NEWSWEEK CHAMPIONS CUP

March 11, 1999

Greg Rusedski

MIKI SINGH: First question for Greg.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think what happened to me, I was just a little bit unlucky today. I don't think it really came down to tennis. I won more points today. I had a breakpoint in the first set to get back on serve. Then he goes to deuce, hits a top-of-a-net volley that looks like it's going to drop on his side, drops on mine. Then, the second set, I won comfortably 6-2. Early breakpoint where he misses one volley which could have changed the momentum. Then I took advantage of that and won pretty comfortably 6-2. Early in the third set, I have a backhand passing shot that's going for a clean winner. He's nowhere near the ball. It clips the top of the net and bounces out. Just little things that didn't go for me. Then 3-All, I'm serving. I ripped my toe where all my skin comes off the bottom of it. Just little things. But I think both of us played pretty well. I think we had a nervous start in the first set. We both lost serves in the opening game. But I don't think there was really much in the match. He won today, but I could have easily just won. It's a little bit of luck that made the difference today.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah. I think the luck was on his side today. He played well when it mattered. He just got that extra little bit of luck. That's what you need sometimes. I mean, the let cords didn't treat me as well as I'd like. He took advantage of that. That's just the way it goes with the way we play. I was a little bit patchy on my serve. I don't think I consistently served as well as I could today.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think it was a little cooler, the conditions, as well. It got slightly windy in the second set. I think that changed things up a bit. Just playing outdoors on a bigger stadium, you're going to get a few more breaks of serve.

GREG RUSEDSKI: He returned well. I think we both returned reasonably well today. I was having patches. One game I'd serve four first serves, next one I wouldn't put one in. It was like up-and-down serving. If I could have stayed more constant, it would have been better. He played well and I think we both played good tennis, especially in the second and the third set.

GREG RUSEDSKI: The last game definitely. Also what was one of the key points, the first one he hit a good second serve, I put the ball deep in the corner, hit a forehand that could have gone anywhere, clipped the back of the line. That's one. Then he hit a great second serve which I didn't pick at all. Then 30-40 was my big chance. He kicked it out wide, I chipped it instead of going for it and cracking it. The four key points in the match were probably the let cord in the first set, the backhand passing shot in the third set, and that forehand at 30-40 I didn't hit. Those were the three big points. Two of them I had no control over whatsoever what happened there, but the third one I definitely did have control. It could have changed the match around, but I didn't take it.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No. I just have to rest it a little bit. It's pretty nice and red.

GREG RUSEDSKI: The skin just ripped. I just went for a serve and I came in for a volley, it ripped in the middle of the game when it was 3-All. I waited till the next changeover to get the trainer to fix it up. It's no big deal. It happens to everybody.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I have a week holiday in the sun.