WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 2, 2004

Greg Rusedski

THE MODERATOR: Go ahead with questions.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, no, I've been playing really well since I've gotten to America. I felt, you know, I've gained confidence with each match I've played. Today I was faced with one breakpoint. He took it. And then I really didn't have any breakpoints against me, and took advantage. It was very important for me to get that break in the second set.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, that was basically it. Because you know he's not going to serve and volley on you. You want to make him play as many balls as you can. It was actually quite nice today. It was a little cool out there compared to the last two days (laughing). That was the strategy, was to block it back and make him play a lot of balls. Because he goes after his first and second serve quite a bit.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I think it was, you know, when I got the break in the second set. I felt the momentum. I felt I was getting stronger and he was keeping the same. Also I mixed up my serve, and, you know, he wasn't getting any beat on my serve whatsoever so that really helped.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think just right away. I mean, I went -- got to Newport. I had fond memories there. That was the first place I won my first title. I beat a guy in the first round who I lost to at the US Open last year. I think just with every match I was getting better. I felt like I put in a lot of work the past few months, and I knew it was gonna click at a certain stage. It was just a question of when, whether it was going to take a little bit longer or whether it was going to come sooner. Everything just started to click and build, and that's what staying in there does. Because, you know, as I said for my comeback, you know, I was going to lose a lot of matches and I was going to go out and play challengers. Starting on clay for me probably was the worst-case scenario. But, you know, at least I went out there and I lost matches I had to lose to get to the stage where I'm starting to win matches. I feel like I'm playing quite well, and with every match I'm improving.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think I'm always pretty tough on myself. It's only normal to get down when you're losing to guys you feel like you should beat. But you also have to be realistic. You know, I think I proved a lot to myself winning Newport after everything I've been through. A lot of people, it would have been tough for them just to come out and win another title. And then to go to Los Angeles and win another two matches. So I hadn't won seven matches in a long time. You know, just every match I play, the better I feel. Then this week I proved to myself again. Obviously, I was disappointed I didn't get the wildcard in the quallies, but I just came here - not in the quallies, main draw I mean - I came here, I qualified, which was good for me, to prove that I deserved a main draw place, and then I beat Enqvist. So every match, it's accomplishing something new every time for me.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I was happy to get through because it was a tough match for me. Thomas is a good player. He's another guy who's come back as well. He was out of the Top 100, and now he's up to 50. So I knew it was gonna be a tough match. These tournaments, it's so important with every match to try to win somehow. And as you saw from today's competition level, there were a lot of tough three-set matches. So every round you get through here, the points are high, the ranking goes up, and you know you're going to play good players and good tennis. So it was a good win for me today.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I'd rather be the guy in the main draw, to be honest with you, rather than being the qualifier (laughing). But, no, it did help out because I got two matches under conditions that were a lot hotter than today. I mean, I played the last two matches starting at two, between two and four, which is the hottest part of the day, and got through those. So that put me in good shape for today. Today for me felt quite cool out there. I got lucky. I started around three when it started to cool down. The humidity wasn't as high as Saturday and Sunday.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, it is. It's great. I mean, I had a week off because I played 11 straight weeks, which is a lot of tennis. So, you know, it was great to come here, qualify, win the matches. But the more matches you win, the more confident you feel, the stronger you feel, and the more you start believing in yourself. So I played 13 matches, and I won 11. So it's going well so far.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I don't really know. I'm just -- it's funny. I'm putting things into different perspective. Just going out there, enjoying it, being healthy, and playing good tennis. If I do that, I'm going to win a lot more matches than I'm going to lose. I'm not putting that extra expectation. Obviously, I want to do well. But also I have to be realistic as well. I mean, if you look at right now, the top guy in the world is Federer who's distanced himself from the pack. I mean, there's Federer and then there's the rest, really, at the moment. Roddick is second, but he's 7-1. I mean, he's dominating people. So I'm not even putting myself in that level right now. I'm just enjoying it. Every win I can get, the better I can get. I just want to get my ranking up so I can get into all these big tournaments every week.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think I have something to prove, you know. A lot of people have written me off. I think I've answered my critics pretty well the last three or four weeks. You know, some said I'd be on the challenger circuit playing every week and in the futures. But I'm bringing myself back to where I want to be on the main tour. I think I'm still good enough on the hard courts and the grass courts and carpet to do well. Clay might be a different story, but, you know, that's the way tennis goes.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I just -- I mean, the players were very understanding of the situation because you've got 63 players now with the same situation that's arisen. They're trying to find a solution; they haven't found a solution. We're just trying to get this all behind us. I'm trying to put everything behind me by winning tennis and being able to talk about tennis rather than those sort of questions. So that's the nice thing, is coming into a press conference and talking about winning matches and doing good things. That's nice to be able to put that behind me, because you could just pick anybody in the locker room here with the situation as me.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, looking forward to it. I actually played him only once and it was here, and I beat him 7-6, 7-6. I don't think he was too happy with me that day. I just served him off the court. He said to me, "All you do is serve." It was quite funny (laughing). I'm looking forward to that. Obviously, he's won the French Open. It's a good match. It's a good chance to continue this run. So I'm looking forward to it. I'm obviously going to be attacking, and he's going to be hitting the ground strokes. So I'm looking forward to it. I think I got a good chance on Wednesday.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, he played one good return game where he took his chance. I didn't have any opportunities on his serve. Then I started to make him play a few more balls. I changed my serve pattern a bit so then he didn't get any rhythm. That was very important.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I don't know. As long as I'm enjoying it and I'm healthy - touch wood, wherever I can find some - you know, I'm gonna keep playing as long as I'm enjoying it and I'm enjoying the travel and doing the things. So, you know, let's just see what happens. And if I can get myself to the top, why not? If the body says yes, then the body's been great the last few months. So that's been the most positive thing for me.

GREG RUSEDSKI: There you go (touching wood). At least it's close.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yes (smiling). It might be a little heavy. I might injure myself, so I might pass on that idea.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I've had to come back on many occasions. That's just part of the sport, that's just part of a test. Every time I've had something, I've managed to come back. So I just look at every situation as sort of something to test you. Some people get the easy road; some get the interesting road. I've had the interesting road, I'd say, in my career.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think it was hard last year. I had a foot surgery. I came back from that. Then I had a knee surgery. It was just repetitive surgeries, which made it quite difficult, missing such a hard time. Then after that, to play three months and then to have some more problems... I'm glad I put all that behind me. But now I feel great, so nothing to complain about.