TMS MONTE CARLO

April 12, 2005

Tim Henman

THE MODERATOR: First question for Tim.

TIM HENMAN: Second set?

TIM HENMAN: I certainly started to turn it around. You know, I felt yesterday is probably the toughest conditions for me to play in. And the level of his play, he was serving big, making a lot of first serves. It was just I found it difficult to make in roads. I felt I had to hit three or four perfect shots to set up the point. And, you know, as it turned out, I was happy to stop last night and come back. You know, conditions to start with were a little bit better. I felt like I was able to, you know, start to dictate a little bit. I think his level wasn't as high as yesterday. Yeah, you just -- it's, you know, on clay, you have to try, when there are those momentum swings, you have to make them last as long as possible. I held a couple really good service games at 4-All, second set. Then I'd broken to win the set. Then the first game of the third. And the next game, had that breakpoint. Never really got -- I was on the defensive a lot throughout the rally. But I think, you know, in the context, the set yesterday probably doubled the amount of time that I'd spent on the clay. It hasn't been ideal. But, you know, you just have to deal with it as best you can. The context, it's disappointing to lose. But I feel, even from yesterday, my game, it improved a lot. I don't think that's surprising just with spending some more time on it.

TIM HENMAN: No, I don't think so really. In these types of conditions, what do you -- I think all credit to him yesterday. In such heavy conditions, he did set up a lot of points. I don't think -- it's not like we're serving a lot of aces. If you hit the line, it's good, you might serve one or two. But the match is going to be decided on who can dictate the points and be aggressive but not make mistakes.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I think that was one thing that he did very well yesterday, was when I played the short slice to bring him in, he handled that well. Whereas today, I tried to hit the slice deep first, back him up, then play another one deep, and so therefore he wasn't able to anticipate as much. But, you know, he's very, very comfortable on this surface, and, you know, it's always tough to play against him.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, it doesn't help. When it's that cool and it's obviously wet and you got the covers at the back of the court which are there to protect it, but they just get a lot of moisture on them, then the balls go on there and you feel like everything is getting pretty damp... But he's playing in the same conditions. So you just, you do, you've got to try and play as best you can. You know, given the circumstances, there isn't certainly anything wrong with my game. I played to a high level today. I still made, you know, some mistakes that you want to cut out. But, you know, in the context really of I just think accumulative, having two days on clay, it's -- you know, I think there's plenty of opportunities to work on things.

TIM HENMAN: No, no. But I haven't beaten him on clay. Irrespective of the surface, I think the results are more...

TIM HENMAN: I played him four times, I think, in conditions like that. I think that's probably a large part to play with it.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, yeah.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, Allegro, Yves. He's someone I've gotten to know over the last couple of years. He's a good guy. Always funny how it works out. He's normally partners with Kohlmann. They couldn't get in. I was hoping to play on Monday to get more clay court time; that didn't materialize. And we end up playing Kohlmann and his partner. It's a good opportunity, you know. The doubles, for me, is not the priority. But at this moment in time, it's good to have some more clay court time.

TIM HENMAN: I think, you know, performance-wise, it was okay. As I said, I think you have to be realistic. When you've played as little as that and you've got to make such an adaption, then my game's fine. You know, you want to get through a match like that so then you can have another opportunity, and I was able to do that last year and kind of build on things. But, no, it gives me an opportunity to hopefully be here for a while longer. And, again, by the time Rome comes around, the next time I play singles, then I'm sure I'll be far better prepared than I was here.

TIM HENMAN: I'll try and approach it in exactly the same fashion. I'll try and make sure that my expectations don't, you know, get too high just because I played well there last year. I want to take confidence from that, but I don't want to increase my own expectation. So I'll hopefully, you know, prepare well. And, as everybody says, you've got to take it one at a time.

TIM HENMAN: Rome.

TIM HENMAN: Yep, yep.