NEWSWEEK CHAMPIONS CUP

March 12, 1999

Tim Henman

GREG SHARKO: First question for Tim.

TIM HENMAN: Exactly that. You know, I felt really well to start turning things around because he was dominating things early on, playing great tennis. You know, I used my head a lot. I mixed up my serving. Mixed up the pace on the baseline, kept being aggressive. I've done everything right. Going down Love-40 when I serve for it, and still got myself to match point. Then to serve a double, yeah, it's a tough one to take.

TIM HENMAN: I lose the first set 6-1, I'm 5-Love down, but I could have been 4-1 up if I win four points. That's the way I was looking at it. I was up against it. He was playing great. You lose the first set 6-Love or you lose it 7-6, you're still a set down. Started fresh in the second, held on to a couple of big games on my serve. You know, just fought hard. That's what you've got to do, you've got to compete. My game definitely then improved. You're in a dogfight in the third set; it's anyone's match. Again, I gave myself the opportunity, but today I couldn't take it.

TIM HENMAN: "I've done it once, I can do it again." From pretty much the end of the first set, I really picked up my serving. I mixed it up a lot more today. I had to against a guy that's returning that well. You can't give him rhythm. I was varying the pace, varying where I was serving. I was playing pretty smart. I think the first point is always important. Dug up a good volley and lost my footing. That's a little unsettling. Next one, he paints the line with a pass, suddenly I was down Love-40. It's tough. I gave myself the opportunity. At that stage, I continued to do what I had been doing. On the first serve, I put it in the tape. If that goes over, he's in trouble. But it wasn't to be.

TIM HENMAN: Didn't seem to matter too much what I did. He was very aggressive.

Perhaps it surprises some people. I don't think it really surprises me because I saw him play Toronto, where he won, some of his results before that. He's a class player. He's now back in the group playing matches. I don't think it will be long before he gets back up to where he was 18 months ago.

TIM HENMAN: No. There are loads of guys I haven't played before. I've practiced with him before, I know his game pretty well. I don't think that has any relevance. But, sure, when a guy comes up as well as he did, it's going to be difficult for anyone. As I said, there's not a lot you can take out of a match like that because it's winning and losing. The winning bit is the important bit. I did turn it around very well.

TIM HENMAN: I don't know. It's a difficult one. In my opinion, probably not. I think Courier and Gambill have played a lot more matches. I think if we were playing on this surface, I think his chances would be greater. But I think on indoors, maybe it doesn't suit him so much. Glad it's not my decision.

TIM HENMAN: I think in Davis Cup, it is.

TIM HENMAN: It does. Losing doesn't get any easier. The less it happens, the better. A couple of days, a few rounds of golf, maybe I'll look back and realize that I am hitting the ball well, I am confident, you know, I can continue to build from this. At the moment, you're just not interested in tennis.