WIMBLEDON

June 26, 2003

Mark Philippoussis

MODERATOR: Good evening, Mark Philippoussis.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah. Obviously, it doesn't worry me what court I play on. This is still Wimbledon, I'm still in the tournament. So for me, you know, I'm just happy to get out there. You know, it's always been my dream to play here as a kid, so it's just a great feeling every time you get out on the court, no matter what court you're playing on.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah. I'm happy. I think today I was a lot more solid than yesterday. I felt good on the serve and volleying and on the groundstrokes. I kind of lost my concentration a little in the third when I was up a break, you know, with a double-fault, like an easy missed forehand. Besides that, the guy played some good points. I was pretty happy.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Like I said, I feel like every match I'm playing, I'm getting better. My rhythm's getting better. I'm not rushing as much. I'm setting up the points better. You know, I'm not sure when the last time I made those unforced errors. Like I said, it felt pretty good.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I honestly think, if anything, it gets easier. I honestly think the first week is the toughest week to get through, the first couple matches. I feel like every match, you know, I get through, game comes together a little better, your strokes get better, you know, the rhythm on the serve and volley gets a little better. So, you know, I think things start coming together a lot more, with each match you play.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Don't tell me who I play. I don't want you to say anything.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Well, obviously, I mean, he's huge - coming here is so dangerous, no matter what surface he plays on, but especially Wimbledon, winning it I don't know how many times, six times or something. Obviously, it's nice not to see his name in the draw, there's no doubt about that. So, you know... But the thing is, there's still no easy matches out there. No matter who you play, it's always going to be tough.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I don't know if I think that way, to be quite honest. There's so many tough players here. There's no way I'll be thinking like that. Like I said, obviously it's nicer when you don't see him in a draw.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No. I mean, I really can't remember. I remember hitting the ball great, you know, feeling good. You know, I don't know. I can't really compare the difference. I can't remember that much.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: It's so tough to say. You'd never know if I would have won another set. Who knows if I would have won the match. You can never say what could have happened.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: You know, it's going to be a tough match. Scotty is a very talented player. He can play some great tennis. He can be a little loose. Then you have Stepanek, who is solid all the way around. The guy can serve and volley because he's played some great doubles. Guy has had some good results in doubles. You know he can serve and volley. He's got great groundstrokes. They're both dangerous. You know, it's something I'm looking forward to. Again, I just got to go out there and play my own game and focus on that.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No. I mean, I'm only thinking about the match I'm playing. Now I'm thinking about the next round. That's where my mind is. Tomorrow I'm just going to have an easy hit, relax. Saturday, when that day comes, I'll think about the match. Nothing further than that.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I mean, that's how I feel, especially on a surface like this. I mean, you know, a grass court, obviously you would think would favor a serve and volleyer. If someone is serving huge, volleying good, playing solid, there's not much you can do. You have to concentrate on your service games. The great thing is if you're serving big, you're confident in your service games, you're winning them comfortably; when you do return you have that opportunity to take some chances and step it up, whether it be chip-and-charging, trying to go for some winners. That tends to put some pressure on the other person.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No. I mean, I've always been aggressive in tiebreakers. I mean, the thing is, you don't want to get to a tiebreaker, when you get there, step back and say, "Just make him play," get on the back foot. Obviously, it's extremely important. You want to, you know, make the guy play. You want to do all this. But, again, it's tough, because you don't want to, you know, step away from your game, which is being aggressive, so...

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I definitely think the courts are a little slower.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Well, I won't be doing that (smiling). I guess some people -- you know, the guys who are doing that I think can get away with a little more now than what they could have in the past. That's what I think.

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I wouldn't say that, because every point in a tiebreak is so important. You know, it's not like in the service games, you're down 40-Love, you can take a whack at it. But every point is so important in a tiebreaker, you want to make him play but, again, be aggressive. You know, if you feel confidence in your hitting range, give it a whack, but nothing crazy. Be aggressive, but still try to get the ball in.