WIMBLEDON

July 4, 2001

Tim Henman

MODERATOR: First question for Tim, please.

TIM HENMAN: I'm coming back again on Friday, I'm pretty pleased with the way I've been playing. To come through a match of that nature, with that much drama, it certainly feels very, very satisfying right now. I know that I've got to, you know, make sure I go away and recharge the batteries, make sure I come back fresh for Friday. You know, I feel confident about my chances. I've got a good record against Goran. You know, hopefully I can continue that.

TIM HENMAN: I've given myself another opportunity. I certainly feel like my game has definitely improved from the last time I was in the semis. I feel like I'm serving very, very well. I'm also returning. I'm making life difficult for my opponents when they're serving. And that's going to be important against Goran. You've got to accept that he's going to serve his aces, he's going to have his quick service games. But it's going to be my job to make him play as many balls as possible.

TIM HENMAN: I've certainly been, yeah, in some tight situations. But I don't think I've played a match that felt as close as that was in the fourth set. You know, it obviously looked at one stage as if it was going to go relatively quickly in the fourth, and I was perfectly aware that I wanted to make life as easy as I could. 4-1, 15-40, those are pretty much match points. Certainly on the 30-40 point, I hit a great serve. Felt like I put as good a lob as possible, under the circumstances. You've got to give him credit. You've got to give him so much credit for the way he's played, you know, in his previous matches. I'm sure he's going to have plenty more chances in the future.

TIM HENMAN: First and foremost, make sure that line judge saw it, the umpire saw it (smiling). It was, you know, a huge amount of relief, a massive amount of satisfaction. Someone just said in the locker room, maybe my matches should come with a health warning. I think it was getting pretty tight out there for everybody.

TIM HENMAN: No. Back is a hundred percent. I'll keep, you know, making sure I do the right things so that I don't have any future problems. But, you know, mentally and physically, a hundred percent.

TIM HENMAN: You know, that was my immediate reaction. I've played him in the two previous semifinal appearances. Certainly in '98 I played a great match, and it wasn't good enough. If you were to have a choice of who you would least like to play on grass, I think it would be Sampras because his record, as everybody knows, is phenomenal here. Having said that, you know, Goran is playing I think as well as most people have seen. I'm under no illusions that it certainly will be another tough one. But I feel good about my chances.

TIM HENMAN: It goes to show that he has been playing well. But Friday's another day. I've certainly dealt with his game well in the past. I've played him when he's been playing, you know, good tennis. I don't know how many times it is, three or four times, but I've come away the winner. That certainly gives me confidence going into the match. Add to that the fact that, you know, an occasion like today. The atmosphere was absolutely incredible. You know, I'd like some more of that on Friday.

TIM HENMAN: I'd like to think me winning Wimbledon (smiling). But, no, it is, it's a great story. He's a really, really popular guy with the rest of the players. You know, people have been aware of what he's been through. He's struggled with his form previously. In the last probably 12 months, he's had problems with his shoulder. I think it's fair to say that, you know, it's not perhaps the most expected, the way he's been playing. He's here on a wildcard. He's played very, very well. So I've got to try and stop his title dreams. I'm sure he's going to try to do the same to me.

TIM HENMAN: That's it. I'd like to think that it's, you know, got to come to an end at some stage. But, as I said, it is going to be about making him play as many balls as possible because he will, he'll serve however many aces, and I accept that. But I think if I can, you know, just keep chipping away at it, keep making him play an extra volley here or there, you know, he might miss one, might miss an important one. I feel good about my own service game, so it will - as always with grass court tennis at this level of the tournament - it will boil down to, you know, a few points here and there. It's my job to try and take them.

TIM HENMAN: No. I mean, that's probably one thing I haven't quite got around to. But Keiron will take care of that. I'm sure that he'll work it out.

TIM HENMAN: Well, I think Keiron will hopefully be wise enough to find a left-hander.

TIM HENMAN: Fingers crossed. Yeah, I'd like to think so because that support is phenomenal. It gives me such a boost. I think it puts added pressure on my opponents when they feel that if they're playing me, I'm playing well, that's one thing. But if they have 14,000 people, you know, trying to help me, it's a good feeling to have.

TIM HENMAN: No. I mean, you hear about it.

TIM HENMAN: It's great. The more support, the better. You know, I think if they made -- you know, you can't have an unlimited number of seats on Centre Court. It's pretty packed in there. I'm sure there's a few people who are keen to watch. You know, it's something that's been talked about. It's such a good thing to have here. I think maybe they could have it in a few other places to give the people an opportunity to watch, who can't be there on Centre Court.

