G. Ivanisevic Interview
Monday, June 21, 2004
THE MODERATOR: Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. Goran Ivanisevic.
Q. When you won in 2001, you said there were three guys.
Who were they again?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Good, bad and the emergency one.
Q. In medical circles, there are rumors circulating that Emergency Goran,
Goran 911, is seriously depressed, has had nothing to do, not enough
crises. Are those reports correct?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: No. I was never depressed in my life, you know. I'm not
a person to be depressed. Just want to have fun and enjoy.
Just good to be there one there in case these two get in fight. So third
one comes. It's like a referee in the box. So has to stop. Both they go to
their own corners and then they relax. After one minute, they come back
and they okay.
Q. So 911 Goran is healthy?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Is like a guru, is like a healer. Not a depressed guy.
Imagine if he be the depressed one, he be confused, to be disaster.
Q. What was it like to walk out on Centre Court today?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Beautiful. It's the first time actually I walk on Centre
Court first round in my whole Wimbledon career. It's new, nice. Grass is
very green. Unbelievable feeling, you know, after last time I play on the
Centre Court, I had a great memory. Today I played another great match,
you know.
You cannot play bad on this court. You can be nervous, but bad, is
impossible to play bad.
Q. Were you in a hurry?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: I was thinking actually it will be nice to finish in
three sets. And then everything was -- whatever I wanted to hit went in.
So, you know, it's just nice to finish. And now I'm getting ready.
I'm starting to get nervous.
Q. You say you never get depressed. Will you be depressed if England wins
tonight?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: I be sad, not depressed. But they're not going to win,
so I don't have. Why think? Still one and a half hour before the game.
Q. Don't you think you've used up all your fortune today,
all the net cords?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: That's for me, you know. They have the other.
But today everything, really, you know, like, they still want me to play
here. You know, they don't want me to lose first round. And you know,
it's just I had a little luck, but I think he didn't have any chance.
With my luck, no luck, I was too good today. I really played one of the
best matches for long time. Whatever I hit, like I say, return, serve,
volleys, from the back, was too good.
Q. How was the shoulder feeling?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: So far is okay. You know, hopefully I'm not going to say
is too good because next day I'm not able to serve. But is good. Around 115,
120, 125, I'm hitting a serve. Not like in Queen's. In Queen's I was
hitting over 130. But I'm pleased the way I serve. If I can keep this
level of serving, I'm be okay.
Q. The reaction of the crowd today.
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Just perfect. This is really great. Is going to be sad
when, you know, if I have to lose one of these matches. But crowd is great.
English crowd really have great relationship. That's one of the reason I
came back, because I wanted to play one more Wimbledon. I want to retire
here, and because of this crowd who really supported me all these 15 years.
Q. Did that make up for not being able to make the walk out in 2002?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: And they change the schedule. You know, they usually put
the women's after men's, you know. Was Roger, woman and me. Now they change,
they put me. So is another great gift from the Wimbledon committee, so I
have to say thank you so I can watch the game. It was great reception when
I walked in, when I walked out even better. It's just beautiful.
Q. Even though you're not nearly as old as Martina Navratilova, do you feel
some kinship with her today? These two great players who are icons in
Wimbledon history coming out to play maybe their last Wimbledon on the
same day. Do you feel any connection with her at all?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: I cannot compare myself. She is other level. She is from
other planet, you know. She's 48, 50, I don't know. She won 6?Love, 6?1.
It's too good. She won how many Grand Slam? How many tournament?
More than hundred.
She is one of the few woman tennis player I respect. I have to admit,
she's really great. You know, she's -- some -- I was reading in the
French Open some of the colleagues of her, she gave her like hard time,
why she's coming back, why she give to wildcard, she should give to younger.
But look at her here. She's really looking good, playing good, running.
I mean, is 48. Probably I going to be in wheelchair at 48. But she's just
great, great. She's my hero, you know. And she's lefty. I always like to
watch her.
Q. The last time we saw you here, there was the danger of your father
having a heart attack. He looked a little calmer today. Have you spoken
to him?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: He has to be calm. You know, I have nothing -- I won my
Wimbledon. I just came here to say good?bye and have fun. If I win couple
of matches, is great. If not, is also great.
So he's relaxed. He's happy. He's happy for me that I'm winning and I'm
feeling good, you know. I'm starting to play best tennis and I going to
retire. This is sad, you know (smiling).
