A couple hundred people around, and I'm shaking.
Anything can happen out there on any court.
As long as I feel like I can win majors and contend, I'll continue to play.
As predictable as I've been over the years, you're going to have a match like this once every 10 years. And it happened today. Disappointing.
Baseball is America's pastime, and that record is absolutely huge in the States.
Court 2 is a very small court-just not quite as comfortable. But I should come through and win, no matter what court I play on.
For so long people have just taken what I do for granted. It is not easy to do year-in, year-out, to win Grand Slams and be No. 1.
Golfers are forever working on mechanics. My tennis swing hasn't changed in 10 years.
Having won this thing a few times, I figure they might put me out there. But it's really a moot point right now.
I admire the way golfers handle themselves. But tennis players are a lot younger, as a rule. There aren't many teenagers on the golf tour.
I am going to hold serve the majority of the time. It is nice to have a little time to return serve.
I am here for the goal, and the goal is to try to do it again.
I am willing to do whatever it takes to end it No. 1. If it requires playing an extra event after Paris, I am going to do that. I am going to push hard.
I don't have an established handicap, but I'm probably about a 10.
I don't know how I do it, I really don't.
I don't look so much for tips. But when they interview a Nicklaus or a Palmer, I'm all ears. I listen to guys who have done it, been successful for years.
I don't think it really matters, who plays first. Whatever they do, they do.
I feel much more respected in Europe than I do in the States from the press and from the people. Americans expect me to win every match I play.
I guess I get my strength from my legs, which are also important in tennis.
I had a good week in Vienna, played a lot. After the Open, I didn't play for two weeks.
I have always felt this court was too fast. They slowed it down, which I like. I like to have some rallies and have some time.
I have been here quite a bit, and if I have to play Paris, Stockholm or Moscow, I am willing to do it. It is very simple-I need to play well.
I have no problem talking to Boris. He is one of the ultimate competitors I have ever played.
I just told myself to hang in there in the third and hopefully get some momentum, and I did. Things were looking pretty good there.
I let my racket do the talking. That's what I am all about, really. I just go out and win tennis matches.
I put a lot of work into the year, put a lot of high expectations. And to come up pretty empty here for the first six months is pretty, pretty discouraging.
I still feel like my game is very dangerous. I always will have my serve.
I think I will be friends with Boris for a very long time. The fact that he gave me a wildcard has nothing to do with my feelings toward Boris. We have had a lot of respect for each other over the years.
I think the image of golfers is terrific, and rightly so.
I want to end it on a high note, so I plan on being back.
I wasn't at my best. But I felt like I was going to win the match.
I wish I was playing out there on one of the Show Courts. But I love playing here.
I won my first major, I was making enough money to pay expenses, and my goals changed.
I'd love to go to a Masters or a Ryder Cup. Played Augusta once; shot 83.
I'd much rather have played him somewhere where I'm a little bit more comfortable. But it's still a tennis court, still the same dimensions.
I'm hooked. Started when I was 17, and that was it.
I'm maybe not quite as sharp as I used to be.
I'm not going to give in to the critics. I'm going to stop on my own terms, not on when someone else thinks I should.
If Davis Cup was a little bit less or once every two years, I would be more inclined to play. But the way it is now, it is too much tennis for me.
If I win and play well, then the ranking will take care of itself. Defending points is really not a problem. Just go out and play and not worry about it.
In tennis, you can make a couple of mistakes and still win. Not in golf. I played three rounds in that Tahoe event, and I was drained. Mentally, not physically.
It happens pretty quick out there, the momentum.
It is going to come down to Hannover. That is where the bulk of the points are.
It is nice to walk out on a court to have it packed.
It's a tough loss. I really felt like I could do it. I just came up short today. Pretty bummed out.
It's hard to say right now what it's going to feel like over the next week or so. Right now I don't know. You have your highs and lows, and this is definitely a low point.
Media access to us is more regulated than in golf.
Most of the time after the US Open, it is kind of like you are trying to finish strong. But to do it five years and maybe six is something that has never been done before, so it is a huge challenge.
My back just locked up, and I had a couple of days of treatment. It is not a serious injury but it is an injury you have to take care of. It can turn into a big problem.
