WIMBLEDON

July 3, 2000

Tim Henman

MODERATOR: Tim Henman.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah. I think it's safe to say he wore me down with his serve. As frustrated as I am, you've got to give him a lot of credit. Got to take my hat off and say, "Too good today."

TIM HENMAN: It's a long way to go. He's playing some good tennis. He's got a game that can cause a lot of people trouble. You know, we'll have to wait and see.

TIM HENMAN: I don't know. I mean, you know, we'll never know that. I certainly haven't seen him play that well, to begin with. Then I thought the way I was able to stick in and turn the second and third set around, you know, was about as good as I could sort of fight. But when he's serving that well, you just feel like one opportunity goes his way and you're up against it.

TIM HENMAN: No.

TIM HENMAN: I don't know.

TIM HENMAN: Sure. We're in the fifth set. I think we're both playing good tennis. Just trying to keep my nose in front. It was the crucial seventh game. That's where the match was won for Mark.

TIM HENMAN: Oh, no question. No question.

TIM HENMAN: That's no excuse. I should have made that shot. Unfortunately I missed it. That's sport. You know, I'm afraid you've got to try and execute your shots. I executed a lot of good ones today. I didn't execute that one quite as well as I would have like.

TIM HENMAN: No.

TIM HENMAN: It's different circumstances for them to play in. I can only talk about myself. If I start talking about them, then I'm just speculating. You'd have to ask them that question. But as far as I'm concerned, there's always been incredible support for me, and today was no different. I've said it time and time again: I thrive in those conditions. Unfortunately, today I wasn't able to pull it out.

TIM HENMAN: No, I was hoping for a few -- I was hoping maybe for the pace to drop a little bit on his serve, if he was going to get tired. But, you know, he's got a great serve and he's able to rely on that. The way he was able to, you know, keep finding the mark - pretty funny, wasn't it? "Keep finding the mark." That's too good. (Delayed laughter from audience) Did you get it?

TIM HENMAN: That was when the match was swinging in my favour, no question. That tiebreak was hugely important. I thought I played some great tennis. Even in the circumstances when I had chances, I couldn't take them. He hit a couple of good shots. I was really pleased to hang on. My opportunity was to try and get an early break. I really, really was a aware of that. That's where I wanted to try and take some opportunities. But, you know, any glimmer of chances were extinguished with big serves.

TIM HENMAN: Good luck to him. He's playing well, isn't he?

TIM HENMAN: Yeah. I wished him luck this morning. He wished me luck.

TIM HENMAN: No, it's no different from any other tournament. It's a great tournament. I can't say I've got a great deal of interest now. I'm not involved in it. Good luck to whoever is going to advance.

TIM HENMAN: I don't know if "should" is the right word. I can't really second guess myself. I went out there and gave it everything I've got. As I said to Barry, I've played a lot worse and won. Today I thought I played some really good tennis. Mark was the better player on the day.

TIM HENMAN: He did. I think it was plain for everybody to see how good a tennis he was playing. Again, you know, I wasn't going to start sort of panicking. That was one set I could have lost 7-6 in a long tiebreak and I still would have been a set down. I regrouped. You know, I hung in there early on. I kept my nose in front. I broke serve. You know, he broke me straight back. But I wasn't going to get frustrated. I felt like I was finding my rhythm and played some great games in that second set to get back on level terms. I don't think I could fault myself in too many areas.

TIM HENMAN: Sure. Very frustrated, extremely frustrated.

TIM HENMAN: You've got to give him credit for his guts and his determination because I'm sure he must have been feeling a little bit sore. You know, he kept going out there. He played well.

TIM HENMAN: I don't think he's got any limits. I think with the tennis he's playing, he's got a good chance. Anyone's who left in the tournament at this stage has got a chance - some perhaps more than others. On his day, I think it's fair to say he's capable of beating anyone.

TIM HENMAN: I think it obviously was. He played some good tennis. As much as it frustrates me, you know, disappoints me to lose, you've got to give him credit.

TIM HENMAN: I don't think so, no.

TIM HENMAN: That's the way he plays. He takes risks. There were times when I was trying to say, you know, "There you go, there's a target, go for it." His quality of serving was extremely high. Nine times out of ten, you know, he was finding the aces.

TIM HENMAN: You've got to be mentally strong. I said before the match that I've got to accept, as fast as I try and move, as hard as I try, when someone is serving at 135 plus, you're going to get aced. I think to get frustrated would really have been a waste of my energy. I kept trying to get as many balls back. At times that did pay off.

TIM HENMAN: Keep improving. I think that's the only way. I feel like I've got a good game for grass. It didn't work out this year, but I'll be back for many more years. I'll do everything in my powers to make it happen one day.

TIM HENMAN: 130 mile-an-hour second serves. That would make life easy. But, no, there's lots of areas I can improve on. I've got no doubt that I'll go away and do it.

TIM HENMAN: It's disappointing whenever you lose. Just as disappointed if I lose in any tournament. A lot of preparation has gone into this. I'm very disappointed, don't get me wrong. I shall keep coming back and keep working hard. I think that's the best way to approach it.

TIM HENMAN: No.

TIM HENMAN: What was that?

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, we spoke then.

TIM HENMAN: Yesterday or whatever it was, Saturday?

TIM HENMAN: I congratulated him, said, "Great effort." I told him I'd won my match in his fifth set.