WIMBLEDON

June 24, 2004

Mark Hilton

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. Mark Hilton for you.

MARK HILTON: No, not really. I mean, in the third set, I had quite a lot of break points to go a double break up and actually thought I played them pretty well. He played some good points and I was a bit unfortunate not to secure a double break. So I generally felt that it was still hanging in the clux really. Probably had to go and serve out at 5-4. So I was pleased to break.

MARK HILTON: To be honest with you, I've had quite an ordinary year results-wise. I'd say that leading up to this tournament, I've actually probably played my best tennis. Fortunate it's come at this time. I would say for the last year, I really haven't performed the way I would have liked to. But I genuinely feel that I've actually been working pretty hard, as hard as I can, and the results would come - whether it be this week, next week, next month, I really did think that.

MARK HILTON: No, not really. As I say, I was coming into the tournament pretty confident. I was feeling good with the way I was playing. And it's just nice to have come out on the big stage and perform the way I wanted to.

MARK HILTON: Probably losing first round here, yeah.

MARK HILTON: I probably spend quite a bit of it over the next year traveling, going away, playing tournaments. So I'll probably be doing that, yeah. I've actually been fortunate with the fact that the LTA have backed me quite well and with Mike Petchey, David Felgate, Jeremy Bates, they've been really good with me. They've been great in that respect. It's nice to earn a bit extra so I can take care of myself.

MARK HILTON: I get given a little bit for like flights. I mean Mike Petchey has been good with the fact that he's quite selective. He'll give you targets to reach when you're away. If you can reach them, they'll give you the flight or so forth.

MARK HILTON: Yeah, I did. In 2002, I was -- I was based down in London up to 2002 with a squad with Danny Sapsford, Colin Beecher. I didn't feel it was working out for me. I previously had been coached by Leighton Alfred up in Nottingham. We always had a good relationship. Went back to see him.

MARK HILTON: I'm from Chester. But I base myself out of Nottingham.

MARK HILTON: No, I actually live in my girlfriend's house.

MARK HILTON: Yeah.

MARK HILTON: Yeah. Actually, to be honest with you, at the start of the year I wasn't too sure what I was doing. At the end of last year, I was feeling quite low with the way -- I couldn't really see myself getting to where I wanted to get to. I always said as long as I can see myself improving, I'll always probably carry on if I was enjoying it. At the start of the year, I really couldn't see where it was going to take me. But I persevered. The last couple months, as I say, I actually have seen genuine results where I feel much better about my game. Mentally I think I'm much better, as well.

MARK HILTON: Yeah.

MARK HILTON: No (smiling).

MARK HILTON: I think obviously in some areas it's an advantage to be taller, to obviously have a big serve. But, you know, like I say, since I've been playing, I've sort of been dealt with lack of height. I think there are other aspects of my game which prove that you can generally get around and do well, you know, not being too tall. I mean, there's quite a few players doing that exactly now, you know, on the tour. It's just another obstacle. I'm quite happy, you know, with my game. I feel that when I'm playing my best tennis, I can compete with, you know, a lot of players. I don't think there's that much big a difference between, you know, a lot of the top players and players lower ranked. Obviously, you have your exceptions. But I don't think it's that big a difference.

MARK HILTON: That's right. Obviously, I know he's from Spain and he probably wasn't that comfortable on the grass. And I thought that if I could, you know, stay relaxed and get off to a good start and, you know, show him that I was quite up for it, hopefully rattle him a bit. Fortunately, it did. Unfortunately, the rain came when it would have been nice to have carried on. But as I say, yesterday, it was obviously a frustrating day for everyone. But I still felt pretty relaxed and felt like if I came out on the court and played my best tennis, I could give myself a chance.

MARK HILTON: I practiced indoors for just like half an hour with Andrei Pavel. Sort of just sat around in the changing rooms waiting for things to happened. I warmed up about five times thinking I was going on court. Obviously, didn't amount to much.

MARK HILTON: Yeah, actually, I had it booked till the end of this first week. Actually, because I was going to go to the Wimbledon ball on the Saturday night. But, you know, hopefully as things are going, it will be nice to stay down a bit longer.

