GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE ATP CHAMPIONSHIP

August 7, 1996

Todd Martin

TODD MARTIN: Yes.

TODD MARTIN: No, I was playing.

TODD MARTIN: Yes.

TODD MARTIN: What is your question again?

TODD MARTIN: I have got two more tournaments before the Open and by no means I am happy with today, but like I said, there is two more tournaments. I have got plenty of time to practice and it is just disappointing because you want to do well whenever you go out on the court and today I didn't do well.

TODD MARTIN: Well, you know, there is a lot that makes a match. I had my opportunities in the third set -- or -- yeah, and I had, I guess, 3-1 serving and then also at 3-4, I was up 15-40 on his serve and you are going to have your opportunities and sometimes they don't necessarily fall your way. I don't necessarily think that it was due to the fact that I haven't been playing. I think he played a pretty good game at 3-1 and I just didn't hit -- didn't come up with the good serve when I needed to, but that happens whether you have been playing every week or four, five weeks or you haven't been playing. I think just, you know, just the way the cookie crumbles and today it wasn't my day.

TODD MARTIN: I think the most important thing from my layoff, it is difficult to prepare yourself for the heat and for -- just for all the conditions that you are going to confront over the next three weeks, four weeks, and that was difficult, but I felt like I hit the ball fine. I just didn't start off very quickly. Got broken in the first game of the match and then I played pretty solidly from there and then I think I ran out of gas a little bit in the third set.

TODD MARTIN: There is no conscious effort to maintain a position. I mean, you go out and you do your job. If you do your job well, maybe you are in the top 10, maybe top 20. If you don't do your job well, then you are not. What you have to do is just focus going out everyday and doing what needs to be done and trying to take the most out of every experience you have, whether it be good or bad.

TODD MARTIN: Well, I think the realist in me is going to say, well, you just got to work yourself into shape this summer because although I feel like I am in good shape, it is still a shock to the system when you are play in conditions as extreme as these. I think I need to start -- well, not start. I need to improve on playing with the heat and being able to close out matches when I had opportunities like I did today and, you know, just continue to keep my perspective broad and not, you know, not get hung up on little things and try to improve everything and go from there. It is a long year and hopefully a long career, so I don't need to worry about -- worry myself about each time I lose. It is not fun, but just take what you can from it and go.

TODD MARTIN: It is rarely not a good time to take a break. We are so busy throughout the year that any break, whether it be planned or not planned, usually ends up helping, and I feel much more eager to be out here and play then if I would have started the summer a few weeks ago and have to get going, but it doesn't necessarily always show instant dividends. It is going to maybe, or hopefully, help me down the road.

TODD MARTIN: I will go on to Indy in a couple of days. There is no hurry for me to get there. I won't play 'til probably Tuesday or Wednesday. I don't think the conditions will be too much different.