DAVIS CUP - USA vs GREAT BRITAIN

April 1, 1999

Tim Henman

Q. Tim, Jim was in here earlier saying how very kind it was to pick a nice surface that was actually fair, would you like to see a faster surface?

TIM HENMAN: No, not after the way I played at Battersea. I think this surface suits us both really well. It is pretty quick, but perhaps they were expecting something --

TIM HENMAN: Well, the weather today maybe, but I think it is a really good surface, and it's one that we both have good results on in the past.

GREG RUSEDSKI: If we chose grass, you have to remember Jim was in the Wimbledon final, and Martin should have been in the Wimbledon final.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think we were. We were pretty sure that Jim was going to be playing the second singles, because I think of what happened in Milwaukie and because Jan-Michael played his first match there, and Jim has experience in Grand Slam competition and Davis Cup, I don't think it was a surprise to see Courier and Martin selected.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I really like the surface. Tim and I have practiced on it, and have played a few practice sets. I enjoyed the surface. It gives us more time on the returns, and it allows us to be aggressive and if we serve well and play our games, we'll be absolutely fine. I think the court is very nice and I like it a lot.

TIM HENMAN: On a quick court, if they're serving well it is going to be tough. But, no, from our point of view we have to worry about our games, and that's what we've been preparing for. When you talk about the court I don't think you could ask for a better surface.

TIM HENMAN: Yes.

TIM HENMAN: I think I go into any match expecting to win, so I wouldn't think it would be any different.

TIM HENMAN: Quite rightly, likewise I think they're expecting to win. We're expecting to win every match, and that's the way they're expecting.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, definitely. I didn't play very well in Key Biscayne, and that was disappointing, but that's definitely been put behind me. And I had a few days off after the states, and we've had a really good week practicing up here. So my preparation couldn't have been any better.

TIM HENMAN: No, I played against a Frenchman I've had a few problems with. And he has played really well against me, and on that surface, and in windy conditions it's not easy for anyone to play. And I lost it, as simple as that. But that's behind me.

TIM HENMAN: I think if it was a 11 o'clock start, I would have preferred to play second. But as it's 1 o'clock, then I'll be out of bed by that time.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think it's faster than Hanover, the balls seem to fly and go through the air quicker, there's no altitude, but it's quicker.

TIM HENMAN: It's the first -- first and foremost we're in the World group, and that's what we've been working towards. But when you add into the equation the hundred years, and playing the USA, as someone said last night it would have been nice if it would have been the final, but to play in the first round it doesn't get much bigger. I think Greg and I both know we're very excited and very motivated.

GREG RUSEDSKI: David said we shouldn't have met yet, because we haven't been seeded, I'm just quoting him.

TIM HENMAN: I think we hope it will be. And Davis Cup the home advantage has always been important. I think in the past we've perhaps had the reputation for being a little reserved and I think that's probably going to be thrown out the window this weekend, and the more noise they can make and the more support we can have the better.

TIM HENMAN: I think this is probably more like Wimbledon, playing at home, and on this type of atmosphere and intensity, I probably consider it a little more like that. But I think when you're playing a team event, that's what makes it extra special, representing your country.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think the public gets into team sports more in Britain, I'd say. I think we're going to get more than enough backing at Wimbledon. But I think this will be a different atmosphere and highlight the tennis season much more, and be great for the game of tennis, following a team that can build up together, if we can progress to a further stage of the Davis Cup, I think it will be just as big, if not bigger.

TIM HENMAN: I think it has been a little bit like that. I think we go back whenever it was, three or four years ago when we played against Monaco, we were starting from rock bottom, and we appreciated that, we knew we were on a mission, if you'd like to get back to the World group. But I think with Greg and my ability, then we don't want to settle for the first round in the World group, I think with a little bit of luck we firmly believe that we can go all the way.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think I do, personally, myself. I don't know how Tim feels, but I find it much more difficult, because you're watching a match that you really want to win, because it's a team atmosphere. So when Tim is playing Jim I'm going to be watching the match and you're going through every shot much more than if you're watching a tournament, which is more casual. I find there's much more nerves and much more emotion involved in watching the Davis Cup.

TIM HENMAN: I think that's very true, you're excited and you're a little bit nervous before you play, but if anything it's the easy bit is playing. You're out there, you're running around, you're hopefully in control of the situation, but when you're on the sidelines you're a hundred percent behind your team, but there's nothing you can actually do. So that's why we have our eye on each other.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, Greg was just giving us a bit of a roller coaster in the first match, and I was sitting in the locker room, and in the next room there was some pretty dodgey music playing. So I had to turn the TV off and go elsewhere to try to get ready. But it adds to the whole weekend.

