WIMBLEDON

June 24, 2002

Greg Rusedski

MODERATOR: Greg Rusedski for you.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I was very pleased with the way I played today. He was quite a good player. You don't win Wimbledon Juniors by fluke. He moves very well, serves very well. I managed to get on top of him on the first service game and break early which set the tone for the match - which was very important. As you can see, when you gave him a chance on certain balls, he really took advantage of it. Happy to be done in three sets, to play so well.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think it's just wonderful to have the support from the first ball to the last ball. I think it always helps out there. You know, he's a young player, so he's a little bit nervous getting on Court 1 for the first time. It's just nice to have the support and the people cheering for you.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think the approach you have to take here is you have to really go for your shots. Today I was pleased the way I was aggressive on my returns and aggressive on my passing shots. That's an area I've worked on. When I'm hesitant in those areas, it doesn't work as well as I'd like. I'm going to have to go out for two weeks and just put it on the line and go for my shots. If I do that, then I can have good results and play well here.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I didn't really see too many serves, unfortunately (smiling). He served exceptionally well. I spoke to him last year about the match. He said the match with Roddick and myself were his two best days of serving at the championships. I guess it must have been his destiny after the fourth attempt. I wish I could have been a little bit better on the returns, a little bit more aggressive. In retrospect, he played a great match and deserved to win that day.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I'm only in the second round right now. Let's take it one match at a time, not get ahead of ourselves. I'm one of 10 players that has a great chance to do well here. Every day is a new day. That's the way I look at it. I don't think there's much pressure on me if you look at it from the respect of the pressure being on the top players and other people. For me, I can go out there and do well and just swing away.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think I've had a difficult three years. Physically, I'm very strong right now. Mentally, I'm stronger. That's what you need to bring to these championships. If you can bring those two aspects in, then you can play well. Every time you enter a tournament, you have a chance. Every time I enter a tournament, I try to do my best. I come to win every tournament I play. Sometimes you succeed, sometimes you don't.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, if you look at it, '98, I was seeded four for The Championships. The week before in Queen's Club, I had an unfortunate mishap. You know, in '99 I lost to Philippoussis, who was on fire, should have beaten Sampras before he got injured. Then 2000, didn't play very well. Last year I lost to Goran. Every year I've lost to someone who has usually gone on to either win The Championships or gotten very deep in the finals of the tournament. I'm hoping to take a few steps and try to play better.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think that's old news already, to be honest with you.

GREG RUSEDSKI: That's already in the past. You know, basically it's done. It's old news for me.

GREG RUSEDSKI: It's fine. I play tennis. That's what I do for a living. For me, it's no problem.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, this year the grass is playing very interesting. I've never seen it so hard for a Monday in all the years I've played Wimbledon. So you can actually use the kick serve a little bit more, where usually if you had a kick serve, it would be punished severely. You know, you've just got to be crafty and use your physicality, take the ball early. You've got to mix it up. This year's Wimbledon is different because of the weather and the dryness of the court. So I think it's just experience, maturity, health, combination of a few things. Can't give away all my secrets (smiling).

GREG RUSEDSKI: When it's green and not as dry, it's just because the ball bounces lower, so it's a perception of being quicker. If it's harder, the ball bounces up, so it seems like you have more time. For example, if it was to rain for three days, the court would speed up rather than slow down. That's my take on it.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I don't think it makes a difference. I think when I put on a performance like I did in the first set, it doesn't really make a difference, when I'm aggressive and attacking the ball, playing like that. You have to be complete nowadays, because this is a hard tournament to win because the conditions are always changing. Some days it's wet, some days it's dry. This first week is supposed to be very nice, the second week is supposed to get interesting again. I hope to be there. I'm not there yet, so let's take it one match at a time.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah. I think it's just a decision of putting yourself on the line and attacking it. Just saying, "Bring on your best and I'll bring on my best, and let's see what happens," you know, rather than just trying to make the ball. You have to play an aggressive sort of tennis. I think when Krajicek won it, when he beat Sampras' streak of three or four years in a row, he just took everything on and had two weeks where he deserved to win the title. He went after every ball and was making them all. That's the sort of attitude you have to bring out there.