PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 12, 2005

Tim Henman

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Mr. Henman.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, just. It was a struggle certainly to find my rhythm in all aspects of my game. You know, I obviously know that I need to play aggressively and take the ball on, but I was making so many unforced errors. Then you try and rein it in a little bit, you start playing a little bit carefully and you get involved in his style of game. So, yeah, just had to keep believing that I could turn it around and give myself to improve and slowly but surely I did. I played a couple of good games from 4-All in the second set. You know, that early part of the third set, I just felt like my game was getting better.

TIM HENMAN: No, I don't think it's really anything to do with my back. I think the reason is because I feel like I just need to play some matches. You know, this is only my fourth tournament of the year. You know, Australia was a real struggle. But, you know, I've definitely made progress with the way that I feel and obviously the work that I've been doing. I feel healthy and moving much better on the court. You know, just to play Rotterdam and Dubai, I played okay in those events, I had some good wins. But I just feel like I need to create a little bit of momentum. It was important to get through today because otherwise then if I would have come up short, then it's obviously quite a large gap between now and Miami.

TIM HENMAN: No, not really. I know that when I'm playing my best, I'm finishing the point a lot of times at the net. But, you know, I'm not necessarily coming in behind my serve all the time. And I think that's just the nature of the way the game has changed. The conditions are substantially slower, and with the technology, people return serve so well. So, again, you know, I just know that I have to be selective. But still the underlying theme is to be aggressive and take my opponent's time away. If I can finish a lot of points at the net, then I feel like I'm going to win the majority of them.

TIM HENMAN: Absolutely. That's exactly as I was sort of talking about. You know, Clement is someone that has obviously been struggling with his game and confidence, and it's ideal that he comes through qualifying, gets two matches under his belt there and then wins a match, you know, in the main draw. I think that showed. You know, he was the one that was much more comfortable, much more confident in the early stages, and I was the one struggling. If you lose a set, there's still an opportunity to turn things around. I was obviously pleased and somewhat relieved I was able to do that. You know, there's been many occasions where players struggle in the first match and they find a way to get through it, and then their game picks up. I hope I'll be another example of that.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I think just being able to be a bit more aggressive in my serving, aggressive in my movement, a bit more fluid. I felt that I was just -- you know, I was so stiff, there was no flexibility in my lower back, and thaat obviously affects so much. You know, I got into the habit from US Open, when I was receiving serve I was just basically standing bolt upright because I couldn't put any stress through my lower back. And obviously doing a lot of the postural work and the core stability, you get a lot of your abdominals to do the work. Now I feel that, you know, the way I'm moving at the net, sometimes at the back of the court, there's a bit more confidence and a bit more agility. And also when you take that on to the serve, I feel I can be a bit more aggressive, whereas before there wasn't really a great deal of talk going into the serve.

TIM HENMAN: It's reality, I think. I think when, you know, you've played over a long period of time, you're going to have a few problems from time to time. And I think this is -- it's just summed up by the fact that it's degenerative. It's just an accumulation of all the hours that we spend on the court and playing on these types of surfaces. It is very hard on your body. And, touch wood, I still think I've been very fortunate, the amount of tennis that I've missed has been little. You know, that's why I just have to keep working very hard on these areas to maintain my health because I know, you know, playing the way I was at the end of last year and for Australia, it's not going to be productive for me because you've got to find a way to be healthy and play a hundred percent because the standard's too high.

TIM HENMAN: No, it's not. It's difficult, because there's always this competitive bit, and that's probably what got me to go to the Australia. You think, "Well, you know, I could find a way, and perhaps it will get better." And that's where you go out there on the court and try. And you can only find out if you try. But, you know, it wasn't going to get any better. I think it was something that I needed to get sorted out. You know, I do feel much, much happier with my back now.

TIM HENMAN: I was pretty close to delaying things for another two or three days. I can't remember. I left -- I think I left on a Wednesday night, and on the Tuesday night I was talking to Paul. I just basically made the decision, you know, I'm going to go there and try. I felt like if I got in some warm weather, it might sort of loosen me up a little bit. You know, I don't regret that. But I feel much happier with the situation that now I know the roots of the cause. And now I can, you know, make sure that I keep working on it and monitoring it. If I do that, then I'm optimistic that it shouldn't cause me too many problems.

TIM HENMAN: I mean, I haven't played golf since -- I haven't played golf since the week before Australia -- a the week before US Open. It's a long time. No, there will be plenty of time to play golf once I finished. Though I must admit, driving past all the golf courses here, it's slightly depressing. But I'm here to play tennis (smiling).

TIM HENMAN: I sort of triggered it. As it's been a degenerative problem, it's been there for a long, long time. I just think it's not going to help me playing golf. I'm sure if I went out and played 18 holes now, it would be absolutely fine. But why risk it? I'm here to play tennis. As I said, you know, in years to come, there will be plenty of other opportunities to hit golf balls.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, there's types of things you've got to be aware of. Again, being aware of how you can do it without putting stress on your back, you know, makes it a lot more easier. Yeah, it's another -- I suppose an easy option is just to get someone else to do it.

TIM HENMAN: I was, for sure.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you just see on television, obviously, for me the magnitude of the disaster, you know, so many people have been touched by it with friends or relatives, and everybody wants to go out of their way to try and help. I think you've seen the response with the amount of money that's been raised worldwide. It's been astronomical. You know, we as a community, the tennis community, want to do their bit. It was great to be a part of last night. I think the players certainly enjoyed it and hopefully the fans did, as well. I'm sure we raised a little more money for the tsunami.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, it is. I mean, it's a pretty competitive environment. But I think -- because we do practice so much together, we do have a lot of fun, but in an environment like that, on the Stadium Court with the fans and TV, I think it was great for the charity itself, but I think it's good for the fans and television to sort of see us in perhaps a slightly different light where we are just relaxed and having fun. I think, you know, everybody benefited.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, Melzer, I played him a couple of occasions. It's always been difficult. And, you know, he's a guy that is very dangerous. He's a great athlete. He can be pretty flashy. He can hit some amazing shots. He can miss some pretty ordinary ones. So, again, I need to just concentrate on, you know, pick my level up. If I play -- you know, I think if I start as badly as I did today and don't improve a great deal, then it will be a real struggle. But I'm confident that I'll pick things up. You know, Goldstein is a good competitor. He doesn't give anything away. He's quick around the court. So I think, again, likewise, whoever I play, I need to just concentrate on the things that I do and do them better than I did today.