GREG RUSEDSKI: If you watch it too long your preparation, I find, gets totally messed up. And you come on the court having an emotional high or low, whether the person has won or lost, so it's not the best preparation. You watch a little bit, but you have to shut yourself off from it a little bit, because you know you have to step on the court afterwards, which makes it difficult, because you want to watch, but if you watch it might cause your preparations to go totally off and not play as well as you have to.

TIM HENMAN: I think definitely when I knew I was going to play tennis at a young age, I always really enjoyed the individuality of it. I was the one that would win, and if I played badly, if I made the mistakes, I was the won that lost. But when you have a team environment a couple of times a year, it does make it really enjoyable, it's a good atmosphere. We have a lot of fun leading up to it, in the last three or four years we've obviously done a lot of winning, and that makes it even more enjoyable.

TIM HENMAN: I think we've probably spent more time on the practice courts in these weeks working together with the same goal has definitely helped. And I think that probably not only helps our relationship, but our performances on the court.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think it was great for both of us, because we needed to know how to work together as a doubles team. You can be two very good singles players, but you have to mesh together and get a feeling, the way the other one likes to move and play. I think that's important for this tie, and I'm glad we played the doubles and got us together before this tie. When we practice together we have a better sense of each other out there.

TIM HENMAN: I think we are excited to be playing the USA, but more importantly if we beat them, then we beat you, as well, Bud.

GREG RUSEDSKI: You don't beat me, I'm at every final, kid.

TIM HENMAN: I suppose a few years ago when I was beginning to play like satellites and stuff, yeah, we perhaps were the laughing stock of the game. But that in essence has been one of incentives to prove people wrong, and I think Greg and I have done that.

TIM HENMAN: A lot of jokes. Bad selection of movies.

TIM HENMAN: I think there's more of an edge to us. I think when you've won four Grand Slams and been No. 1 in the world for a couple of years, it may be a little bit different. But as we said we've been working towards this for three or four years, and we want to make sure that we go further.

DAVID LLOYD: On the court side I would say I speak to Greg and Tim and the other guys, and that is the court surface they believe is their best surface, and when you've got guys that good, it's different if you're playing perhaps the Spanish guys. Obviously -- these guys are good players, Todd Martin could play on any surface. I think it's a good court. I think it's Greg's best surface. He's won on it many time. His serve comes down fast on any surface, you could put down mud and it would be quick. That's the way they think. They feel that their serve is good on any surface. It's a very nice -- not high, but medium high bounce, which gives them a great chance to return. And I'm playing to our strengths, rather than their weaknesses, I don't think they have as many weaknesses as some of the teams. That's why we picked it.

DAVID LLOYD: Yes, of course, we've got to win this match. But to be quite honest it is I think a little unfair that we're playing each other in the first round. And if we win, which I'm very confident we will, it's a bit unfair on them, playing us first round, when we should be seeded, but the powers that be work out these things. I don't know how, but there we are.

DAVID LLOYD: There's apparently four different formulae, if that's the correct -- I'm getting better, because I'm reading your book, Bud. No. 1 is the two singles rankings, we were second or third in that, then they threw in doubles, and then they went back to past record. It's very hard for us in the last five years to have that record, when we haven't been in the division. And I said, for example, Czechoslovakia, it's the Czech Republic, where is their record? They are new, and can't have a record. They said we would be bad on clay. I said bring the Spanish to grass and see how many sets they get off us.

DAVID LLOYD: To Brian Tobin, and to Thomas Hallberg. The way the game has gone, and the ATP ranking, you have to have a method that is not up to someone's discretion, because I might have upset Neale Fraser, that might be the reason, I don't know.

DAVID LLOYD: You can't have it.

I think you need a system. If that's three singles players, we can't argue, but if it's two -- it's a great competition, seeding is important. But the match is there, and it's a dream draw for both teams to play, I think, at the hundred year -- it's, I suppose, what's the word -- it was going to happen. Now we're going to go on, and it will be a great tennis match out there.

DAVID LLOYD: Absolutely. Probably a year ago everybody said we didn't have a doubles pair. All we had to do was persuade them to swap sides, once we persuaded them, they are a great doubles pair. There would be no doubles pair I would be worried about playing, especially indoors. These guys serve out a mountain. I'm not worried about playing any doubles match. Obviously if one gets injured we have a different problem, which is the only problem in having in theory a two-man team. But I wouldn't pick any two better than the two I've got.

DAVID LLOYD: Greg used to play on the right, and for a left-hander to play on the right it's tough, even if you're Rod Laver. And once they swapped ground, then suddenly the whole thing clicked, and I thought they played exceptionally well at Battersea. Tim lost one serve, Greg didn't lose any. And they didn't lose a set. And I thought they played great tennis. And they are confident now, where before we were a little worried about the doubles, who was going to play, what was going to happen, and that's not the case now.

