US OPEN

August 28, 2002

Greg Rusedski

MODERATOR: First question, please.

GREG RUSEDSKI: What do you mean? No, I started off really well winning the first set 6-1, was up a break 2-1. I lost my serve. I put in seven first serves. I mean, the guy hit -- I hit four passing shot winners on the points. The first forehand I didn't do enough with on the first point. I kind of fluffed it a little bit. That gave him an easy passing shot. Then he just started to raise his game, got rid of his unforced errors, started to make some passing shots. You know, he really raised his game, and I needed to raise my game to get back in the match really. He's dangerous. I mean, he's not an easy player for first, second round opponents. You can see that from what he did in Australia when he beat Kafelnikov quite convincingly.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I was just changing my mindset out there a little bit, trying to get a little bit more positive, get a little bit more aggressive, just try to build some momentum. I played a good game at 5-3 to break, then the key was getting back from that Love-40 game again. Once I got into the tiebreaker, I felt like I had control of the match. From then on in, it was pretty easy. But it's good to get a test and to get through, know that you can raise your level when you have some tough situations.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I don't think so. I mean, I have to give credit where credit is due. You know, it would have been nice if at 2-1 I would have held and gone up 3-1, then it probably would have been a cruise control match with probably three straight sets. But I change my shirt a lot, use my towels, change my hats. That's just the way I am (smiling).

GREG RUSEDSKI: I was actually looking forward to playing Hewitt in the second round. I beat him the week prior in Indianapolis. When the tournament started in Indianapolis, I said I wanted to play Hewitt. You know, I like playing against him. I think he's a great player. You really know where you're standing. If you're going to hit a guy who is the favorite for the tournament, it's usually better to hit them early.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I wasn't disappointed, don't get me wrong. I'm not disappointed. But, you know, fortunately for me, I was 33. One seed was probably going to pull out of 32. It was most likely that I was going to get seeded. You know, I've just got to take advantage of my section. It doesn't get any easier. Fair enough, Srichaphan is not Hewitt, but he's played well the last two weeks. If I get through that one, it's most likely Sampras. There's not really any easy sections, as can you see, from the men's draw. Look at the bottom, Safin played Kiefer, fantastic match, then he plays the former world No. 1, Kuerten, in the second round. There are some sections here that are very good.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Played him once in Los Angeles. I beat him in straight sets. I think it was 7-6, 6-4, something like that, or 7-5, 6-4. You know, he's had a very good year, finals of Washington, won Long Island, I think he won in straights today. I'm looking forward to it. I'm going to have to play my attacking sort of tennis, I'm going to have to get aggressive, get to the net, take my game to him. That's going to be the key. Let him see if he can come up with the passing shots and the goods.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think he's improved his serve. He likes to have time to hit his groundstrokes from the back. He's a good player. Just look forward to it.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I haven't won two tournaments since '99. That's something I'm really, really happy about. I feel like I'm fully fit, I'm strong mentally, I'm in good shape. I haven't felt this healthy and good about my game since probably around '97, '98, when I had my best two years. All the hard work I've put in the last two and a half years I think is starting to pay off. Now it's just to get out there and to do the job and to keep winning matches at Slams.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, that was fine for me. The thing about this doesn't make a difference because if you go to Wednesday, you go to Friday, they don't take the Sunday off here like they do at Wimbledon, then you go Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, then they have their weekend glamour show on Saturday and Sunday. Doesn't matter here if you start on Wednesday or Monday because you get spaced out well enough anyways.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think Arthurs is probably the guy right now who's got the most dangerous serve at the moment because he's a lefty. But the question is backing up that serve. That's what's key is. It's great to have the serve, but you have to back it up. I think he's improved a lot this year, gotten a lot better. I'd probably say him.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, he's done pretty good. I think it's strange because he played doubles for so many years. Now the last year he started playing singles. This year, I mean, he had some great wins. If you look at his run at Cincinnati, he beat Sampras, he nearly beat Ferrero to get into the semis. I think in the clutch he's pretty loose and his arm swings pretty good. That's really what you have to have when it comes down to big points.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think Alex is going to be a very solid player who is going to be very dangerous. I think he has good footwork, takes the ball early, good returns, good backhand. He likes a target to pass guys. It's sort of like Chang was or like a Hewitt, except he doesn't have as many weapons as, say, a Hewitt does right now. You know, he's a very good competitor. I think he's just -- he's got to get to his game where he doesn't make any mistakes. That's the sort of tennis he did for a set and a half, especially in the second and third set.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think tennis is becoming more of a baseline game, more of a return of serve game, if you look at the way tennis is progressing now. He does those two areas pretty well. I think most days he'll have a good chance against most guys because they're very few serve-volleyers who play consistently aggressive tennis. He just needs to keep on working in those areas and get them as strong as can he.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I like this tournament. I always seem to play well here. You know, it's a day at a time. It's trying to win seven matches here. It's trying to come out every day and find a way to win, no matter how you're playing. That's the key to a Slam, and not getting ahead of yourself. One day at a time, one match at a time, just playing the best tennis you can. If you get ahead of yourself or you're not there, like today if I had some lapses in key moments, it could have gotten a lot more difficult.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Exactly.

GREG RUSEDSKI: What do you mean? In what respect?

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think it's hard enough to win seven matches here at a major. You can see by the caliber of tennis that's out there, I think it's pretty attractive. If you look at yesterday's match with Safin and Kiefer, that was a fantastic sporting event for anybody who bought themselves a ticket. If I'm a sports fan myself, and I was coming to watch a major, I'd probably buy my ticket for the first week, especially the men's draw, because you'd see a lot of great matches. That kind of brings the excitement. They also want to see the glamour part of seeing the superstars playing. Men's tennis is like golf, there's so much depth, anyone can win basically.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yes. It doesn't surprise me, to be honest with you. It's a bit of a long season. Court is a little stickier this year. They haven't put an extra layer on. It's not as smooth as it was. If guys slide a bit or stop, it's a lot harder on the body. Seven injuries doesn't surprise me with the way the surface is.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, it worked out well. I was hoping to play at least one match in Long Island. It worked out well for me. No complaints.