TELECOM MASTERS ITALIA

May 2, 2005

Greg Rusedski

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I didn't have any chances in the first set on his serve; I don't think I won one point returning, but he served pretty well. And probably the problem for me was the second set I didn't serve well enough; I had too many double-faults. You know, just going to have to go and work on my serve a little bit. But overall in the second set I actually had game point first game, breakpoint to get back in the second, game point to get in the third game. So I had some chances, but I just didn't take them. You know you have to serve well going into that match. I didn't serve well enough, and that was a little bit of a problem for me today.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah. If it goes three weeks in a row, you got to start thinking conspiracy theories (smiling).

GREG RUSEDSKI: But, you know, that's just the way it goes. You know, I've historically had some rough draws. But it would be nice next week to get a little easier draw and just try to get through the first round, need to try to build up. But, unfortunately, I haven't had the luck with the draws that much this year. And, you know, it's good in one respect; you see where you are and what you need to work on. I was pleased with the way I hit my ground strokes today. But, you know, if I'm not getting into the point well enough with my serve, then that puts me in a little bit of difficulty. In the second set I actually returned better and had a few chances, but just didn't capitalize. You know, if that's not starting well for me, then it puts me in a lot of difficulty. So I'm going to be hitting a lot of serves before Hamburg next week.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, you basically -- you have no choice but, with the system, to play. It's taken a lot out of me these past two weeks (laughing). So, you know, you just got to think of it, you might as well get the matches. I mean, even if you're losing matches, you're still getting some match sharpness and you're getting to see what you need to work on and what you don't need to work on. But the ground strokes look better. The serve needs to improve. The return was better in the second set. So, you know, there's areas. But it's a totally different game on grass. But you're still building up your fitness a little bit and working on things. You can't just all of a sudden drop tennis for two months. If the system was different, then you could probably reconsider what you're going to do, but that's the way the system is now.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I know what you're saying, but I'm just -- no, it's going to benefit, there's no question. I'm doing the work, doing the fitness. But it's just a different game now. I mean, coming to the net on clay, even with hot conditions today, is still quite difficult because the balls don't give you as much as they used to. Even here, where the courts are considered to be very, very quick, if you don't come in on the right shot, you're in a lot of trouble here, the way the game's progressed. You just got to think about it, plan your schedule, and things like that. I'll be looking forward to the grass, but I've still got two more weeks on the clay.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, no, I just try to give it my best. I haven't had any fortune in the draws. I'm the first man out two weeks in a row at the Masters Series. You could always get a draw here or there where you could win a few matches - but that hasn't happened to date - then you just build confidence and you start to play well on this stuff. I don't feel like I'm hitting the ball too badly from the back of the court. Just areas I need to work on. You know, if I serve better, then it becomes a much more interesting match. And, unfortunately, that didn't happen today.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, just one or two shots here, and a few double-faults. The few double-faults in the second set really hurt me. If I get up 1-Love again and I hold serve 2-1... I could have been up 3-Love instead of down 3-Love in the second set. But that's one or two points here and there. He's played pretty well, having won Houston I think something like the third straight year. It's not an easy opening round, nor was Monte-Carlo. But I felt I did some things better in Monte-Carlo from the back court, but I didn't feel I served as well. So that's getting the combination right.