DAVID LLOYD: Davis Cup is something you can't predict, you can only predict it about ten minutes after one when they hit the first ball, and you know what is going to happen. They might have said they're not nervous. I don't believe that. I think this is something very special.

DAVID LLOYD: Good. They said it's another day in their life. Well, I actually don't think that's the case. And I don't think they think it's the case, either.

DAVID LLOYD: No, our guys. They want to win. We did have a plan, and we do want to win the Cup. There's no two ways about it, and it's a very big occasion. And they've handled big occasions well before, but until that day, until you hit the ball in, you don't know what's going to happen. And I've seen very good players in the Davis Cup not play well. And McEnroe when we played in '78, we knew he was a great player, he came out, and the first ball, in the fence, in the fence, no one could get the ball back. He played a great game of tennis, and that's why he's a great player. And going back to Sampras, I just don't understand why he doesn't want to be a part of this -- I mean it's a tremendous feeling to go out and play for your country, I just can't believe anyone throws that out.

DAVID LLOYD: Obviously Sampras, he's the best player in the world. Agassi, I have to say, I wouldn't have picked him again, and I think he did it very well, he's not available, it's a clever way of marketing. But Sampras is the best player in the world. And of course that's a hole. But you've got to remember, Courier wasn't No. 1 in the world for two years, and Martin has had a great year, probably better than Sampras, but it's weakened by one player, and I don't think that the Davis Cup as a competition should be devalued by one player, and he's the only player not playing, if he goes to Wimbledon, does that -- it's just one player. It's sad because he's great in competition. Everybody is talking about changing it, for me I think it's something very special.

DAVID LLOYD: I think combined with the fact that Tim and Greg are doing so well, I think it would have an enormous impact. We're very much into team things. When you've got the England football and cricket and all these things, I think it would be enormous if we win the Davis Cup, if the draw goes well and we get to the win it, I think for tennis it would be gigantic. When the draw came out, I had meetings with the LTA, how are we going to sell this? Just give to to me, we'll sell it. 9,700, it's packed, it's enormous, and you've got two players, who are recognized. Then you throw in the fact that you're playing Davis Cup, and you throw in the fact it's America. It's special. You can't buy what's going to happen in the next three days.

DAVID LLOYD: Don't need to, it's sold out. Why throw it away? Yeah, I couldn't find the hotel, I didn't even see the Davis Cup on the hotel. Yeah, but perhaps because the fact they sold out. I certainly couldn't find the hotel or anything else. But I think looking at it, I think this arena looks fantastic, you've seen many arenas, it has its impact, it has a feeling that you want to play. There's some courts you want to play, like Wimbledon, it's just got a good feeling. And I think it's going to be very special. But it's going to go on one or two points. These guys -- between 8 and 9, 8 and 20, it will come down to one or two break points being taken one way or another.

DAVID LLOYD: I don't believe that. I just don't -- you want to play -- I don't believe that. I think just the whole -- Jim last night, he brought around -- how special it was for them -- their team signed all the menus, and we signed all the menus, and it was kept as a memento. If that's another day, he doesn't keep a Key Biscayne memento. It's special. I did it, and I don't keep mementos. I got it signed by the American team. I don't think you can get away from that.

DAVID LLOYD: There will be a few rattles tomorrow. We've been selling rattles.

DAVID LLOYD: No, I don't think so. A British crowd is a very fair crowd, it's not like when you play in Italy or Romania, they clap when you double fault, they boo you. We're not like that. But, no, I think it would be -- yes, of course having the home crowd cheer you on would be a slight advantage, but it's not such a disadvantage for them as it would be if they were playing in Spain.

DAVID LLOYD: I haven't been --

DAVID LLOYD: I think they have been giving away rattles. Is that good or bad, I don't know?

DAVID LLOYD: We obviously got used to the court. These guys are fantastic, they go from indoor, outdoor, America to Australia, and back to America, and to come back indoors, with the ceiling and the lights and things, the first two days, and now it's a case of trying to get them to the gate firing, and hopefully we get it right, we relax a bit. And Tim, you know Tim, we've got to get him out, and hopefully we know -- we're good at that. And hopefully 1 o'clock tomorrow, Tim will come out firing on all cylinders.

DAVID LLOYD: Yes. And one will go to the cinema, one will do this, and one might kick a few balls around and whatever. There's no set rules. They're very professional. You don't have to say don't do this, don't drink, don't do this, you don't need to. They are very professional guys. Every day of their life they want to be No. 1 in the world, and they've got that ambition. And it's very good like a guy like Mark Hilton to see the professionalism, it's very good. It's important for young kids to know.