TMS MONTE CARLO

April 19, 2001

Tim Henman

THE MODERATOR: First question for Tim, please.

TIM HENMAN: I don't know. Yeah, I think I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised in myself a little bit. But I think I have an understanding of what I need to do, and I play my own game and, you know, if it's good enough on the day, it's good enough. But I think I'm making life difficult for the style of players that I've been playing.

TIM HENMAN: Not really, I don't think so. I'd obviously lost to him in Miami, but I still felt confident against Fabrice because I think my game matches up well against him on any surface. But I know that to beat him, especially on clay, I'm going to have to play very, very well. And, you know, I've done that in all of my three matches.

TIM HENMAN: Well, not necessarily. When you play with the faster balls, then, you know, the heavy top spin, then it makes it even harder for the people to return that. Because the ball is kicking, and it's getting even higher on you. Whereas, sometimes I think the people that hit the ball a little bit flatter, you know, you can get the ball to go through a little bit more. But, you know, it works in both ways. It's certainly not easy to serve fast because the balls are so heavy, but, you know, it's the same conditions for both of you. I've adapted very, very well.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah.

TIM HENMAN: Early on, I think early on in the second set that was important, again, that I sort of dug my heels in. Because he was playing very, very well and so consistently. I didn't feel like I was getting any cheap points, and whenever we got into a rally I was sort of getting further and further back. My only slight disappointment was that I think I tried to then play too well, and that's not the way that I should do it. I should just keep playing my own game. And, you know, having said that, it's catch-22, isn't it? You can't just push the ball in and the guy starts hitting further and further, the winners come, you take more risks and make unforced errors. But I certainly did play a much more consistent second set and got to the tiebreak and, you know, the difference between 5-2 and 4-3 is obviously enormous, just psychologically. I think there was probably three shots that he may have thought could have been winners and I kept retrieving and kept getting one more back. I won that point and played -- finished off the tiebreak well. And the third set was almost perfect for me.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, no. You can sense that. And I'm aware of that, but when it's clay, it's not like you can just steam-roll through a set. And that's why, you know, I've played great first service games, played really good games to break him, then all of a sudden I've still got to establish that break. And, again, that third game of the third set was crucial. I felt like I kept coming up with, you know, good serves and good volleys at all the right times. And that was, you know, a huge boost to me. But still, it's still such a long way to go. I'm still wary at 5-love, having all those matchpoints, I don't think I made an unforced error on one, suddenly he's serving and volleying, volleying winners, but you still have to finish the job.

TIM HENMAN: Well, that's going -- again, that's going against what I've been trying to tell myself to do and I've been able to do for the vast majority of the matches. You know, you can't give away cheap points. You've got to make sure that they earn those points. And, you know, it's -- second serve going to the forehand at the deuce box is not really the smartest thing, is it? I don't think you're going to serve a second serve ace. You're not going to serve an ace, you might as well just put it in the middle of the box. But those are the decisions that you have to make in those types of situations.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, definitely. It is. You look at his achievements on clay, and I think he's won all eleven titles on clay and won Masters Series on clay and been in the final here. So for me --.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah. It's good. You know, I'm --.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, maybe. Again, that's going to be another very difficult match, but my approach won't be any different. I'll play my game. Somebody plays better than that, then that's too good. If they don't, then I think I've got a good chance.

TIM HENMAN: Well, yeah, at times I was a little frustrated in the first set because I didn't really feel like I was applying my game as well as I could. But perhaps I wasn't being allowed to. He's hitting such a heavy ball; everything's flying up around your ears. It's difficult to control the ball. But, you know, then I started to be a little bit more consistent and fought my way into the match.

TIM HENMAN: Definitely. I think there's enormous satisfaction in every area because he is such a, you know, good clay court player, an established clay court player. I was being dominated in the first set but turned things around, and then once I created that opportunity, I really did grasp it. And I didn't feel like I was ever going to let him back into the match. And, you know, you see at the end he's, you know, he's not enjoying it out there.

