NEWSWEEK CHAMPIONS CUP

March 9, 1999

Tim Henman

JOE LYNCH: Only top eight seed to win a match today. You earn a day off tomorrow.

TIM HENMAN: Not as cold as last night. I came to watch Neil play doubles last night. I thought it was really cold. But I suppose once you're getting out there, once you're moving, and wearing a sleeveless jumper, it wasn't as bad as probably watching. But I think it definitely slows the conditions down a little bit more. I was probably weary of that. You know, I really couldn't have any complaints the way I played.

TIM HENMAN: That's right. Kind of lost my rhythm a little bit on my serve. Didn't make too many first serves. I came through that and from then on my serving was really consistent. Stayed in a lot of points from the baseline; got into the net when I could.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah.

TIM HENMAN: If you start getting in long rallies with him, he starts getting his timing, that's when he's going to make life difficult. I think I was just really pleased the way I maintained sort of aggressive play, chip-charging a lot on his second serve, covering the net well. Long may it continue.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah. I mean, he's one of the most talented guys playing. At times, not the most mentally sort of stable. You know, it's a good sign for me if he starts bouncing his racquet. That's what I wanted to see because then his mind is probably not totally on the job. You know, I never really let up once I got into the lead. It was good to keep the momentum up.

TIM HENMAN: Right.

TIM HENMAN: That's right. I think I was mixing up. Playing a lefty, going to be swinging a lot of balls wide at the deuce box. Once I started serving that serve well, it opens the one up the middle so much more because he's covering the wide ones. There wasn't an aspect of my game that I had any complaints with.

TIM HENMAN: Breakpoint first game.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, that's a good sign I'm serving well. But I'm confident from the baseline.

TIM HENMAN: It's always going to have a little added something on the match if Greg wins. You know, I believe now it's probably about time that we start playing each other more often in these tournaments because, you know, for two of us that have had pretty similar schedules, we haven't really played much.

TIM HENMAN: We played in the World Championships in Hannover.

TIM HENMAN: Exactly.

TIM HENMAN: We played in Vienna before that, which is basically 13 months before. We played in Ostrava even longer ago.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah.

TIM HENMAN: That's not a lot. Hopefully we can have an opportunity to play each other more often. I definitely look forward to it. It's not going to be easy playing Greg, but we know each other's games inside out.

TIM HENMAN: I think indoors with the way he serves, that's probably more advantageous. It's not like I've been playing badly indoors. But I think on this type of surface, it's slower, so hopefully it gives me a chance to get more of his serves back. But, no, it will be interesting.

TIM HENMAN: It's never much fun playing in the wind. But you've got to deal with it as best you can. You know, in this event, it sometimes get a little gusty.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, that's right. It was tough controlling the ball. There was a little white one I was trying to control, not with much success.

TIM HENMAN: I don't know. I think when the USA has selected their team, we can probably decide who's the favorite. But, you know, we'll have to wait and see who plays.

TIM HENMAN: We'd be the favorite.

TIM HENMAN: There's added attention. I think when we play at home under the spotlight that we do, with Wimbledon and playing in Davis Cup before, I think it's something we're used to. I think, speaking for myself, it's something that I've definitely thrived on.

TIM HENMAN: No, no.

TIM HENMAN: Leave that alone. I think from what I'd heard previously, it was unlikely that he was going to play. But as I said, until they announce the team, we won't know for sure. Who knows. I think from our point of view, we should just worry about ourselves. I think as long as Greg and I stay healthy, I think we feel quietly confident.