TMS MONTE CARLO

April 17, 2001

Greg Rusedski

THE MODERATOR: First question for Greg, please.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I thought I had a pretty good preparation actually for the tournament. I went down to Barcelona last week to practice and had three or four days on the clay with Brad. And, no, it was pretty good. I thought if I could have served the way I did in the first set, I could have had a chance to win the second and third set. And, I mean, Pavel is quite a seasoned player on the clay, last week in the semis of Estoril. So I was quite pleased the way I played, just need to sharpen up, cut down on a few unforced errors, and not a bad start. Would have been nicer to get the win, but, you know, I can't say too much. My record here is staying the same at the moment.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, for the clay court season. Because it's just very hard to practice in England on the clay, because by the time before the French Open, they close all the courts anyways to get ready for Queen's Club. With the cold weather and everything, it's not -- it's actually not the same as in Rome. Maybe it's similar to Hamburg, but not Paris. So it's good to train, being able to do my fitness, being able to do everything out there. So it will be good.

GREG RUSEDSKI: All the Spanish guys. You get about 20 little kids who play better than I do, who just -- they're just a factory out there. It's great. You haven't heard of these 18- or 16- or 17-year-olds, but they're fantastic clay court players. So it's great to be able to practice with them.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I mean, I've been invited to go train at the Pato's place or just at the Barcelona Club as well, so, you know, I can train at those two areas, which is fantastic.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I did.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I don't think it's lack of matches. I think it's just playing the points. I mean, I was two for eight on break points, he was three for three. I think that was probably the key to that second set. But if I could have gotten the double break, then I probably would have gone into the third set, so that's just the way it goes. It's just converting those on the dirt, and he's more experienced on those courts.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, you kind of are forced to play on clay with the system and take the zero pointers. I think, you know, for the preparation for our Davis Cup match, it's going to be good as well. I think I can keep on improving my game from my returns to my ground strokes. I was quite pleased with my game for the first set and a half, actually. I thought I had most of the chances but didn't really capitalize on them. So that's a positive thing, and, you know, it's just keep on improving my game, getting my fitness better, but not playing any extra tournaments. I'm only playing the tournaments I have to with the Tour.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well...

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, what I'm doing is I talked to Roger about it myself. After the US Open, I'd like to try to get there a week earlier because I don't think it's possible to go back to London, play Brighton, then go to the Davis Cup. So I feel, you know, I'd like to try to get ten days on the clay before the tie against Ecuador. So after the US Open, I'm going to either try to talk to Roger about getting to South America earlier so I can get on to the clay. Because for that tie, it's going to come down, I think, to the doubles matches and trying, each of us, to win one of the two singles matches. So, you know, I'm more than happy to get there earlier for the tie and to prepare.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, hopefully. I'm hoping to. I just have to wait and see.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yes.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Okay.

GREG RUSEDSKI: That kind of -- I guess it cuts out the clay court season. But I guess maybe in America for one of the weeks we might try to hook up for a doubles match. I think we played quite well at the Davis Cup, it just needs to be clicking a little bit better. Hopefully we will get the time where we can play at least one doubles match.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, something like that. Hopefully. It's up to him as well with his schedule, too.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think we're both really concentrating on the singles at the moment, and maybe when we get a little bit older we'll consider it.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, Brad basically's been the coach the whole time to be quite honest with you. He's been there from the start, he travelled from the first day all the way through. He's been there every single week of the year. So he's -- he is the coach.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Body feels great. No complaints. I had my physio with me, Ryan Kendrick, with me this week. He's taking care of me. No, it's absolutely fine. I'm looking forward -- I'm going to probably leave here tomorrow, tonight, go back to Barcelona, I've got my physical trainer, Marcher, who lives in Valencia, coming over for ten days of hard fitness. On the clay court season, you have to get physically strong, I think. There's certain periods, we're both getting a little fatigued out there. If I can get myself stronger for the ten days, then that would be great. After that, Brad's going to come in and we're going to work on my tennis the week before Rome. He's going to travel to Rome with me there.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, he only came for the few days' preparation beforehand. He's going to be in Rome, Paris.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, he did. He hurt his knee, actually. I'm hoping he gets better, I think two or three weeks' rest will be enough.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah. (Laughing.)

