PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 12, 2002

Greg Rusedski

MODERATOR: Questions for Greg.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think the key for today's match was the serving percentage. The last two and a half weeks have been really tough for me because I got the flu. For two and a half weeks -- I played Agassi, ripped my hand open. You know, I got five days where I could put in proper work. These are the events you want to peak for. But I think the serving was the most impressive thing, the 83% serving, not giving him any chances. Every time I gave him a second serve, he really punished me. You know, I played very well. I was very happy. I think I learned from last year's match when I lost to Rafter on how to play in these conditions, and with these balls. These balls are slower this year than last year, but it's a similar sort of style you have to play out here.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I'm moving well, I got my energy. You know, I'm feeling like I'm starting to play like I did in Australia. You know, it's great that I managed to get over those last few weeks, which were quite difficult, and really peak for these weeks. These are the weeks I want to play well, right here, Indian Wells, and Miami, because they go on your ranking. These are the ones everybody is watching.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I did down the road. I wish it was still played down there. I quite liked that place. If they used the same balls, it would be very nice as well. Now I want to play well here and do well. As you know, in the next round, it's going to be difficult again.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Same thing as Australia. Just cut it up here with Agassi. So I changed to a softer grip. We just taped it up. You know, I think in the past it would have been -- affected me when I was a little bit younger. Now that I'm older, mature, wiser, I don't let these things bother me because I can't do anything about it.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, it wouldn't have. Sven and I put in five days. I got to do two sessions a day in the gym, two sessions a day on the court. For the last two weeks, I could do nothing. I had no gym work, no tennis, because I couldn't throw this flu I had for two and a half weeks. Finally got some good preparation in, which I think was the key, and paid off for today's match. My energy levels, when I got up to the changeover, my body language was good and quick, my serving percentage, I really took my time. I don't think I've ever served 83% in a match - 16 aces, no double-faults. The winner-to-unforced-errors ratio was plus 20 or something. That's a very satisfying match.

GREG RUSEDSKI: We'd been working on it quite a bit because we were extremely disappointed with the way I played the last three weeks. I lost to good players, Clement, Martin, and Agassi, but I felt I wasn't playing the standard I was in the beginning of the year. I felt, you know, each one of those matches I lost, I was playing about maybe 65, 70% of my ability. And today, you know, finally, okay, here come out, played 95, a hundred percent of my ability. That's the happy thing, that I peaked for this week.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah. No, I knew what I had to do out there. But the thing with him is if you give him an inch, he usually takes a mile. Every time it got to 30-All, I made sure I got the first serve in, well-placed. Saving those two breakpoints early on with a good backhand volley and one good first serve was very key. And then just hustling at 5-4 to get that break was important, as well. That's where the energy comes in. I have a good record against him, but I played him on hard courts when he was 19 and not known in the world at the US Open, then at Wimbledon last year, which I think favors me. We haven't played on clay yet, which I'm sure will be interesting. But I think I'd actually have a good chance to play well against him on that surface the way I played today.

GREG RUSEDSKI: He's unbelievable, this guy. He can beat anybody on a given day, but then he has these patches where it just doesn't work. So hopefully he has one of those patches tomorrow, but I highly doubt it. I think I'm 1-3. I beat him outdoors in Washington, and I think he's beaten me two or three times indoors. I'm looking forward to it. It's a good test. He's going to have that really good mix-up kick serve coming at me, he's going to come to the net a lot. He's sort of a flashy player who really goes for his shots, really doesn't hold bar. I'm going to have to play solid. I'm looking forward to the challenge.

GREG RUSEDSKI: He didn't say anything at the end. I think, you know, he was there from the first point to the last point because guys know how important this tournament is. You know, if I would have given him a few more second serves. If you look at it, I looked at the stats. In the second set, I played three second serves, and he won all three points. I think in the first set, he won four out of seven on second serves. So, you know, if I would have just dropped my level a little bit, he's a good enough player that he would take advantage of that. That's very satisfying that I didn't give him that opportunity.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Just heavier and flatter.

GREG RUSEDSKI: You have to be a little craftier with the ball. You can't just go out there and hit 20 aces flat. You have to use the slice, you have to use the kick, you have to be much more clever. The one thing where it helps the server is probably the kick serve here. As you can see, there's some bounces, like if a guy puts spin on it, it just takes off like no tomorrow. So like a Rafter or an Edberg really would have enjoyed playing here because it gives you a lot of time to get in. If you don't hit your volleys clean or your serve clean, then the baseliner will really punish you for not hitting a clean shot. So I think it's interesting. If this ball and this court was played where it wasn't so dry in the desert, I think the -- all you would see would be 50 baseline rallies. The air here is a little bit quicker. That helps a bit.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I hit a forehand where I totally missed it on one of his returns. I mean, the court really just grabs it and really shoots it. So, you know, I don't make the courts; I just come and play.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, it was fine. I had my ice towel. I'm in good shape from working the last five days to a week. You know, it didn't affect me at all.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Rotterdam ball was no consistency. You picked three balls out of a can, you get three different balls. They were terrible balls. Marseille was a lovely, quick ball. I quite enjoyed that. The week I was -- I was in San Jose the week after, so I wouldn't know. The Rotterdam ball was very inconsistent, very poor.