Ivanisevic leaves U.S. Open a happy man

Goran Ivanisevic showed off the new maturity and confidence he carries in the afterglow of his Wimbledon triumph despite being knocked out of the U.S. Open in the third round on Sunday.

"You know, I am disappointed because I lost, but overall, after Wimbledon, my tennis is improving. I am improving. I'm happier, playing good tennis," said the 29-year-old Croat after falling 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-2) to 40th-ranked Spaniard Albert Costa.

Ivanisevic, who often turned morose and showed his darker side after Open disappointments in the past, was all sweetness and light this time.

The lanky Ivanisevic even stayed on the Louis Armstrong Stadium court after the match to sign autographs.

"It's like a great thing when you leave the court, you get a standing ovation almost. It makes you happy," he said.

"You leave a happy man in New York. That's great. That means that I gave my best, that people had a good time. They like to watch me."

Ivanisevic, who lost for the fourth straight time to Costa, said he felt he could have won the match had he not missed so many easy volleys and had served better, but he gave his opponent credit, too.

"He's a good player. He's the Spanish guy who can come in, who is not a typical Spanish player. He is very aggressive. He can come in. He can serve and volley.

"You know, if you don't play good against him, you lose to him."

Ivanisevic was asked if he could have ever imagined turning his year around after hitting a low point at the beginning of 2001 when he faced a long, miserable flight home after failing to qualify for the Australian Open.

"It was so bad," recalled Ivanisevic. "It was a long, tough flight, disgusting flight, all kind of bad.

"You can't be happy. You sit there and you are just unhappy even sitting, standing, eating, watching movie, you're not happy.

"Now I'm happy. Now, the people are fun. I have fun.

"I lost a match today I could have own, but I didn't. I go forward, looking forward to the next tournament. See what happens."

Monday, 3 September 2001 07:48:17