AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2001

Tim Henman

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Tim Henman.

TIM HENMAN: Back to normal service. Yeah. How do I explain it?

TIM HENMAN: The third set is definitely a combination of loss of concentration and I think the first two sets I got the balance right on my serve of making a high percentage and almost playing to the percentages. But I think at the beginning of the third set I then got too easy on it. Almost like I was just trying to field the serve into the box. I probably took a little bit too much off it; then suddenly he hits -- he has a chance to get onto it. Then I lost my rhythm. It was like I couldn't find that balance again. Almost like I was trying to, as I said, make it in the court instead of hitting it into the court. Then I made life difficult for myself to be perfectly honest because suddenly he gets a certain amount of confidence from nowhere because I am dominating the match. But then I had to slow down, regroup and pick up my game from the first two sets. That is what I did in the fourth.

TIM HENMAN: There was -- you know, loss of concentration is loss of concentration. It is never acceptable. But certainly there was almost a lull in the beginning of the third set. I am a professional player and this is my job, so you can't use that as an excuse, but I needed to almost pick it up again because I wanted to try and keep the crowd as quiet as possible so they had as little to shout about and support Wayne. But then almost I got a little bit complacent. All of a sudden when he has been missing first serves he is up a break and then his serve starts to look a lot more dangerous.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, very much so. It was at that stage I wasn't dominating on my serve. He was getting on it too. That was a very important stage. Having said that I felt like I had started to pick up my return game as well, making him a lot more balls as I did in the first two sets and no doubt, it was a big point, but I'd held onto my serve then played better again.

TIM HENMAN: No, I don't know. Because for two sets, 6-3, 6-2 I couldn't have asked for more, I don't think. I don't think I really put a foot wrong, my first serve percentage was very high making an enormous amount of returns. But it was almost like I was just waiting for that to continue instead of making it happen. You break down the game that I lost, he hits a good forehand up the line love-all to go Love-15 for me, then good backhand return to go Love-30 and double, double. So it is not like he did a great deal. And suddenly the crowd feel like they have got something to shout about.

TIM HENMAN: Exactly. It didn't remind me of -- fortunately it didn't remind of me of too many other occasions because it hasn't really happened for a long, long time. But as David said, he felt like I was playing too quickly in between the points at that stage because sure, I have lost my serve, but no great shakes, I am up two sets to love. That is when I should have just slowed things down and regrouped and pick my game up again, start going for the serve a little bit more. If anything I played a bit faster and that wasn't the right thing to do.

TIM HENMAN: Unfortunately, yeah, by that stage I was a double breakdown so against Wayne that certainly is the set gone. But then it was kind of wipe the slate clean after the third set and you know, let's get it together in the fourth. Obviously the score line, I am up two sets to one, in my favor and we are back on level terms in the set. That was important to establish my game back.

TIM HENMAN: No, it shouldn't do, certainly not. Because it was -- you know it's not something I have really suffered for -- didn't used to be a problem when I was, I think a few years ago because my game wasn't quite as consistent and -- but now I think I understand it a lot more. As you say, I think it will be a lot more intense against Rafter. I really look forward to that match.

TIM HENMAN: That is right. To be honest, you know obviously the match against Pat will be tougher and he is -- he is such a good player. So I feel like it has been pretty good preparation, if anything,because Wayne serve and volleys on both balls. Pretty obvious that Rafter is going to be serve and volleying on both balls. So I felt like I was picking up the ball well and making a lot of good returns, hitting some good passing shots. So that is what I am going to have to do against Pat.

TIM HENMAN: I think I have been hitting the ball really, really well. And as you say, it is all about getting through to the second week. And I think I have played 10 sets; I have won nine. So it has been very satisfactory. And I will be the first to admit now you have got to probably go up a gear because the matches are going to get tougher and I don't think there is really any tougher than Rafter in Melbourne.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, not going to dwell on it by any stretch of the imagination. You look at the first, second and fourth sets, I am 3, 2 and 2 against a guy that is serving as well as he does, then that is -- that is very satisfying. I think he is -- I have played some good tennis. For about 15 minutes it wasn't the best I have ever played.

