PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 16, 2002

Tim Henman

MODERATOR: Tim records his 20th match win on the season, an ATP best. Tomorrow he'll try to win his first Tennis Masters Series title and first title in the United States. Questions for Tim.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, no question. That was the best I've played this week because, you know, it's clear for everyone to see, it's hard out there, it is windy. It's better on the stadium because the wind is a little bit more consistent. But, yeah, I couldn't -- you know, I couldn't really complain with anything that went on.

TIM HENMAN: Yes. Risky business, isn't it? I mean, it's great that I am playing the big points so well. I think in a lot of those points, I made a lot of first serves, and was able to take the initiative in each situation. You know, the first set was really, really close. He had those opportunities. I played the big points better. When I had an opportunity on his serve, throughout the whole match, I was able to really take them.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, definitely. It's funny, I don't know when it was, but I think Todd and I were sort of talking about our, I don't know, games. He sort of was talking about my athletic ability. I'd never really thought about it. I suppose growing up, you know, everyone was saying to me, "You know, you've got to get stronger. You've got to build up your physique." I suppose I never really looked at my athletic ability as a plus. Recently, I think it's something that Larry has harped on a lot about, that actually I'm moving very fluently, I've got good balance whether I'm at the baseline or the net. Suddenly, I think it's a pretty good attribute to have. At those times when I'm at the net, I'm able to lunge and pick up a couple extra volleys. It was a big point.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, that's right. I do, I feel like I've been moving well. When the court is pretty slow, I feel like I can run down a lot of balls. So, yeah, I'm really happy with the way I've been playing. I've been playing really, really consistently, very solidly. Just keep trying to play to my strengths.

TIM HENMAN: That's right. It's been a struggle. And today I think for the first time when I was serving with new balls, with the wind behind me, it was the first time where I became a little bit -- I became reactive rather than proactive. All of a sudden he was the one that got his head in and suddenly hit some winners, and I missed a couple of shots that I hadn't perhaps missed. You know, I think I'm not the first person to have it happen to. I'm sure I won't be the last. But, again, I was able to respond, break him, save myself the bother of having to go down the other end and try to finish it off.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, you know, it was pretty impressive watching him in the locker room beforehand. I think right now, you know, he is clearly the man to beat. I'm really going to relish that challenge. I don't feel like I've got anything to lose. As I said, if you want to win one of those big tournaments, one of the Masters Series, I think you want to beat the best. I'm really looking forward to it.

TIM HENMAN: Well, I'm certainly not going to try and, you know, serve and volley him off the court because I think that's a mistake. I think, likewise, when I played Safin, you know, if you keep giving these guys a target, you know, that is playing into their hands. I'm going to have to play, you know, a pretty canny match, I think. . You know, watching Pete play today, he obviously didn't play his best, but when he served and volleyed, I think he lost a vast majority of the points. When he came in with an approach shot, you get into a totally different position because of where the ball bounces. Obviously, for a serve to go in, bounce is shorter. From an approach shot, you can get a much better position. think I'm going to have to, you know, mix things up and give it my best shot.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, his rise has been incredible. But, you know, I certainly feel pretty content with the way my game has gone. But, you know, it's another important stepping stone for me. I do feel like my game's improving. But, as I've said all along, I still think there's a long way to go.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah.

TIM HENMAN: No. I followed through onto my shin with my racquet. Twice this week -- once, twice. I don't recommend it, no. Just on the bone, it's not much fun.

TIM HENMAN: He's talking too much, obviously (smiling).

TIM HENMAN: Todd is definitely one of my sort of, you know, best friends on the tour. I think we have a similar type of sense -- similar sense of humor. I think the way I'm portrayed perhaps in the media, where people don't know me as those guys would, I think probably it's my own fault, not that I'm complaining. I think just in the environment I've been brought up in, I think I'm guilty sometimes of giving the right answer rather than the truthful answer. You know, I think that probably deflects a little bit of the attention away from myself. I'll leave it at that.

TIM HENMAN: I don't know. It's difficult to, you know, think of something off the top of your head. You know, I don't think we're shy with sort of practical jokes towards each other.

TIM HENMAN: No, I don't think so. I think they're two totally separate issues. I think as far as my career is concerned, it would be, you know, a major stepping stone, because these are -- you know, perhaps some people say these are tougher to win because of the quality of the field. You know, a Slam obviously is a two-week event over five sets. You know, with the players that you've got here, there's so few missing, it's very, very tough to do. You know, I'd love to do it. I've given myself an opportunity. Really excited about, you know, going out there and giving it a crack tomorrow.

TIM HENMAN: Endearing?

TIM HENMAN: No, yeah, I think Todd certainly, you know, has got so many attributes as a person. But he plays the game in the right way. I think he goes out there, he plays hard, gives it his best shot. Whether it's good enough or not, you know, that doesn't stop us sitting in the locker room 10, 15 minutes ago talking about whatever, whether it's the match or Miami, golf. So, yeah, he's definitely been a good friend. I'm sure that will stay.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah.

TIM HENMAN: It's obviously difficult to make those comparisons, but I definitely feel like my game has improved a lot since Cincinnati. I think I'm probably playing a lot smarter. I think I'm serving much more consistently. Again, when I've talked -- you'll get bored of it, I've talked a lot about the serve. I feel like the balance of going for it and getting the percentage is getting better and better. I think the thing that is coming soon is probably a more aggressive serve again, whereas before I always felt that I was perhaps serving the wrong way. I was trying to, you know, serve aces and just serve as hard as I could. You look at my style of play, I don't think that's really the way I should be playing. I should be playing more like an Edberg style of play. You know, he didn't serve particularly fast, but you knew he was going to get a lot of work out of his serve. When you volley as well as someone like him, you want to use that. Perhaps I didn't really do that. My serving was so erratic, I'd be hitting second serves a lot of times, sometimes serve and volleying, getting passed, and that would force me to stay back. I do feel that area has changed a lot. And I still feel I'm much more comfortable on the baseline.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, you know, Larry said something interesting the other day. We were talking about my Escude match. I was up 6-2, 4-3. I knew that I was going down the difficult end to serve. I was kind of like -- well, my approach had been -- it had been such a smooth match, it's almost like I was expecting something more difficult to happen. That was obviously not the right way to be approaching it. Certainly, Larry's attitude was -- whereas I was perhaps focusing a bit on the negative, he was like saying, "You should be standing up on the baseline saying, 'There's absolutely no way I'm going to lose my serve. I've been serving great.'" - be almost a little more arrogant, a little cockier about it. I think that's definitely where I'm learning a lot of those types of things.

TIM HENMAN: No, no. I mean, I've always had a lot of self-belief, just because we talked about that issue, I've always believed I'm a good player and going to get better and better. I think the biggest things have been technically and tactically.

TIM HENMAN: No.

TIM HENMAN: I do. Whether it's the future of the game globally or whether it's the future of the game in the UK, there are definitely concerns. Again, from a selfish point of view, you know, I've got to worry about what I'm doing. That's far more important to me. I think we do have to be careful. You know, there are so many great baseline players. There are a lot of sort of attractive players from that point of view. But you do need the contrast. If matches do end up just being played by two guys, you know, cracking it out from the baseline, I don't think it does make it so attractive. You know, you have to be careful with the conditions, therefore, the surfaces, the balls, to make sure that serving and volleying and attacking is still an option.

TIM HENMAN: No. I think that is very good. I was talking I can't remember who with, but I think this surface works really well here. But I think if you were to put this surface and this ball in Miami, then it would be a real struggle because of the air, the way the ball flies. You know, you have -- I think people have to be a little careful.