WIMBLEDON

June 29, 2001

Greg Rusedski

MODERATOR: Questions, please.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I was pleased with it. I thought I didn't make too many unforced errors. I was really pleased with my ground game and my return of serve, especially those first and second sets. I thought, you know, to not let Ferrero win his serve once in a set, even if it's on grass, is a good effort. I thought from the back of the court I was playing pretty well. No, the slice was good. Played well. I was really happy.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, definitely. I was expecting probably four sets today. I was thinking it was going to be a tough match, especially the way he returns. I got up 2-Love. I put a few serves in his pocket. He broke back to come back to 2-1. To play such a good performance, especially at Wimbledon, is a fantastic result for me. I'm really pleased. Ferrero is a very good player. I think he's only going to get better on the grass. For his first trip ever here to get to the third round is a great effort. You know, he's going to keep on getting more and more complete. He's going to be a great player, can do well in these Championships if he sticks with it.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Probably not. I don't think I have - not the first set. The first set was pretty immaculate, beside the one service break. You know, off the ground, off the returns, off the serving and volleying big points, no, I was well-pleased. It's the kind of performance I needed today to get off the court quick, to save my energy for next week, something I'm very, very pleased with. I think every match, you have to improve because everybody gets much stronger and better with every round because their game is improving, your game is improving. You have to keep on raising your level. That's what I think I've done with every match I've played. That's been very important.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yes.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, no, I'm really looking forward to it. I've played him eight or nine times. I've lost every time. I've never beaten Ivanisevic in my career. I think I've had maybe a total of 15 match points but never gotten over the hurdle. No, it's great to see Goran playing well. I'm sure the crowd loves it because he lost three Wimbledon finals. I'm pleased to see him playing well because I think he's good for the game. He brings a lot of people to watch. He's a personality. You know, I think it's going to be a great match. Myself and Ivanisevic, it's always tight. It's usually 7-6 in the third, a long four- or five-set match. Something I'll be looking forward to. Played him in exhibition the week before Queen's started. Now we're playing at Wimbledon. That's a good sign for both of us.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Second serve, 130 miles an hour on match point up. He's come up with a lot of aces on big points. You know, in Vienna, I had a chance when I was up two sets to love. He cracked a racquet, didn't get the warning on that one to give me the break. It's just a thing here, a thing there. I'd love to try to get my first win on him. It's going to be a tough match for me, another match where I'm going to have to play better again, return well, pick his serve. It's going to come down to only one or two points here or there, like usual.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yes. I think his loss of form has been his injuries, as well. I think his shoulder has really been bothering him the past few years. He lost a little bit of confidence. Now his shoulder is feeling better. He took the time off in the clay court season so he could rest for grass court season. As you can see, it's paying off well for him. You know, it's good to see him playing well. You know, hopefully not too well on Monday. In the exhibition, we split sets. I won a last-set tiebreaker. It was a great feeling. I can say I beat him in exhibition. That felt good.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, no, no, three matches. Every match. First was thumbs up, two matches, three matches. Hopefully I'll have four fingers up on the next day.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think it's difficult for both of us. You know, I'm going to get some practise over the weekend with a lefty who is going to serve to me probably a lot. Maybe I'll ask Barry if he can come help me out, hit me some serves, Barry Cowan. Just get someone, Wayne Arthurs, someone like that who has a big serve. The angle it comes, you have to change your footwork and your split step slightly on it. You know, the more practise I can get used to it, the better it will help me because Goran is a very good server.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Left-handers don't play each other very often. So it takes a while for a rhythm to come into play. You know, we see right-handers probably 95% of the year. I don't mind. I'm sure he doesn't mind. It's a little bit different for both of us.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think it's a little bit different. We have -- we both serve and volley. I think if I was making a comparison, you know, I think Goran's serve is a little bit, you know, quicker motion, a little bit snappier. Mine is a little bit different. We have similarities. He has a two-handed backhand. I have a one-handed backhand. I feel like I've been moving and volleying pretty well. I'd say maybe I did that slightly better of the two. It's quite similar in a lot of respects, but I think there are some subtle differences.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, it means a lot. Last year was disastrous. You know, losing to Vince Spadea. 22 matches in a row he lost, then he beat me. You know, it was very disappointing for me last year. So, no, it's great to come out on Wimbledon Centre Court. The only match I've ever lost there was to Pete Sampras. My record is pretty good on Centre. I'd like to continue that record. Maybe if I could play Goran on Centre, that would help me out a little bit.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think Court 1, I don't know, I don't like it. I think it's a beautiful arena, beautiful stadium. I think it's a little bit harder, a little bit higher bouncing. I've just lost a lot of difficult matches there. I lost to Pioline in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon to try to get to the semis. I lost to Lapentti. Got injured on that court, as well. I lost to Spadea on that court. I don't really have fond memories. If they stick me somewhere else besides Court 1, I don't mind. I'd be quite happy not to see that court very often, especially getting into the later stages. The other thing is the grass bounces a little bit lower, stays down a little bit more, which helped today against Ferrero. As you could see, when he played Stoltenberg, some of the balls were bouncing higher. That helps, even if it's a minimal amount.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, not when we came on. I was just letting him go ahead of me to get onto the court. Nothing more really. Just when he came off, he said, "Well done, good luck." That was about it.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I'm just feeling good. I'm feeling relaxed this year, whenever I'm playing, to be honest. I think last year was a change of pace for me. I think the intimate atmosphere at Centre Court helps, as well, because the crowd is a little bit closer than 1, it's got the history. Yeah, I think it definitely does help me.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Not on second serves. That's not very helpful.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah. I mean, we get on fine. We're not like great mates. "Hello, how are you?" We've seen each other through the circuit for years. Everyone gets along well in the locker room. We can have a laugh once in a while. We're not going out to dinners or stuff like that socially. We get on just fine, you know. I think he respects my tennis; I respect his tennis. We both just want to do our best.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think his major chance, which he probably will tell you if he looks back in retrospect, was the Agassi match. Probably the last final against Sampras, he had a hell of a chance when he had those two backhand returns on second serves. If he would have made that one return, gone up two sets to love, he probably would have been Wimbledon Champion. I think it's a fantastic effort to be three times Wimbledon finalist. It's a different story to be a Wimbledon Champion than a finalist. It sets you apart. If you get to ten finals, but you win one major, everybody remembers the one major you won rather than the ten you lost.