REPUBLIC NATIONAL MONTE CARLO OPEN

April 21, 1998

Tim Henman

Q. It really is a bit of a different world on that surface, isn't it?

TIM HENMAN: Yes, it is. It takes a lot of adjusting. But I think for me, I've got to view it as a huge challenge. It definitely is going to be. It's never going to be easy. I think especially playing -- there are guys that play well on clay and there are guys that are brought up on it. He obviously is. The style of play that he plays is probably the most difficult for me to play against. I've got to learn to play, you know, different styles of games that are going to be effective.

TIM HENMAN: I've got to be able to pick my opportunities. I'm not going to beat him at his own game. Playing on this surface for the rest of my career, that's not the way I'm going to win. I've got to be able to serve consistently. I've got to be patient enough to try to create opportunities to move forward on his serve. Yeah, at times that is very, very difficult, because he's hitting the ball deep, lots of topspin. So sometimes, as it was at the end, there were times when I was just going to stay in the rallies and see what happened. Sometimes you have to do that. For me, I've got to think of lots of different ways of mixing up my game.

TIM HENMAN: It's one of the things I said to David. I thought today I didn't start off very well. But actually in the second set, I started to serve better. I actually do enjoy playing on clay. That's probably a good thing because it is a surface that I find hardest to play on. For the next six weeks, I've got to learn to develop my game and I've got to learn to be able to play on it the rest of my career.

TIM HENMAN: No, I don't think so, no. I mean, what is it, I got in -- it's only my third day of playing on clay this season. Got more opportunities ahead of me. I've just got to keep working on my game to improve it. That's where it is at the moment. It's going to be a challenge.

TIM HENMAN: Munich next week.

TIM HENMAN: Uh-huh.

TIM HENMAN: Hard times.

TIM HENMAN: Maybe, yeah. I think sometimes -- I mean, I've struggled on hard courts and on other surfaces with getting my game plan right. There's definitely reason for me to struggle in that area on clay. Yeah, maybe. Maybe next week, David will be able to remind me of different things. That's a totally different issue whether coaching comes into the game or not. There were times today when I really did realize, when I was thinking about what I should be doing, of how big a learning process it is going to be.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah.

TIM HENMAN: I think I probably began to get the balance right in the second set. The first set I wouldn't say I played particularly well. You know, missing those opportunities is something I can't afford to do. On a couple of occasions, I got into a good position, created the opportunity at the net. That's obviously the strong point. So I definitely can't miss shots like that. I think it goes to show, you know, if you serve well on this surface, it's not the easiest surface to return on. I've got a good serve, I've got to use it.

TIM HENMAN: Definitely, yeah. I'm not -- as I said, playing somebody like Blanco, I'm not going to win playing his style of play. But there again, there were obviously easier people to play against with an attacking game plan in mind. There are a lot of times when he's hitting so heavy and so deep, there's not a lot you can do, apart from trying to stay in the rally and wait for a better opportunity.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah. There's a certain amount of risk taking. Sure, I think even when I'm playing my best on clay, I'm still going to have to be aggressive and go for my shots. I will miss balls. That is going to be the way forward.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah. Obviously, I was down, but I was quite happy just to keep fighting, keep battling away. Stranger things have happened. I saved a few match points, held on to my serve. I broke him first actually. You never know what can happen. That said, whatever happens, today, next week, I've just got to keep battling.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I mean, you can look at it. I'm the first to admit it's the surface I struggle on most, but I'm not going to shy away from that. Sometimes, yeah, you look at some of the other guys that shy away from playing on the grass - I think they should view it as a challenge - come and have some fun for a couple of weeks.

TIM HENMAN: And Pat Rafter last year. Sure, you definitely look at some of those results. You look at the people Martin beat last week, beat some really good clay court players. You know, it just shows that you don't have -- although the Spanish players I'm sure will be the most dominant players again this year on the clay, it goes to show that there is more than one way of playing on the clay. That's where I'm at at the moment.

TIM HENMAN: It's difficult. I'd say at the moment it's a slight unknown quantity for me. I wouldn't say -- no, I wouldn't say I'm going into these four or five weeks putting any pressure on myself whatsoever. I think my expectations are relatively low. I just want to try and learn and develop as a clay court player. I think that's the most important thing for me, to improve as a player.

TIM HENMAN: No. I'll play doubles in Munich.

TIM HENMAN: I'm going to stay here and practice. There's no point in going back to London. I don't think there's really anywhere to practice.

TIM HENMAN: Exactly. I'll play doubles. I couldn't get a wildcard, couldn't get on my ranking. I'll play double in the next few weeks.

TIM HENMAN: Probably with Rosset in Munich. I really haven't gone any further than that.