TIM HENMAN: I don't know. I think you can look at it from two aspects. He could say on one hand perhaps he is not concentrating as well as I could or should be. But having said that, hopefully he watched some good tennis either side of that. So we have played on I think four occasions.

TIM HENMAN: 2-All, so I have always enjoyed playing him and his style of play, so we have played once at Wimbledon, that was on my home territory. Now we play on his home turf.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, that is right. I suppose I should reflect on that as well.

TIM HENMAN: Not really. I think I was surprised a little bit by -- not surprised by the heat tonight, but it was definitely warmer tonight than it has been in my first two matches even though I played in the day in my first and second rounds. So there is adjustment to be made. I think I probably go up a kilo or two in the tension, so...

TIM HENMAN: Not really. I think they are pretty similar. I have enjoyed playing on both. I think in some of the conditions early on in the week, I think it is easier playing on one of those courts, it is a bit more sheltered than perhaps the outside courts when it gets windy and gusty. So, no, I am not fussy with either of those.

TIM HENMAN: I'd like it to be the same way because that would probably mean that I am dominating things. Yeah, the support he has is reminiscent of the support that I have at Wimbledon. So you got to -- I expect that. I would be naive to think that it is going to be tranquil or anything like that. But no, it is great to play in those atmospheres.

TIM HENMAN: Definitely makes a change because it doesn't really happen so much. There is only a few opponents that you can play who will be coming at you on both balls, and coming at you on one ball. So no, I enjoy that. I enjoy seeing the target and you have got to be able to execute your shots. It is a lot more sort of a reaction tennis, if you like.

TIM HENMAN: That is right. The rallies are going to be pretty short, I would have thought. And you look at a match like Hewitt and Haas, they played three sets, it is over three hours. And then you look at Greg's match, for instance, last night, they played five sets. First 4 sets was pretty much two hours, I think, so yeah, I don't think it will be -- it won't be a battle of endurance.

TIM HENMAN: It is a difficult one, I suppose. On paper I might be favorite in ranking terms, but obviously he is going to have a lot of support and, you know, I wouldn't say there is a clear favorite either way, but I feel confident about my game. I really look forward to it.

TIM HENMAN: I was trying not to listen to those songs.

TIM HENMAN: No. They were sort of ---.

TIM HENMAN: Coming up with a few good ones, I was trying not to listen them because if you do, they are pretty amusing.

TIM HENMAN: I didn't hear that one actually. Probably a good thing. So...

TIM HENMAN: You try to, yeah, and I think the Aussies have a good sense of humor, so sometimes you hear something shouted out that is pretty amusing, you sort of are thinking, well, shouldn't really be laughing. I have got to concentrate on what I am doing. But, no, it is great atmosphere to play in.

TIM HENMAN: Not really because I ---.

TIM HENMAN: If you break it down into actually terms of time, I probably only lost concentration for 30 seconds in the second game of the third set, but that is enough at this level. If you don't focus on what you are doing, then you are going to be a break down. That is what happened. All of a sudden the Love-3 game, he is suddenly hitting a few good backhand returns. Then it is not so much my concentration. It is more his good play. Then, yeah, if you are a double breakdown against Wayne, then very unlikely to come back in those conditions. So it was definitely a question of regrouping, accepting the fact, I wasn't pleased with myself, but it happened and I had to get on with it in the fourth. That is when my intensity level picked up.

TIM HENMAN: You look at some people and you will think they are playing better than others, but you can't win the tournament in the first week. You can certainly lose it. So you have got to get through these matches somehow. And I think -- I definitely didn't play my best tennis tonight but I did the job and I certainly played in the first two sets --I played much better against Lapentti, but as you say, out of those three guys out Arazi, Lapentti, and Arthurs, I am coming back on Sunday and I have got another match; Fortunately for me, they are not.

TIM HENMAN: A little bit. Then it was sort of dragging on a little bit. I saw some of the highlights, I saw the call at 5-All, deuce. Which was a tough one.