TMS - HAMBURG

May 15, 2001

Greg Rusedski

Q. They keep giving you easy matches.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, no. I was actually quite pleased with the way I hit the ball today. Last week I wanted to work on my slice penetrating more and flattening out my forehand and serving a little bit better and I felt like I played better than last week, actually. I felt, you know, I played more aggressive except for the first game where I got broken where I should have probably serve and volleyed every ball. That was the only game where I was a little disappointed on. But no, I think it is going in the right direction. I just made a few too many unforced errors when it counted, but I am not going to be staying out there with him hitting his long high-top-speed rallies. I think I had the right strategy down. I just needed to execute slightly better. He is a very good clay court player.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, would have been interesting if I could have got that break because he was 40-love on his serve, I got back to deuce, second serve where I racketed a forehand down-the-line and I missed it by two, three inches. He was completely going the other way. So if I would have got that early break he would have -- it would have been interesting. He played a good game, where really gave me some high forehands deep; instead of me taking the net from him, and then from then on in, I took the net to him and didn't really struggle on my serve until he broke me that one game we he came up with a good backhand passing shot and I hit one short volley that I got -- made the shot. Overall I was quite pleased. I get -- like every first point I would --

GREG RUSEDSKI: I nearly win the first point almost every game on his serve. 15-30 a few times and then I tried to take the momentum in the second set, played a good opening game, 15-Love, then the guy hits four aces on the lines. So changed the momentum there. But no, I am happy with the way I have hit the ball; now just tighten up a little bit again. I mean, every week I feel I am playing a player who is higher caliber on the clay. I mean, first week was Pavel who is excellent on the clay, then I beat Prinosil, Ferrera played very well; had Ferrero who was outstanding. Then this week play Corretja who has done exceptionally well here in the past, you know, to play 3 and 4 is an improvement, so that is a positive.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Definitely. Definitely. I think that penetrating slice because I thought I penetrated my slice well which was good on the return, which I was really pleased with. I could be a little more consistent but worked on that one week flattening out my forehand which is better for the lower balls, you know, will help on the grass courts as well, and then serving and volleying is always a good benefit as well. So I think overall I feel my game is getting better. Fair enough, I have only won one match on the clay, but I feel like I am going in the right direction. I still need to keep on improving. There is still one more important point, French Open, where the balls will be a little bit quicker and the court will be quicker which will be nice.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I mean, I think his, you know, it's his decision what he has to do there. And I think, you know, last year when I didn't have a coach myself it was because I had so many injuries I had to sort myself out so it was a completely different situation. But I think most of the time I have had a coach except for that time. So, you know, he has got to feel happy with his decision and his choice he is going to make and, you know, I think he has got to do what he feels best.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think, you know, they definitely do help especially when it comes to major championships. I think you need to take the pressure off yourself. When you get to a three-out-of-five set tournament, there is a lot of media around. There is a lot of pressure. There is a lot going on. So I think for the Grand Slams, I think that is when it's the most important to have a coach there, someone who you trust; who you believe in and someone who can take a lot of the stress and pressure off you because that is the hardest time of the year is when the Majors come up.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I guess so, especially Wimbledon, I would say, but no matter whether it's the French Open or Australia or whichever, but, you know, you have got two situations here. You want to get a coach that you feel comfortable with and feel that is going to take you in the right direction as well -- than having a coach just for having the sake of a coach as well. There is two things there.