WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 17, 2005

Tim Henman

THE MODERATOR: Tim Henman. Questions, please.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah. Stomach, yeah. I was just seeing the physios, and hopefully it's just a little strain. I don't think I've pulled it. If that was the case, then it's something much more serious. But, yeah, in the 4-All game in the first set I just suddenly was aware that, you know, it felt pretty tight and a little soreness. And, as I said, I think tomorrow I'll go and, you know, do one of these ultrasound scans and that will probably tell me a little bit more. But it didn't, you know -- if I would have lost power and I'd felt restricted, then I'd be, you know, more concerned. But I felt like I was still able to serve okay. But it's just then it's a bit more of a distraction mentally.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I think so. I didn't feel like I was -- it didn't feel like it was getting worse, but, you know, it's not something that I've ever really had before. You know, at this moment in time where I haven't, you know, been playing as well as I'd like, you just want to be able to concentrate on playing the match. I think, you know, mentally it becomes a distraction more than anything. And, you know, add to the fact he played some really good stuff, it was a tough day.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, no, I'd been -- there had been a few chances I think for both of us. So, you know, I felt like we were, you know, just looking for the opportunity to try and get in front. You know, that was a tough game to lose. I was down Love-40, get back, then I think I had game point. You know, would liked to have closed it out. So, yeah, it was a tough game all around to lose. But, you know, there's no excuse for losing your serve from 40-Love in the second set.

TIM HENMAN: I certainly would have done. You know, I don't -- I think it's best to wait tomorrow. I think I would have done, but I think given the nature of stomachs, you know, if you do have a strain, it's a pretty susceptible area. So I'll have to be quite careful. So at this stage I really don't know.

TIM HENMAN: No, it certainly isn't. No, I would have definitely liked to have played more matches and got more wins under my belt, but, you know, that's the way it is. You've got to deal with it. You know, I didn't play my best today, but I still feel like I have been actually playing okay. So it's a question of just trying to get some more matches under my belt. You know, if I don't play next week, it's, you know, it's not the end of the world. I will have time to, you know, go to practice in New York, and I want to make sure that I'm fit and healthy. And in all honesty, that wasn't the case last year, and I managed to turn it around. You know, if I can be fit and healthy and ready for the Open, then that would be one thing. It will be the case that I probably won't have had as much tennis as I would have liked, but that's the way it is. You've got to deal with that.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I think it can. You know, I've played -- although I haven't played enough matches, you know, I've been out working hard. And, you know, I'll make sure that whatever the scenario is, I'm, you know, I'm very ready - as ready as best I can be. You've got to -- and, you know, I've played long enough to understand that you're going to have these bumps in the road, there's going to be ups and downs. I'll be the first to admit it's been a difficult period. But I will, I'll work my way through it.