EUROCARD OPEN

October 26, 1999

Greg Rusedski

ATP: Questions for Greg.

GREG RUSEDSKI: It was about 3:30, Sven gave me a call at the hotel and told me I wouldn't be playing. I watched the match with Tieleman and Larsson last night on the tele. I saw that Magnus hurt his back, but he continued to play, and played very well in the last set. It was a bit surprising for me. I would have rather have liked to play a match because it's always good to get into a tournament and at least try to win a match and get going. If you look at the example of Vienna where Kafelnikov had that match default against Siemerink, the next day he came out, and it wasn't his best tennis, let's say.

GREG RUSEDSKI: That's good for me. Seems to work (laughter).

GREG RUSEDSKI: It will be longer. I got here on Friday.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I felt recovered. I felt well. I had three days, four days, five days at home, whatever it was. It was good. Then I got here early on Friday to prepare for this event because there's no surface like this in England. I've been here, before my first match I'll play, it will be nearly a week. That's usually very different to start a tournament with a week practice here.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I was here on Friday.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I didn't, I'm sorry. I saw the highlights. They were very good.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I didn't play any tennis. I didn't do anything. I just hit a few balls on Friday. That was it. I hadn't played since my first day on Friday, so I hadn't touched a racquet or anything since Vienna. About four days, I didn't do anything. It was quite pleasant.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think I'm hitting the ball really well. I had two excellent practice sessions on Saturday, hit the ball well on Sunday. Everything seems to be going well. I'm looking forward to this event. I've got a tough match - whether it's going to be Haas, Ferreira, or Gimelstob - it will be a tough first round match. Instead of having that first match against Larsson, my next match becomes a first round match, which is going to be a high-quality one.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Ferreira won?

GREG RUSEDSKI: So Ferreira or Haas. That's a bit of a toss-up. Wayne is fresh. He hasn't played for a while. His wife and himself just had a new baby boy. I'm sure he's going to be pretty motivated to play well against Tommy tomorrow.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Last year I was 17 when I was going to the Paris Open. I managed to qualify as an alternate. I'm still not really thinking about that. I'm thinking more about the Grand Slam season next year, about being healthy and playing good tennis. Obviously I'd like to try to win a few more events before the end of the year. Hannover to me is not the most important thing right now. If I get there, it's great; if I don't, I don't. I just want to play good tennis and be ready for the Grand Slam season next year.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Win a Grand Slam. That's my main goal. I haven't won a Grand Slam. I've won a Super 9. I've won every level of tournament, except for a Grand Slam. That's my most important goal, I think, for next year. For me right now, I think the US Open and Wimbledon are my two best chances of winning a major championship. With the new system coming up, it's going to be very difficult to get to No. 1 like it is in the system right now. The No. 1 is only at the end of the year which for me, I don't particularly like as much as the way it is now. At least we had Rafter, Moya, Sampras, Agassi, Kafelnikov, all No. 1's this year. To get to No. 1 next year is going to be extremely, extremely difficult.

GREG RUSEDSKI: As a person? How long do you have (laughter)?

GREG RUSEDSKI: Barry, do you want to help me?

GREG RUSEDSKI: I don't think very many people know me. I like to have a good time. I enjoy my tennis. I just like to do normal things like everybody else does. I do some shopping, I read. I'm kind of a happy person; sometimes I'm not a happy person. Depends how things are going (laughter). I mean, I don't know. How is that?

GREG RUSEDSKI: I've always been domesticated. That's nothing new.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I have the room service menu in London working very well. You know that delivery service, I'm sure.