YEVGENY KAFELNIKOV defeated JASON STOLTENBERG

7-5 3-6 7-6 7-6

21 January 1999

Q. Tough match?

A. Yeah, it was, yeah.

Q. Were you happy to survive?

A. Well, especially in these circumstances, yeah. Would
have been a lot worse, you know, being on the court for 3
hours 30 minutes and losing match, but now I feel a lot
better.

Q. You are happy not to play a fifth set, I gather?

A. To be honest, I wouldn't mind playing a fifth set, but,
lets' face it, I'd rather win in fourth sets than to hang
in and fight again in the fifth set, although nobody knew
how it's going to go, that fifth set, but I am just glad
I pulled that one away, you know, and I am very happy at
this moment.

Q. You have played a lot of places, but playing a crowd
favourite in hard conditions, is that difficult or does
it help you focus more?

A. I tell you one thing; doesn't matter what opponent you
play in the Grand Slam everybody wants to win; that's the
bottom line. That's why everybody came here for, to win,
and so do I. Well, I will try to do everything I can to
do one match at a time and let's see how it goes the next
round, but it always definitely nice to have the crowd
behind you.

Q. You've got a new coach, it's a new year; do you feel a
little bit refreshed now after having a long - - -?

A. It's a new venture, new challenge; hopefully, you know,
things will work well, and, you know, I will achieve all
those goals that I set up for myself for 99; yes, it's
nice to have somebody that, you know, that you are
playing for, and, you know, it's a great feeling, yeah.

Q. The second set stands out on the score line apart from
the others. Was there any particular problem for you in
that?

A. In the second set?

Q. Yeah?

A. To be honest, I was frustrated to hear the noise from the
back court where Anna played. I had so many
opportunities in the second set, you know, that I felt I
should have won, you know. Let's face it, all the other
three sets, I was coming from behind, and, to be honest,
I felt I shouldn't have lost that one, but I am the kind
of player who likes to come always from behind, you know,
to challenge players, you know, but I really don't know
what happened in the second set. I had 3 times 0-30 on
Jason's serve and couldn't do anything at that stage, you
know. It was really frustrating for me to, you know,
lose that set being 2 sets love-one is a different ball
game; you know, one set all. You have to start all over
again the game, but like I said, I'm very happy I won;
that's the bottom line at this moment.

Q. With your new coach, are you doing new things or new
preparation or new way to approach matches?

A. Yeah, we are trying to create something new, you know,
specially for my game. I am trying to play a lot more
aggressive than I played before, and I feel like I needed
somebody that I could play for. That feeling I was
missing, particularly in 1998, and that was really sad
moment because obviously I was 7 months alone without
coach, and it was a difficult period for me to travel on
my own, you know, but now things have changed and, like I
said, it's a new venture and challenge.

Q. You probably will have Courier in your next round. Can
you talk about that? He is up two sets now.

A. I play Jim a bunch of times. We know each other really
well, but I like my chances.

Q. Why is that - just because you are striking the ball
well?

A. Well, everybody knows Jim is going through a difficult
period, and especially last year, and, you know, everyone
knew that he was kind of unsatisfied with his game and,
you know, the rumours going on that he was going to quit,
but that didn't happen, but I feel like I'm playing well
enough at the moment to get through, especially that
round.

Q. Do you understand what Anna is going through with her
serve? She had 31 double faults.

A. In 3 sets but what can you do? She still won the match.
I wouldn't mind doing that. I will serve 100 double
faults and win the match. I wouldn't mind doing that, as
long as I keep going, but of course it's a sad moment you
know serving 31 double faults in 3 set match. I serve
also once 22 double faults in a five set match, but
obviously it is just one set of, just giving away one
set, 31 points.

Q. Can you understand what she is going through or
how - - -

A. To be honest, I don't. I don't.

Q. Did you speak with her about that?

A. She wouldn't want to listen.

Q. You had many matches the years before. Will it change
with your new coach? Will you tend to play less or not?

A. No, like I said before, I like to play a lot of matches,
I like to play a lot of tournaments. I like to play a
lot of doubles matches. That's the way I am. Every time
I win it's another motivation to help me go back on to
the court and compete again. You know, that's my
lifestyle, my game style. I don't know how you can take
it. All I can say, I'm physically ready for that.

Q. Can you quickly tell me your favourite memory and worst
memory from Davis Cup?

A. Davis Cup? Yeah.

Q. Would it be 1995?

A. '94, we went to the final. '95, we went to the final.
You know all those years were really remarkable years,
you know, and it's nice to remember that, and too bad
that we didn't win it, as was probably, you know, twice
in the final at home, and we were unable to make it.

Q. What about some good wins, though, that you had leading
up to that?

A. In Davis Cup?

Q. Yeah, leading up to the final, some of the ones you
remember?

A. I remember once that - when was that? You know, on the
way to the final, I mean, I never beat anybody who I
could remember, really. '94, you know, I had wins over
Korda and Karbacher, and then '95, I'm not quite sure who
was it. I had a win over Wayne Ferreira once in a
quarter final, and then again I lost to Stich and beat
Karbacher when we beat Germany. Then I beat Jim in the
final, when we played Moscow, but still we lost the
match. You know, it's nice to win Davis Cup matches
specially when you play at home, but, you know, it's
really sad when you lose at home also.

Q. What about the match against Pete?

A. All I can say Pete probably played one of the greatest
matches he ever had on a clay court, especially those two
matches that he played against Olhovsky and myself. I
never ever saw him play that good on the surface, never.

Q. Did you protect your face before the match?

A. No, I did not.

Q. Did you see your nose?

A. It's burnt, yeah. I feel it.

Q. Does that mean you didn't expect the match to go so many
hours?

A. To be honest, I expect it was going to be a very
difficult match because Jason was coming from Sydney. He
had some great wins. He beat Krajicek there. I knew it
was going to be difficult. To be honest, I did prepare
myself for a very long match. That is why I was able to
maintain, to keep the level, you know, that I was
playing. Otherwise, if I would have felt I was going to
win the first 3 sets, I mean, I don't know what would
have happened, but, you know, I was able to maintain the
level, you know, and it was just great.

Q. How is Jason regarded on the pro circuit? A lot of
people are saying he is a good bloke. Is he regarded as
a good, honest tennis player or something better?

A. I mean, he does so many good things, you know. He is
solid of both backhand and forehand, serves well, volleys
well. The guy doesn't have weaknesses, you know, but
sometimes he breaks down, especially in the crucial stage
of the match, it's like, you know, in the first set, he
was serving for the set at 5-3, I was able to break him
and then I was down again in the third and the fourth,
you know, so many things. To be honest, I cannot explain
what he is going through at those particular stages. I
mean I myself was also having a difficult time when I was
coming up, didn't have enough experience, but it seems to
me I'm much better right now than I was before. Normally
I wouldn't want to say that, you know. We both were
really fighting. You should have seen the match. I
mean, we were both really struggling physically and I
mean I was dead and he probably felt that too, and I
don't know what would have happened if in the fifth set,
if we were to have one.