TMS MONTE CARLO

April 21, 2004

Tim Henman

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

TIM HENMAN: It was. It was definitely -- I'd like to think it couldn't have got much worse. But, yeah, there was definitely a lot more consistency. I think -- I wanted to make sure that I was very strong, you know, with my attitude and not expect to go out there and play, you know, perfectly consistent tennis. You know, I think that helped in my attitude. I was, for the large part, you know, much calmer and more relaxed. The first set was some really good quality tennis. Playing to the conditions, it's going to be dictated quite a lot by my serve. I served very well. You know, actually, really the only bad game I played in the first two sets was the second game of the second set. We got to a tiebreak, had a pretty tight tiebreak after being a long way down. I felt at that stage there was no point in getting frustrated. I was pretty happy with the way I was playing. Got off to a good start in the third set, and that proved crucial.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, it's one of those things, he'd been under a lot of pressure, I think, in the second set. Come to the tiebreak, he knows he's got to win it. If anything, you sort of sensed -- perhaps sensed he sensed a little bit of relief that he'd got to a third set. But I felt that I played, you know, a really good game the first game of the third set to, you know, maintain a little bit of momentum. Then, you know, got on to his serve straightaway and played a couple of great service games. And, you know, most of us would have thought at 5-love that it was about over and done with, but that's always going to be the battle - to make sure that you finish it off right to the last point.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, it was a variation (smiling), which perhaps isn't always evident on clay with most of the players playing from the baseline. But, no, I felt -- I did feel much more comfortable today. I felt there was a bit more consistency. But I think it's about adjusting your game and playing to the conditions as best you can. You know, to beat someone like him, you know, who's got a pretty good track record on clay, it's a good confidence-booster.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I think if we just -- if we end up playing the majority of the points from the baseline, then I think that's playing into his hands. You know, certainly he hit some good passing shots. But I still feel if I hit a good, you know, good approach shot and get myself in good position at the net, then I'm favorite to win perhaps, you know, six out of ten. That's hopefully going to be good enough in the long run. And as I said, I don't think it's -- it's not easy to control these balls. I certainly, for one, would rather be hitting volleys than hitting passing shots.

TIM HENMAN: Again, you know, he's been consistently good on clay over the last couple of years, and, you know, got a big forehand, big first serve. But I still feel my game matches up pretty well. I feel that I need to serve consistently and also, you know, attack as much as I can. I'd like to think I can play in a similar type of fashion tomorrow. I'd like the same result (smiling).

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I did. I certainly did, and I played some great tennis. But I really feel that, you know, the conditions are just so totally different that the style of play that I was playing then is probably not something I'm able to do so much now because the ball was much, much heavier, and I felt that you could sort of flatten your shots out and be very, very aggressive. I felt like a lot of the time it was effective to bring them into the net. Whereas with this ball, it changes the dynamics, you know. Serving and volleying, you know, probably 75 percent more on both serves than I was two years ago. And, again, sometimes if you choose, you got to be very careful with the one that you play a short slice to to bring your opponent, because if you don't get it absolutely spot-on, the ball's bouncing up a lot higher. But, again, all those experiences are good to have in the bank and, you know, just trying to build on my performance here so far.

TIM HENMAN: No (smiling). I would have liked to, you know -- I would have liked to have, in an ideal world, you know, played my doubles on Monday and then had that extra couple of sets to get used to the conditions. But, you know, in all honesty, I'm spending close to five hours on the court on Monday, and having a tough match today, there isn't, unfortunately, a great deal of benefit for me to go out there and play another couple of sets of doubles. It's not going to detract from the way I'm going to play, because I compete every time I go on the court. But in the grand scheme of things, my singles is the most important thing.

TIM HENMAN: I was meant to play with him last year. He's a good friend of mine. He asked me a while back, said, "Do you still want to play in Monte-Carlo?" You know, I felt at that stage that there is a sort of a reason and a purpose behind it. You know, sometimes it doesn't always go to pass.

TIM HENMAN: Only one (smiling)?

TIM HENMAN: Yeah. I think that was actually from where I'd pushed off, and there's definitely a few areas that are a little bit soft and almost a little bit gravelly. Just have to try and keep them as smooth as possible. It works both ways. Sometimes when I'm trying to chip and charge, you're taking the ball early, you get a bad bounce then, you're up against it. Having said that, if I hit a good approach and then they get a bad bounce trying to hit a passing shot, then it's near enough impossible, I think, to hit the shot that you want.

TIM HENMAN: As I said, I felt that in the conditions two years ago, you know, I played at a very consistently high level. That's certainly, you know -- that was certainly the basis of me making the semis then. But as I said, the conditions are very, very different, and, therefore, you only have to look at the other matches. Ferrero probably made 30 unforced errors in the clay court season last year. And, you know, yesterday he looked like he was having a really tough time. He takes the ball early. To take the ball early, if you're not quite sure on the bounce and you're not getting a good hit on the ball is very difficult. That's why, as I said, I wanted to make sure that I was just patient with myself and not going to get frustrated if I sprayed a few around. You know, that was certainly a really pleasing aspect at a crucial time. I'd lost the second set in a tight tiebreak and, if anything, momentum could have started going his way. I really played a good first game. As I said, those two service games of his, didn't really have a chance at all. That was the crux of the match. It was good stuff.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I did, yeah. Didn't enjoy the one at 5-1, 30-40.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, relief. The pain and torture was over (smiling).