEVIC: At the airport a lot of
people, then with the boat I went to the port, full port
full of little boats. And with the car, I came on the
stage, it was unbelievable. It was just too good. And
then there I took off my clothes. The speech, went to
another party. And then I was like partying for two days.
Didn't sleep for four nights. So then I needed like ten
days to rest, you know, from no sleeping and from all this
partying and interviews and everything, you know.
Q. You did a lot of TV?
IVANISEVIC: I did more interviews in ten
days then all my career. I mean, Wimbledon, I went after
the final, I went out to celebrate. I came home 6:30 in
the morning and in front of my door the TV was waiting for
me. So I gave interview 6:30 in the morning, next 7:15,
and then BBC Breakfast show 8:15, then press conference at
11. And then I flew back home. And then there I gave a
lot of interviews. It was okay. I knew that I did
something, you know, something good because of all those
interviews.
Q. When do you take the racket back again?
IVANISEVIC: I took racket back like week
before I came here. I just practice one hour a day, a
little bit. I started with physical training. And I came
here on Wednesday, just to prepare a little bit, because
still, I don't like to lose. Doesn't matter, I step on
the court I want to win. Doesn't matter what sport, what
things. Specially tennis. So I'm playing more relaxed,
but I still want to win.
Q. When you're traveling the world, do you
even think what it means to the people at home, or did
that surprise you?
IVANISEVIC: It means a lot. Because,
you know, whole world saw this picture of Split, my
welcoming party. Everybody was talking about my winning
Wimbledon. It's a big thing for my country and my city.
I did a big thing, not only for myself, but for Croatia.
And they're all thankful for that.
Q. Does that mean the most for you?
IVANISEVIC: When I was an a little kid I
dreamed to win Wimbledon. I don't know why. I watched
all the other Grand Slams, but I always wanted to win
Wimbledon. From all these three final disappointment, out
of nowhere I come winning, that kind of style, Monday, you
know, in front of that crowd, it's just too good.
Q. After the game it was said that it was
the best final ever at Wimbledon. You must feel very
proud that you were part of that?
IVANISEVIC: Maybe not the best ever,
very exciting, best atmosphere maybe ever. I don't --
Monday they let 10,000 tickets, just like that, like on
the football match. And I was proud to play on that day
on that court. And even if I lose, you know, I mean,
wouldn't mind, but was really unbelievable. Was really --
I am glad I was part of that final that day.
MODERATOR: It's also the longest fifth
set in Wimbledon history, the 9-7.
Q. Are you surprised that happened, that the
adulation came like that, that everyone was so excited
that you -- you sound much more excited about tennis this
year than you have in any past year.
IVANISEVIC: I am because, you know, when
you top ten for like most of your career, and then
everybody expect big things from you. And then for past
two years you're just going down underground, you can't go
further down, and everybody talking about my retirement,
that I should stop, it's not good to see me playing like
that. And then I'm listening to that. So I don't know
what to do. And then I say, okay, I give it a shot, maybe
the last year I try my best. And then Wimbledon happened.
But for two years I was really down. I can act good, I
can be happy, you know, but I am not happy, you know, but
you're not going to see that I am not happy because I'm
going to laugh, talk, stupid things.
Q. But before those two years you were top
ten?
IVANISEVIC: Right. I was in the top ten
for a long time. And then suddenly I was not going slowly
down, I came like straightaway. You know top ten, top
fifty, and then hundred, you know, and then hundred -- I
was there 90, 100, 128. It's tough to go further, you
know. And then, you know, I went back to 16. With me
it's no middle, I'm up or down, I can't do anything normal
in my life. Maybe I'm not normal, you know. So I'm on
the top or I'm -- I don't know where.
Q. Patrick's talking about taking six months
off, how close did you ever really come to that point that
you just thoughts this is it?
IVANISEVIC: I wanted -- I lost first
rounds of quallies in Australia after flying 24 hours for
three days. I almost tanked, actually. And I say to my
myself, what am I doing. And what am I doing, I come
here, there's no point in playing. Then I say, try it. I
go back to challengers, I played quallies, I did
everything, and that paid off. Maybe I going to try
another year, next year. Not maybe, for sure. I want to
be back at one o'clock on Monday to defend my title. But
it's tough. So many young guys, and you have to practice
every day and travel every week. And it's not easy. And
no more easy matches. Before you have a couple of easy
matches, now you have to play against everybody, because
it doesn't matter if he's qualified or not. I understand
one way, but I think he's still young, too good
personality for Patrick to leave tennis. It's a pity that
he leaves.
Q. After what happened, in what state of
mind will you go to the US Open?
IVANISEVIC: I going to go happy man, you
know, and relaxed. And you never know with me. I can
wake up and do well. I don't think at this stage I can
lose to some strange guys, you know, but I can, because it
depends on what my mood is going to be on the day of the
match. But with this kind of confidence, this tournament,
and I have another two before the US Open, I think I'll be
fine. My form will be better, and I going to prepare.
Because a Grand Slam is different. As soon as this Monday
of Grand Slam, you start to think different. You know,
it's best of five, and it's a different atmosphere.
Q. Can you talk about the match with Guga
tomorrow?
IVANISEVIC: He's number one in the
world, never beat him -- actually, yes.
Three and one.
IVANISEVIC: I lost to him last time in
Key Biscayne, last year six and three. And I think if I
serve well, I think I have my chances. I have to serve
well and play like I did today and the other day. Just go
there and if I stay with him, relish too much, then it's
-- I mean, I have a chance, but he's beetter than me, so I
have to do what I am doing better than him, you know,
serving and coming to the net. So we see what's going to
happen in that.
MODERATOR: Anything else?
Q. You've always had fans, loyal fans have
come to watch you play, regardless of whether you win or
lose. What does it mean to you now to know they come to
watch you win?
IVANISEVIC: Well, it's great. Because,
you know, they follow me because they don't know what to
expect, you know. For two years they were hoping, you
know, something's going to happen. And suddenly Wimbledon
happens. But they believe in me. And it's nice when I
come to Wimbledon and ninety percent of English crowd is
supporting me. I played Rusedski, I don't know if he's
English or I am. Okay, with him a different story. But I
have a lot of supporters there. And final match, a lot of
people came to support me. And the people maybe feel
sorry for me with these three Wimbledons, with my
personality, they like that. So it's really great. I
give them joy, they give me back. And it's just perfect
match.
Right, the disclaimer. The interviews do not belong to me and are not being used for any form of profit on my behalf. Just to feed our craving for Goran.