My serve was there, everything was just clicking. Those are the days you dream about, especially in a final.
Once the fifth set comes, it's a matter of nerves.
Once the US Open is over in the States, mainstream America doesn't really follow tennis, unless you are a true tennis fan.
One bad move, and I felt it. I tried to play on it for a couple of matches and it didn't make much sense to continue playing.
People know me. I'm not going to produce any cartwheels out there. I'm not going to belong on Comedy Central. I'll always be a tennis player, not a celebrity.
People watched the Masters. It was a huge event. It was at The Garden. Now that it is over here in Europe, it has lost a little bit of popularity in the States.
Players are better today. I'm not as intimidating as I was five years ago. Players are better. I need to work on some things and start getting my confidence going.
Players aren't quite as intimidated by my name.
Success is walking out of here with the title, and anything less is not good enough in my book.
Tennis is seen all around the world; if I am home or anywhere in the country, United States, people will stare.
Tennis obviously isn't as popular as baseball in the States.
That match I played against Boris here in Hannover a few years ago was one of the ultimate experiences I have ever had.
That's not what I'm looking forward to, just being home and just kind of not really sure kind of what to do with myself.
The difference of great players is at a certain point in a match they raise their level of play and maintain it. Lesser players play great for a set, but then less.
The future is flying home. That's the immediate future. But long-distance future, I plan on being back. I'm not going to end my time here with that loss.
The game doesn't seem like it ends. After Hannover it is pretty much a month off and get ready for Australia. There is not much time off. It is unfortunate.
The way I hold the club, I've got my hand way over, like I'm driving a motorcycle. My Kawasaki grip.
There is no doubt about how hard it is to stay on top in any sport, but to do it in an individual sport for the majority of your career, it is not easy.
There should be more of an off-season in the game. I think you need to have less tournaments, more of a break at the end of the year so guys can recover.
There's always one shot that I can rely on when I'm not hitting the ball that well, is my serve.
To do it five years in a row and to tie the record, it is very tough to do in today's game.
To get ready for the French is completely different. For me to spend seven, eight weeks on clay before the French is something that would not work for me. It is too much for me.
What I've done in the game is always going to stick, no matter what happens.
When I tied the record five years in a row, even over in Europe, it wasn't really talked about. It is disappointing because it is one of the toughest things to do in sports.
When it comes to majors, I believe I can win here, the US Open, or the others.
When you come back strong, you are going to have little nagging things that you can usually play through, but every now and again, it is to the point where you can't play.
When you go through certain moments of your career and you're struggling, it just takes time. Time heals, when you're a little bit down.
When you retire you want to get as far away as possible from the game for a couple of years.
When you struggle winning matches all year and you don't really get into a groove or rhythm, you just can't expect to just come in here and have it click.
Where I fall down is my short game. I don't practice enough, and when I have to take a half swing from 50 yards out, that's trouble.
With this ranking system, the more you play, the better off you are.
You can't dig yourself holes against these guys in majors. You can't be down two sets to love against Safin or the guy I played today.
You have to change surfaces. I am sure the Tour is trying to do that to try to get one surface everyone is happy with.
You just have to face the fact that I'm out. I plan on coming back next year and the years after as long as I feel like I can do it. This is not the way I'm going to end it.
You kind of live and die by the serve.
Pete received $26,336 in prize money for reaching the third round of Roland Garros in 1997.
Pete is right-handed.
Pete has won the Miami Masters twice (in 1993 and 1994).
Pete won his first ever singles title at Philadelphia on February 19 ,1990, against Andres Gomez.
Pete's first son, Christian Charles, was born on November 21, 2001. His second child and son, Ryan Nikolas, was born on July 29, 2005.
Pete was the first mens player to serve over 1,000 aces in a season.
Pete has won a total of 64 singles titles.
When Pete won the Australian Open in 1997 his total prize money for the event was $457,178.
Pete received $549,216 for winning Wimbledon in 1995.
Pete's won-loss record in doubles is 64-70.
Pete's total career prize money is $43,280,489.
He has won the End of the Year Championships 5 times (in 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1999).
In the famous Irish comedy show "Father Ted" one character, Fr. Dougal, named a rabbit after Pete.
He won the ATP Player of the Year for six straight years from 1993-98.
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