TIM HENMAN: Well, again, you just have to be wary of the situations. You have to take notice of that but still remember to play your own game because, you know, that's when he's frustrated and you know that he's going to suddenly start going for a little bit more and, therefore, you don't want to make unforced errors yourself, but then you don't want to drop the ball too short to give him those easy opportunities that you know he's going to take. And, yeah, it's difficult. And the 5-love game, you know, what do I do? You know, I got matchpoints. Do I then think, "Well, let's go for it," then he's likely to make an unforced error, or do I chip the ball back in, he's serving and volleying and has a volley winner. That's when it's important to play each point, each shot on its merits. I think it was the satisfaction that we talk about, to serve it out to finish was a good ending.

TIM HENMAN: I've played singles out there as well.

TIM HENMAN: Matchpoint against Meligeni.

TIM HENMAN: I don't think that will make any difference, no. I mean, I don't think there are many big courts in the world that I haven't played on. And I think the first time you play in big tournaments, the first time you play on center stage, perhaps it can be a little bit daunting. But, you know, probably been in those circumstances enough times.

TIM HENMAN: No, no, it's -- I've always certainly tried to state that whenever I'm on the court I'm playing for myself, and that's what I've -- what I enjoy about tennis being an individual sport. You win and you get the credit because that's what you achieve, but you lose and you're the one that's, you know, caused that. Likewise, I'm aware that, you know, David's not here and that is a little bit strange, but I'm the one that's got to go out and play the tennis that is winning these matches, and that's what I'm doing.

TIM HENMAN: Well, there is obviously -- I'm working a lot of these things out for myself. You know, Kieron, my fitness trainer, is doing the fundamentals of booking practice courts and finding people to practice with. But I'm the one that's, you know, working the aspects of the tactical side of the game out in my own mind for myself. And, you know, I think that's an area that perhaps I'm enjoying at the moment. But I think I'm honest and realistic to know that, you know, I can't -- just because I'm having a great week here doesn't mean that the right approach is not to have a coach because I think I've got to, you know, I've got a lot more to learn.

TIM HENMAN: What difference does it make if someone's watching? I'm not frustrated -- I don't feel like I'm letting them down because I miss a shot. I missed the shot, I'm the one that's frustrated. Irrespective of who is out there watching - it's a selfish attitude - but it's about me, and that's certainly the best way to approach things.

TIM HENMAN: Sometimes. I think perhaps it's not the best of habits, and sometimes you get into a habit of looking in between games or something. So, you know, if there's -- if there's not someone there, then you have to make sure you're not just looking around at everybody. (Laughter.) You have to make sure you're just concentrating on the match.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, definitely. That's the way I am. I'm not the type of person, not the type of player that's just going to be eyes down, and I think that's probably -- that's also kind of stated in the way that I play, you know. It's not -- you have to expect the unexpected sometimes, and that's why I've got variations. That's probably my mentality comes from that. Likewise, you know, I'm not -- I think you guys often think that, you know, my concentration is an element of my struggles in the past, and, you know, I'm not totally sure that I agree with that. There are certainly times when I, you know, can be distracted by something, but I think it's more relevant with my game.

TIM HENMAN: Well, not a lot. Sometimes when you look around, you know, your eyes may be wandering but you're not necessarily focusing in on something. So perhaps, you know, just because you -- you're not looking down at the court doesn't mean you're not concentrating. But, everything was -- I can't have too many complaints today.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I'd prefer to play Arazi, I think. That's pretty honest, given the support that Pioline has as well. But, you know, again, I'm not too concerned either way because I'm very happy with the way I'm playing and, you know, it's another tough challenge for me.

TIM HENMAN: I suppose winning the doubles I think, you know, was something that I enjoyed and was a little bit unexpected. I wasn't going to play doubles and decided to play about ten minutes before the sign-in closed, so to win was a big surprise. But this is catching that up very quickly.

TIM HENMAN: I made one final on hardcourt, so, yeah, this is still a long way, long way to go before I start making a final on clay courts.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah. Not really. I feel in good shape. I feel physically strong. You know, it wasn't ideal. That is the problem when you do play the doubles, you know, sometimes you get late matches and go to three sets, and that's still when we've had great weather. To throw a bit of rain in and throw in five sets, it's not ideal at all.