WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 7, 2002

Tim Henman

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I think you certainly give him an element of credit, but from my point of view, I am not even going to begin to think the last time I played that badly. It was horrendous.

TIM HENMAN: I started okay, yeah, that's right and I think especially playing someone who is as erratic as he is, once, you know, get an opportunity and take an opportunity, you can't give him a second chance in that set. He hit a good pass but at 15-All had a pretty routine get on his drop shot and missed it. That's when things began to turnaround.

TIM HENMAN: I'd like to think it's one of those things because I don't think it has been -- obviously hasn't been too much wrong with my form and the way I played yesterday so there isn't really an obvious explanation, but, you know, to play as badly as I did is disappointing.

TIM HENMAN: No, that adds to the frustration, doesn't it, because in those first few games I got some first serves in and then on his serve I chipped the ball back and in that single game he probably made eight unforced errors and ended up winning, but you never really feel like the match is in your control. Even well throughout the whole match, I didn't really feel like there was a lot that I could do. I was certainly, I'd love to say that on this occasion I was ill or something or I didn't try but the scary thing is I tried on every point. And even at 4-Love down, you still -- there's still an element of hope because you never know what he is going to do. Again, I keep plugging away. I put some balls in court, and the misses start coming, and suddenly it's 4-2, 15-40. So yeah, he's very difficult to play against. And I suppose that adds to the frustration.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, and I think that was something that I didn't do particularly well because I think, you know, my mindset is not focused on my worrying about my serve. If you get into that you get into that position, then obviously you are not addressing the thing that you can control which is your first serve. Sure, when you-- once you have missed it, then you realize that there's probably a pretty big forehand coming up wherever you hit your next serve.

TIM HENMAN: I think I have felt very confident coming in because not just, you know, that match, but in general the way I feel I have been playing, and, you know, as I have shown throughout the year I have played well. So it adds a little bit to the mystery of why I played so badly today. I don't think it was the -- it wasn't the easiest conditions; obviously much windier today and the balls are bouncing around a lot. But I still can't, you know, I can't hide from the fact how badly I played.

TIM HENMAN: I think so.

TIM HENMAN: No, I think I have got to get back out there and, you know, try and continue to work hard. There's still, you know, a couple of opportunities now with Indianapolis and most importantly, the Open, so, you know, I won't let this detract from that.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, probably.