WIMBLEDON

June 20, 2005

Mark Philippoussis

THE MODERATOR: Mark Philippoussis. Who would like to ask the first question?

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah, I'm pretty pleased. Felt like as the match went on, I played better and better. So bit of kind of a slow start. I had a break, and then let him get back into it, let him serve for it at 5-3. But happy the way I got back and broke him.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah, because I didn't have some great rhythm out there at the start on my serve. Took me a good set to get the rhythm. But the good thing is every service game I felt like I was in with a chance. I didn't feel like he was overpowering me on his serve, in his service games. I knew if I just hung in there and made him play, I had a chance to break him.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Definitely looking forward to it. I was impressed the way he played today. I thought he played well. But I'm definitely looking forward to it on Wednesday.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I assume I'm going to have to play a very -- you know, just a consistent match. Mentally I've got to be strong. I can't allow myself to have any lows during the match. It's definitely something I feel like I'm going to be up for and definitely looking forward to it.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I feel pretty comfortable on this surface. He definitely, after what I've seen, looks like he's getting more comfortable on the surface, you know, definitely finding his game a little more out there.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah. It's another match. I'm ready for it.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Definitely, definitely. I feel pretty strong out there. So, uhm, like I said, I've worked pretty hard off the court. I've been pulling up well last week, after those four matches. I'm feeling pretty good now, so...

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: To be quite honest, I don't really sit down and think too much or lose sleep about it too much, but I definitely agree with him.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I honestly have no idea.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Why I agree, you've got to look at the players coming up. Unfortunately, we don't have too much. You know, there's no one stepping up, there's no one qualifying or in the top hundred, qualifying for these events, winning some good matches. You know, there's no one stepping up. That's definitely I'm sure what he's talking about.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No, it wasn't any particular day where it clicked or anything like that. Like I said, I think if you train hard, it's going to eventually pay off. You know, your body's going to get stronger, you're going to feel a lot more comfortable, you're going to feel a lot more hungry out there. You know, you just feel comfortable. And most importantly, I'm happy to be out there and enjoying myself.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah, it's a decision I made. I don't normally play tournaments -- a tournament before the Grand Slam. But I thought I wanted to make a change. It's not like I've won a bunch of Grand Slams, so I'll keep the same thing going (smiling). You know, it ended up being a great week. It was a blessing. I went there. It was a good tournament. Got some points, got some match play in four matches, got some confidence back. Yeah, it definitely was a blessing.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I'm just here like every other player. I'm just worrying about today. Today I went out there and took it a point at a time, a game at a time, a set at a same time, got through today. Tomorrow I'm going to warm up and practice, have a day off. Wednesday I'll go out there and do the same thing as I did today. Simple as that. Not going to look too far ahead, make things complicated, try to think too much in it.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Uhm, well, obviously being, you know, such a good surface for me, it definitely is an opportunity for me to go out there and start this sort of comeback thing in a positive way, you know, hopefully to let it roll into the American summer. So see how it goes.