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, she is. She is with me. So that's great.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I quite enjoy it. I mean, it's -- I think it's ideal for my preparation because I can go running in the mountains, you know, I can get on the clay two or three times a day. I don't have to worry about the weather because the sun comes out. No, I think it's great preparation for my clay court tournaments, you know. I'm really, really looking forward to it.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, there is. The Spanish are renowned for their siestas. I'm looking forward to it. I'm trying something different. I hope it will help for my clay court season. I felt today, even though I lost, I felt I played pretty well. I still have to improve on that.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I haven't seen the football yet.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I'm looking forward to the football tonight with Arsenal.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think his greatest asset is he's really, really good on technique. You know, a few of the forehands or backhands I missed, I know why I missed them and what's causing me to do those problems. The other thing which he does which he's professional in is he videos all the players. He tells you what all the weaknesses are, what their strengths are and has a file on all the players. You know, he can tell you what patterns the guys play, which side's stronger, which side's weaker. No, it's very good.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think all my coaches I've had have been very professional in the job they've done, so ... But he's just taking a step further because he's looking at their techniques and what will happen with them. So it's a little bit different and a little bit more formulated and more reasoned on it.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yes.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I think he's got to feel comfortable with the person he chooses, and, you know, it's not always an easy process, changing coaches. You know, he might, you know, like if you look at Safin, for example, you've got to get comfortable with someone. Maybe he'll have a trial period with a coach for a month or two and decide if he's going to work on a long-term basis. I think it comes down to the individual and the person themselves.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, you have different jobs for coaches. I mean, sometimes you have them as a friend who supports you. You know, then you have coaches like Brad, who, you know, look after your technique and study your different things. So it's a combination of friend, it's a combination of a person who looks after your game and studies your game and helps you to work.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yes, he has to motivate you as well. What's exciting with working with Brad is there's always something new and there's always a reason why something doesn't work or why something did. So it's quite exciting. Right now we're trying to build on my return of serve, which is important, trying to get more drive on my forehand and just keep getting tops and backhand. In the beginning, my tops and backhand was good today, it wasn't 1,000 slices like usual on the clay.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yes.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I mean, you look at, I mean, look at Tony Picard and Stefan Edberg, they went for years, they had a fantastic relationship. He won six Grand Slams with him. So, you know, it's all a very personal thing. I can't really comment on, you know, his choices or what he's going to do. You know, I just wish him luck and hopefully he finds the right person and has success.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I am. I am. I think, you know, the thing which excites me is I can work on my game. And we've sat down with Brad and we've got a plan where we keep on building, keep on building. I know I can play well in Rome, I know I can play well in Paris because I've been to the fourth round there before. The courts are quick, you'll be able to serve and volley and get some cheaper points. Well, here and Hamburg it plays a little bit slower, so it's a little bit longer. No, I'm looking forward to the period. There's no expectations on me. My results haven't been that great in the past. So the expectation level is not very high. It's a period where can I work on my game, build up my fitness, get stronger. If I win matches and improve my technique, that's great. If I don't win matches, I'm still improving.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think I'm starting to get into a habit. That's where I need to get physically stronger, I think. I think sometimes after long points, I was -- both of us were trying to get some air. I think, you know, if I get physically stronger, then I can consistently serve better. I mean, 53 percent is not high enough. If I can get it to about 60 and be consistently fresh, on the clay I have a better chance, or whatever surface I play on.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I know what I'm doing. When I make a mistake, I know. Like you saw me putting my hand behind my back on my forehand, for example, because I was having everything too close together when I was missing my forehands. Or my toss, I know that it's my position, certain positions of the body that I'm doing wrong. I know what I'm doing wrong. And when I do it right, I know what I'm doing right. So that's quite satisfying.