30th May, 1999
ON TOP OF THE WORLD AFTER DUSSELDORF DELIGHT
WINNING the World Team Cup in Dusseldorf last week was one of the most satisfying achievements of my career. Everybody - myself, Mark Philippoussis, Sandon Stolle and Pat Cash, who stepped in to play doubles - pulled their weight.
Only the top eight-ranked nations were invited and the event was on clay, so for Australia to win was a fantastic achievement. While the Davis Cup overshadows the World Team Cup, the latter is a big event in its own right. Australia has reached the final five times since first winning the cup in 1979.
To break through in the heavy, slow conditions should really set us up well for the rest of the year. Confidence was the single most important thing we all drew out of the week, so it was surprising to see Mark lose in the first round of the French.
The fact that he was playing another Aussie, Jason Stoltenerg was important for Australian tennis. Stolts has the game to stick with Flip, who had the opportunity to "serve out" each of the three sets. Personally, it was terrific that my good form in the Italian Open flowed over to Dusseldorf.
I was stoked with the win against Thomas Enquist, coming back from a set down. He cleaned me up at the Australian Open, so I was glad to get some revenge. Following up with a win in the doubles, with Sandon, was icing on the cake.
THERE is a lot to play for over the next eight days or so. With Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Pete Sampras and Richard Krajicek out of the way, talk has started about the No. 1 position.
My goal is to do the best I can, and hopefully that will be enough to win the tournament. If I manage that, the ranking will take care of itself. There are just too many things that can happen in between for me to be looking any further ahead than my next match.
If I could control one thing though it would be to ensure the weather stayed hot and fine. A few degrees of warmth can really make a significant difference to the pace of a clay court.
When it is hot, clay is more like a hardcourt, which I love. And my form at Roland Garros this week has been good so far.
I can't tell you what a boost it's been to have my girlfriend Lara in Paris with me for the Open. With my tour schedule and Lara pursuing her own modelling and TV career, it's not that often our paths cross.
It means long periods away from her so we really cherish the time together. It worked out a treat that she was sent to Europe on a modelling assignment. The job was for a hair commercial in Greece which was very convenient considering I was playing events in Italy, Germany and France. Now Lara's joined me in Paris and it's really given me a mental lift.
It's healthy to have supportive people around you, regardless of what you're doing, and Lara and my brother Peter do just that.
The nature of the tour is such, though, that I tend to travel mostly on my own. Lara and I travel together when our schedules permit but when I''m at tournaments without her I guess I notice the difference with most of the other players. A lot of the guys -and some of the girls, too - travel with a lot of people.
It's fine to have a network of friends and coaches, but it's also a personal thing. I dont travel with a coach. I'm in the fortunate position of being able to tap in with Tony Roche at various tournaments.
Rochey is the best coach in the world. Outside of catching up with him, I tend to limit my travelling partners to Lara and my family. Occasionally, I'll tour with a mate, such as Matthew MacMahon, but I think there is less expectation from others if you're on your own. That way you can create your own goals and lock in on them.