TMS MONTE CARLO

April 12, 2005

Greg Rusedski

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I got off to a good start, today, I thought. 3-1, I had the mix right with my slice backhand down the line to his. Was playing very solid and mixing it up well in the beginning. But then, you know, he broke back and then he got a little bit of confidence and his feel came in. I started to push too much, which is normally the way I play, an attacking sort of game. But on this surface, if you push and you are not 100% on, you're in a lot of danger. Roger played very well, but I felt I was striking the ball reasonably well. I've just got to get the balance right for clay. Anybody right now, playing Roger, has had a pretty tough time.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I'm not. I'm just going to just go for some hard physical work the next two weeks and just keep on improving my fitness. That's all I've been concentrating on at the moment. I haven't hit as many tennis balls, but more just gym work. I'm just going to get my fitness strong for the three to five sets coming in the grass court season. Just keep on building on that.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I'm going to go home. I'm trying to get on a flight tonight, so I'm hoping the phone rings saying I'm on the flight.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I'm typically known as getting a tough draw, so it's not unusual. I think in my 14-year career, I can't remember an easy draw too many times so it's something I'm used to by now. You just have to take advantage when the draws open up for you. You know, it wasn't a bad thing because I got to see where I really am. And if you're going to hit him, you might as well hit him early. But then he really increased his form once he got the break back. The guys I've lost to this year are all, I think, in the Top 15 in the race this year. There's not been any really bad losses this year. I've beaten everybody I'm supposed to. Twice to Federer, once to Roddick, Joachim Johansson, Thomas Johansson and Gonzales, then once to Tim as well. I've lost to most guys who are in the Top 10 or Top 15 in the race. It's just when I get those chances, to take them. I think in Rome I can only get an easier draw.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, no, I do. I would like to. But if it happens, great; if it doesn't, it doesn't. The thing which is -- if you're not in the 32, I still fancy myself on grass, still in the top ten of grass court players that are still around. So it would be nice to be able to miss the other grass courters, but there's going to be a lot of dangerous players out there. You're going to have Arthurs, you're going to have Philippoussis, you're going to have myself, who might not be in the 32. There's going to be some guys out there who can do some damage who aren't going to be in the 32.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Physically, the body feels great. I mean, healthy, fit. I feel strong. I didn't get to play too much tennis, though (smiling). But, you know, I felt like I'm striking the ball. I just wish I came over my backhand a little bit more like I did in the beginning few games. But that's where you get the balance and get the matches on the clay, because it's very unusual. Serving and volleying out there is very tough if you're not hitting the corners. On this court, when it rains like this, the conditions are tough to do that. Rome and Paris, you can serve and volley a little bit, which I'll look forward to.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, he should have. He had matchpoints.

GREG RUSEDSKI: There's not really one clear favorite. I think it's quite exciting. You've got Nadal, who's probably the young guy who you think's actually got a shot at the title. But is he mentally ready? He's physically, I think, ready. He's got the game to do it. You know, you've got Coria, and you've got the usual suspects, but it's more wide open, and any sort of form going into the next few weeks is going to tell a lot about who will be the clay court favorites. Probably someone Spanish or Argentinian probably has got a good chance up there (laughing).

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, we haven't done too badly, I think. Tim got to the semis of the French, which is an excellent result. I've been fourth round, I think, once or twice; got to the finals of a clay court tournament, even though it was in America. In Davis Cup we've played okay on the clay as well. So it's a different sort of game week in, week out, trying to do well. I mean, even Roger, Roger plays very well on the clay and has grown up on it, but it's a hard tournament for him to win, the French Open. I think he's got a game where he can.

GREG RUSEDSKI: We need Buster Mottram back (smiling).

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think Murray is probably the best one so far. Won the US Open Juniors, he's 17. He's actually playing the clay to come up on the tour. He was in South America playing clay court tournaments and has got very good ground strokes. He's very young. He could do well in the future on the clay. It's good for the youngsters to learn their game on the clay, but you've got to suit what your style of play takes you with.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I don't know. I mean, the question for Roger, which is tough for him, is he might have to sacrifice Wimbledon a little bit for the French Open, because they're so close together, to have a real, real shot of winning it. You've got to think of it. You've got to win seven matches. He's got the game to do it. Whether his mind decides he wants to win it, and whether he gets the luck of the weather, there's so many combinations that can go into the French Open. But he's very complete. You know, I think he hasn't played Monte-Carlo in a long time, so I guess he's making the preparation he wants for it. You know, you got to think he's one of the guys who's in there for a shot. Looked pretty patient to me in Miami when he won that final, down two-sets-to-Love against Nadal, and that court's pretty high-bouncing and reasonably slow. So that's a pretty impressive win, to win back-to-back Masters Series. His record, having won Hamburg twice on slow clay, is also something that shows a lot of quality and shows he's a great player. That's the only thing, if there were maybe two more weeks between Wimbledon and the French, that might help him out a little bit with trying to achieve that feat.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, it's fully booked on the 9 o'clock, fully booked on the 7. Hopefully someone will get off the flight (laughing).

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I'm just going to get to my gym work, get back to Queen's, just get back to my physical training, which I feel like I'm getting stronger, I'm feeling fit. Those things are the most important thing for me. Just looking forward to getting a few matches on the clay. If I do well, great; if I don't, I want to make sure I'm as strong as I possibly can be for the grass court season.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I haven't done that in a few years. Even if I went to Barcelona, this week, with Roger, once again, on his little roll... It was just one or two points here or there to get a few games, but he just had one more extra ball than me on most rallies today after he got the break back.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah. Well, I'm doing physical in London. It's going well with Jean-Pierre, who looks after my body and who is doing the fitness program with me as well. Touch wood, no injuries, which is a plus for me. The mind feels good and the body feels good. I'll be strong enough. You can't get tired in an hour. The question is when I play a three-hour match out there or four-hour match and then have to come back. But I haven't had that luxury to see yet. Hopefully, I'll get to see that in Rome or the following weeks.