TMS MONTE CARLO

April 20, 2001

Tim Henman

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, no, it is certainly frustrating to lose a match like that. Having said that, I don't think, you know, we both played some good tennis, but I didn't really think that -- we didn't seem to play great tennis at the same time. I played okay, but I think given our history of matches, you know, perhaps he did deserve to win this one. I've had a lot of occasions in important matches where things have gone my way, and, you know, a tough match like this, I think he deserved it.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I sort of dominated once I was from behind. In the first set, obviously I was up, but I didn't really feel like I was playing particularly well at that stage. I'd got an early break and I was hanging on to it. I would have liked to have got that first set, you know, I think I played a pretty good point on set point and moved him around, got into the net, and made me hit one more low volley and, you know, I ended up cutting it a little bit too fine. But, yeah, then I was down in the second set and I was down 2-love, long game on my serve at -- to go maybe 3-love. Suddenly I get that, get some momentum going, and, you know, I win six games in a row out of nowhere really. All of a sudden, pretty crucial game, first game of the third set and I had 40-15, and he hit a good backhand, a couple of good backhands I think, and broke me and he got the momentum. But, you know, I kept fighting - that was one thing that was for sure.

TIM HENMAN: It is, yeah. I certainly know the right way to play him, and my record is still not a bad one against him. Having said that, when you -- on any other surface, when I get into that situation where I'm dictating the point and I hit my forehand to his backhand, as I said, on any other surface he doesn't have that -- he doesn't have enough time to counterpunch. On clay, with the nature of the surface, he still can have a swing at it, and he's got the ability to produce something spectacular from a long way behind the baseline, and he did on a lot of occasions.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, certainly wasn't one of my best, was it?

TIM HENMAN: I jumped in on it, the ball jumped. Again, I wanted to make sure I continued to play the game that got me to that stage. In the second set, I think one thing that benefited me was that he was just rolling in the second serve so slowly, I wasn't taking advantage of it. And it's now in my game that has been good this week, is my return of serve. So I stepped in, started hitting a few and, sure, I would have loved to have stuck that one in on his backhand and come in behind it, but wasn't to be.

TIM HENMAN: I feel physically fine. I'm just disappointed. That's understandable.

TIM HENMAN: Sure, I think there's certainly something to build from. It has been a good confidence-builder for me. Again, I'll sort of reflect on that in a couple of days, as always. I don't enjoy the time immediately after losing, especially a match like that. But, you know, given the way I've played this week and, you know, the matches I've won, I can't really have any complaints.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah.

TIM HENMAN: Well, no, I think that's where it's obviously not particularly easy given our climate and given the opportunities to play on clay are fairly few and far between. But I think I've got a better understanding this year of the way I need to play. If I then go to -- if I do go to Rome and move away from that, then, sure, I'm not going to be playing to my strengths, and that's where I could come unstuck. I'm under no illusions. But I don't necessarily need to go out and hit a lot of balls next week. I don't think that's the most important thing. I think as long as I keep doing the physical work and have a clear mind of what I need to do when I step back out on the court, then I feel quietly confident going into Rome.

TIM HENMAN: I think the courts at Wimbledon are much better courts actually, so I'll probably go and use those. But it doesn't seem quite right that when we do need those courts in the clay court season it becomes a car park. Kind of defeats the objective, doesn't it?

TIM HENMAN: A number of things. Obviously, the style of play that you play will dictate that. If I'm going to be a good clay court player, I've got to serve consistently and be selective on the baseline. I've got to choose my moments to stay in the rallies and choose my moments when to come forward. I think in all honesty, you know, I've got that balance fairly well this week. I can certainly learn from today.

TIM HENMAN: I suppose there has been an element of, yeah, it is slightly unusual. Because he's been with me for eight and a half years. But as I said, we agreed that it was time for a change, and I've enjoyed the aspect in the last couple of weeks of working it out for myself.