US OPEN

September 6, 2004

Tim Henman

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

TIM HENMAN: Thank you (smiling).

TIM HENMAN: I'm making some pretty slow starts in my 30s, that's for sure.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, yeah, I'm slowing up already. But, you know, that aside, I felt, you know, I was playing some really good tennis. Although it was disappointing, having got back into the first set, to lose it, you know, in my own mind I sort of told myself I won it 6-3 because not a lot really happened those first four games. And then, you know, I stuck with it. You know, I lost my serve early in the second set, but I still felt very comfortable, very confident with my style that I needed to play against him. You know, from that point on, second set, third set, you know, I played some pretty solid stuff.

TIM HENMAN: I played pretty well against Philippoussis at Wimbledon. But, again, it's a different type of match. I felt that, you know, my game plan was pretty much spot on today. You know, the fourth set, the momentum was definitely with me. You know, I dominated second and third sets. And then, you know, I'm trying to take advantage of that momentum. But until you get a break, you kind of don't hhave anything to show for it. That fifth game, when I had the breakpoint and he hit the miss-hit, that was fairly disappointing. But, again, you know, I did a good job of just taking care of my serve. You know, it was a pretty tight set. Didn't go my way, but I still felt, you know, if I kept playing that way, I would get my opportunities. Again, another really good start in the beginning of the fifth. Obviously, finished in some pretty strange circumstances.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, it was weird. You know, the fourth set had built, and the atmosphere was great out there. I think the level of tennis, we were both, you know, stuck into the match. You know, another fifth set for me. As I said, I wanted to stamp my authority early, and I did that. You know, just really ready to continue to knuckle down and take care of my serve once I got the break. And all of a sudden my initial reaction after he hit the serve was that he got a cramp in his hand, because, you know, a few guys can suffer from that. And I just thought, you know, he got some cramp, we were going to wait. Just, you know, when he was talking to Per on the court, I'm sure if it was a cramp, they would have done a little massage on his forearm and then we would have continued. But I guess just sort of looking, I was aware, you know, it was something else.

TIM HENMAN: I think mentally, you know, I've had a very different approach in both events. I think there's no question I'm playing a lot better. It's definitely, you know, my attitude on the court has been more decisive, more clear in my mind, but also more relaxed. You know, I'll continue to talk about it, it's still a concept that I haven't quite mastered yet. But it almost seems, you know, in simple terms, the more relaxed I can be, it's not the less I try, but I think when I go the other way and it's almost I'm trying too hard, then, you know, that affects my performance in a negative way. Again, you know, it's taken to have a bad back at the beginning of the tournament to sort of for me to say to myself, "You know, whatever happens happens. And if anything good happens, it's going to be a big, big bonus." You know, as I've said, it's turned around pretty quickly.

TIM HENMAN: Again, you could break it down. I think in the past, you know, trying harder is not necessarily trying better. That's something that, you know, perhaps I didn't grasp a few years ago. And now, you know, the beginning of the fifth set, I just said to myself, "You're playing really well, you're playing the right way. What will happen will happen." But I definitely sort of -- I feel confident that my game is going to come through a match like that today. I think it's that attitude of just not really -- almost not reading into it too much and not overanalyzing it, and just playing. And, again, I've said a number of times, it's easier said than done. You know, next match is a good test for me whether I play Hrbaty or Rochus, it's a match that I feel like I'm the favorite. But it's important that I have the same approach. If I go out there and play with that expectation and put extra pressure on myself, I'm sure it will affect my performance. If I go out there and say, "This has been my best tournament in the States, I'm through to the quarters, good opportunity, let's play the way I'm capable of," then I think I've got a good chance.

TIM HENMAN: Definitely. It's inevitable, you've been out there nearly four hours. I think everybody gets a little bit sore. But I definitely have a lot more confidence in my movement. You know, there were times when I was volleying well today.

TIM HENMAN: No. I think it's the acceptance I was playing as a 30-year-old, slowly sinking in (smiling). No, I didn't get off to the best of starts, but I didn't play my best, but I think it had more of a part to do with him playing well, seeing well, playing aggressive, serving better than I did. It wasn't a great start, but I still felt I'd create some opportunities certainly over a five-set match.

TIM HENMAN: I'll go out for dinner and have a few drinks, definitely. That's the way it is most nights (smiling). I presume I play on Wednesday.

TIM HENMAN: I hope so. I'm think I'm not doing too badly with the matches I've come through so far. I feel fine. You know, coming on today, I felt very, very fresh. I'm sure as long as I don't have any complications with my back, I'll be ready to go for the next one.

TIM HENMAN: Yes. I wish someone was listening.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, probably. I saw her yesterday. Seems to be working pretty well. Just keep going.

TIM HENMAN: Exactly.

TIM HENMAN: In their own way, they're sort of not too dissimilar. I think Hrbaty probably has the slightly bigger game. His serve's bigger. I think Rochus comes forward a little bit more, but certainly not a great deal. But I think Rochus has got -- you know, he's got a lot of natural ability. I saw some of his match against Moya. You know, hits the ball great off the ground. He's one of those ones you feel you should get onto his serve a little bit, but he serves pretty high percentage. So, yeah, again, I think it's very important that I just, you know, try and continue in the same fashion. I'm playing good tennis, I'm playing the right way. You know, whoever I'm playing, I think in these conditions I've got a chance. I'm not going to change anything, whoever I play.

TIM HENMAN: The Ashe one, yeah, it's great. When you play on Armstrong, the wind swirls a lot more, and that's always pretty tricky. But there, I think on Ashe, it's pretty constant. I mean, there is always a breeze, but you feel like you can make some educated guesses out there.

TIM HENMAN: Come and live in our country for a few years, then you won't be complaining (smiling).

TIM HENMAN: I think it's my advantage, yeah. As you say, there are many players that just play from the back of the court. If you let them get into that rhythm, then, you know, they play great. But I think it's my advantage that there are so few people that play to my style. When they come up against me, if I'm executing my shots and my game plan, then I don't give them that rhythm. I think with my ability at the net, my athleticism, I can make life awkward for them.

TIM HENMAN: I think they like to see that contrast. Again, we know that -- I think people in the game in general should be aware that the conditions have got slower and slower. We want to make sure that my style doesn't become extinct because I think it would be to the detriment of the game if everybody's just playing from the baseline. But I think the reality is that the Juniors, the up-and-coming Juniors, they're probably just taught to, you know, throw it up and hit it, when it comes back, hit it harder from the baseline. Volleys don't perhaps come into it so much.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I think so. I was surprised how well Tabara served in the match before. I felt like I did a pretty good job of getting on to his second serve. And I felt that Kiefer's serve is more of a kick serve, doesn't come through so much. So I felt like I would have, you know, plenty of opportunities to get forward in the second and third said. I did that really well.

TIM HENMAN: Not really.

TIM HENMAN: I got a card or two.

TIM HENMAN: No, not yet.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah.

TIM HENMAN: I used to hit with my mom a lot, and that was basically all we did. I think she found it easier to feed when I was at the net. I just used to volley. That's where it started.