TIM HENMAN: I'm trying to give them something worth shouting about, and I certainly feel like I've been trying to get them involved as much as I can. You know, it helps. The last two sets I played against Martin, the first two sets I played today I think were very, very high standard.

TIM HENMAN: I mean, my sort of character away from the court is one that is pretty reserved and likes to keep themselves to themselves. But I know that deep down I'm very, very determined, very, very competitive. It's difficult not to be that animated when you're on the court and you've got that kind of support. You do, you're getting really, really fired up out there. It is, it is an unbelievable atmosphere to play in. I can't stress that more. It's something that when I first saw as a five-year-old, I sort of kind of knew that that's what I wanted to be involved in. Now that I'm involved in it, I've got to take advantage of it.

TIM HENMAN: It's about winning, isn't it? There's no remarks column, is there? I just want to keep winning my matches. I feel very pleased with where my game is right now. All aspects seem to be working well, and that's something I'll consciously try and improve. But it's always been about me. It doesn't matter if you have a coach, a psychologist, a trainer, a masseur, a stringer, you know, it's about what you do on the court. So I'm certainly -- I've always played for myself, and that's evident now.

TIM HENMAN: It's something that I've enjoyed, because I've worked out a few aspects for myself. I think it's been a good challenge for me mentally. I've said all along, this game is tough enough as it is without trying to do it all on your own. After Wimbledon, I'll certainly be looking again to get a coach.

TIM HENMAN: I think this game is very much between the ears. You know, Goran has had sort of a pretty well-documented past. But, no, I feel, as far as -- I can only speak for myself. As far as I'm concerned, I couldn't be happier the way I'm dealing with situations. You know, I was perfectly prepared to admit I was tight in the fourth set. It's inevitable. But it's how you deal with that. I feel like I've dealt with it well.

TIM HENMAN: Well, I haven't thought about it like that. Hopefully not. We need more coaches in this country, and we need more players that they can coach. But, no, it works for some. It's horses for courses. I feel like it's been a good challenge for me now. But, no, I certainly don't envisage -- just because I've been playing well, I don't envisage suddenly deciding I want to do it all on my own.

TIM HENMAN: No. I don't think it's what people would expect. But having said that, on a grass court, with his serve, he's always capable - if his shoulder can last. He's proven in previous years that he's got a good game for grass. But, no, I think that was probably -- you know, I'd hope for his sake that that was his low point of his career because it was a tough time for him. He certainly wasn't enjoying the game. But he's bounced back, and I'm sure he's delighted with where he is right now.

TIM HENMAN: No, good. I get along well with Goran. I've known him for a long time, practiced with him on many occasions. He's a good character to have around. He's good for tennis in general.

TIM HENMAN: Not yet.

TIM HENMAN: Not necessarily. I would say that, you know, if I were to beat Goran, I would still say the winner of the Rafter-Agassi match goes into the final as favourite. They've certainly been in that situation. I think this is the third time they've played in the semis. They've both won Slams before. You know, I'll worry about that when I hopefully get there.

TIM HENMAN: I'm more than happy to come here and practice, you know, keep doing the things that I've been doing that obviously have been working. But it's always a little bit more relaxed. You don't have to put yourself through the emotions of a five-set match on Centre Court. It is, it's important that you do recharge mentally and physically. I'll certainly make sure that I do that so that I'm fresh and ready to do whatever it takes come Friday.

TIM HENMAN: I think I've beaten him because I've returned his serve well. I don't think he's been serving as well as he's been serving in those matches. But I certainly made him play a lot of balls. If you keep serving aces, obviously your confidence gets higher and higher. If I can limit those and keep getting the ball back, then it makes his mind think a little bit more, then he starts going for a little bit extra, a little closer to the lines. You know, that's certainly going to be one of the aspects that will decide the outcome.

TIM HENMAN: I hear it. I don't read it a great deal. If that's what they want to shout, it's certainly fine by me. It's just adding to the atmosphere. There's all sorts of things that they're shouting. But I certainly wouldn't want them to stop. The more the better really.

TIM HENMAN: That's a good question. I certainly feel like the pressure's always there. I think that also the pressure comes from within because I expect myself to do bigger and better things. You know, I've been to the semis before. It's not going to be a new experience for me, but it's going to be an interesting match to see whether I can go further than I've been before. I certainly believe that. Fingers crossed, I can achieve that.

TIM HENMAN: I'll make sure that I'm fresh come September (laughter). But, no, I feel I've worked very hard at my fitness. I've played three days in a row. It's important that you are fresh because you need all the energy you can get. I know that come Friday, I'll be ready and raring to go.

TIM HENMAN: I don't think it gets much bigger than this. Again, we'll worry about Ecuador when the time comes. I still fancy our chances.