MARK HILTON: Yeah, I mean, I think obviously some players have got more money than others, doing reasonably well. I think there's other players who have been blessed with having more money, through their family or whatever, or sponsors. For me personally, I've been quite lucky that the LTA gave me a lot of backing when I was younger, which enabled me to save up some money to travel with and put towards my tennis. So in that sense I never felt I've really been struggling. Obviously, results like today give you a bit of extra money, as well. There's other players who are here who are playing, British players, who have found it very tough in the past and are finding it very tough now. I think in that sense I was lucky from a young age. I got good backing.

MARK HILTON: I'm saying with actually just a lady down the road, set up for a bed and breakfast.

MARK HILTON: Yeah. A couple weeks ago actually I was playing the Wimbledon playoff tournament at Raynes Park. I was staying a bed and breakfast. This woman recommended this other woman for the Wimbledon period. I was looking for accommodations. She set it up.

MARK HILTON: Yeah, Wilson helped me out with clothing and racquets. Obviously, the LTA back me a bit. That's it.

MARK HILTON: I do, yeah. I have a Mini. Sort of suits me (smiling).

MARK HILTON: To be honest with you, I don't know. I'm quite worried. When she set it up, I felt a bit rude to ask. Expect a big bill at the end of the week.

MARK HILTON: Definitely. Actually, sounds stupid, but I was just thinking about that in the shower, enjoy the football more tonight.

MARK HILTON: Yeah, definitely.

MARK HILTON: Yeah, I think so. I think the playoff is a great idea. I mean, the way they set it up, it's good. Obviously, as I say, I didn't have a great year, yet I still found myself playing here. As I say, over the year I probably didn't deserve it, but recently I've actually been putting it together and in myself I feel like I've put in probably as much as I can over this first six months of this year to do what I can do to play here. Although the results haven't come, I feel like I almost deserve it in the fact because of the way I've worked. Fortunately, I played well at the right time.

MARK HILTON: No, I haven't. I'm sure Leighton know. I will ask around about him.

MARK HILTON: I was thinking about possibly going back to do some sort of education. You obviously get a lot of players who go immediately into coaching. But I wasn't sure whether that would be the right move. So it was kind of the stage where at the start of the year, over Christmas, I thought a lot about it. From the start of the year, I thought "Let's give it a good go," and actually said to myself, "Let's get to this time of the year and see how you feel, but make sure you give it a proper go, not just go through the motions." I feel pretty good about it at the moment.

MARK HILTON: Probably just the thought of not really knowing what to do. I've obviously played tennis -- I left school when I was 16, and I've done it for basically six years like full-time. I've got to say the majority of the time you enjoy it. There's obviously times when you have your highs and your lows, and there's times when you're not sure whether you want to continue. But I've had a lot of faith in me, my parents, Leighton, my coach, has probably shown a bit more faith in me than I have myself. It kind of keeps me going. I think it's sort of paying off at the moment.

MARK HILTON: Yeah, my parents are both teachers, so they would have helped me out. I think they knew people in education where I could have maybe gone back to College or University or something or some sort of course. But still I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do. I actually took quite a bit of advice from a guy who used to play and gave up, a guy called Nick Baglund (phonetic), who used to play full-time and quit. He's quite successful. It sort of made me think maybe I shouldn't be doing what I'm doing. He was good in the fact that he said he almost had a lot of regrets stopping.

MARK HILTON: He's in business. He's in sales. He's doing all right, I think.

MARK HILTON: Yeah, definitely. I mean, as I said, especially at the start of the year, as I say, I said to myself, "Come on, give it to Wimbledon." In the start of the year, I was still not playing well. I mean, I still had my doubts. But I kept on going. Probably about April, May, I was away in the Middle East. I was playing some good tennis. Actually I did quite a lot of stuff by myself, a lot of training. It sort of made me mentally a bit stronger, I think. Got to the stage now where my tennis has improved because of it.

MARK HILTON: Yeah, definitely. I mean, actually I'm quite good in the fact I go to the gym quite a lot and I feel quite single-minded in that aspect, I feel like almost in better shape. Mentally I feel better. On court, I actually feel like I've done as much as I can, go out and hopefully play my best tennis.

MARK HILTON: Well, I've always set goals with my coach. Initially it was like 300, then get to 200, then we assess from there. I think at the start of this tournament, I was about 470. Obviously, this win will do me quite good. I'm not sure where it will take me to. The aim has always been to get to 200 and then reassess, but obviously do it step by step. At 477, I like to say get to 300. My highest ranks has been about 320, I think. By the end of the year, it would be nice to get to 300 - I'm not defending too many points - and then go again from there.