Q. Who are the other few women players you respect?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: I respect Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Williams sisters.
Wait. Who else was there?
Q. Justine, Chris Evert?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Chris Evert. Justine, I think she has to be a couple more
years there, then she going to start.
Q. Monica?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Monica Seles.
Q. Do you expect to play on centre second round?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: I don't care. I played my centre. Was important I play
today, you know. I think I played a great match, and this is really --
probably next round I'm going to play the Englishman so is going to be
another good court, but which one I don't know. To be honest, if I play
like this, I can play here in the parking.
Q. Will you catch the plane to Portugal today?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: I can catch a space shuttle. One hour is the game. No way.
Q. Before you walked on court today, how concerned were you that you might
not be able to bring a good competitive level of tennis?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: I was a little bit nervous. I knew I playing good. I play
really good in Queen's. I had a little better luck. I really practice hard
last two weeks. And I really felt the ball good.
But practice is one. Tournament, especially Wimbledon, you can't compare
this tournament to any. And I was a little concerned. As soon as I start
today, I knew is going to be a good day. I really started very aggressive.
I felt good. Then I was scared with these couple of stops that is going to,
you know, maybe put my game a little down.
But now, you know, when I came third time, just sun was shining, I was
shining. Third set was just brilliant, too good. Really happy the way I play.
Q. Was it almost like you had never left your last match here, the final.
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Something like that, you know. It's different. You know,
the final is final. But today I also felt a little nervous, you know.
But makes you -- you know, gives you to play good. You have to play good
on this court. As soon as you step, you know, you have to give everything,
all you have. Today I think I gave everything what I had and was very good.
Q. Had the tiebreak gone against you, would your father have stayed to
watch you?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Who?
Q. Your father.
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Why not?
Q. With the football.
GORAN IVANISEVIC: He came here to watch me, not the football. I am the
football fan. He likes to watch football, but I am the maniac for football.
Q. Was there ever a moment today when you thought, "This is why I kept on
playing for two years"?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yes. That was the moment when I walked in, when I hit
some great serves, great volleys. When I saw this crowd, then I said that
was worth it for these two years, struggling, doing therapy, all kinds of
therapy, being up and down, thinking to stop. But it was worth it. It was
worth it to fight and come back and be today on the Centre Court.
Q. Did you doubt that you would come back at some points?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yes. I had the tough times, to be honest. I had tough
times. I had to decide. And then I decide this year to stop. But I play
clay. They ask me why I play on clay losing first round. But I play only
because of Wimbledon. Because more I play matches, my shoulder was better,
you know. Because if I had to stop another one month, for sure I wouldn't
be here. So I play like three, four tournaments on clay. I was losing
first round. But my plan was just to show up for Wimbledon and everything
was like working for this tournament.
And I think I did a good job.
Q. How did winning here change your life?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: I change like I never anything before. Everybody talking
about this Wimbledon, me being Wimbledon Champion, like for the last 13
years I never been in the final, like I never won any tournament.
They just say, "Oh, he's a Wimbledon Champion."
But is great. I didn't change. Everything around me changed. Is nice to
be Wimbledon Champion. People respect you, and is nice to see my name there.
When I was sitting, you know, after this one rain break, was 2001, my name.
Is really nice, you know.
Sometimes I still cannot believe, "What my is name doing there?" I thought
somebody made mistake, but they didn't. I'm the Wimbledon Champion and
I'm a member. My tie, I had this little thing so I can walk in the area,
which I couldn't even watch on TV before, you know.
Q. And back home, did it change everything?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: Back home, I think the people, there was missing in my
career this one big Grand Slam. Always like be the guy, maybe the best
player who never won a Grand Slam. And at home it's the same, you know.
I'm Goran for them. Especially in Split, "Here is Goran, who cares."
Q. When you are 47, can you paint a picture of what your life is going to
be back?
GORAN IVANISEVIC: No idea. No idea. I don't know what is going to be
tomorrow. What about 47? I still have 15 years. Who knows. But I going
to be in tennis. I going to play, I going to probably still be in shape.
But I not going to play like Martina. And is tougher, men's tennis.
---
Goran的訪談還是一樣整篇字字珠璣
可愛幽默有趣
整篇我最喜歡的就是"The sun was shining. I was shining."
Indeed he was. :)
---
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 140.112.216.120