WIMBLEDON

June 26, 2001

Andrei Medvedev

MODERATOR: Andrei Medvedev.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Well, I think that Jamie played very well today for me. I don't want to make any excuses. Probably I just need to find my happy place. I believe I can be a better tennis player than I am now. I also believe that I can be better than I ever was before. But until I find that happy place inside of me, I don't think I can do it yet. At the moment, the way things are going, you know, I'm on my way of finding it. There are a lot of things that came into my life recently, I would say, within one year. I was just not able to deal with them. I think as soon as I sort everything out, doesn't matter what my ranking will be at that time, I think I can come back very strong. But as of today, you know, I think I played a decent grass court match. For sure not my finest. You know, I have to give credit to Jamie. I mean, he saved all the breakpoints in the second and third sets, and he won those sets. You know, hats off to him.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Well, I haven't seen him playing, but we had a few chats at the river rocks exhibition this year, I've seen him traveling with Tim Henman. He's a nice guy. He looks like a good tennis player, at least on grass.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: I wouldn't want to do that in the press, to be honest. There are a lot of things that came as a personal problems. As professional things, it was well-written about, my injury, the way I'm trying to come back to it. I mean, my foot is still not fine, believe it or not. But that would probably be not the main reason for the recent form. Like I said, I mean, as soon as -- I don't know the right English word, but probably just a happy place, as soon as I find it, I'll be all right. I'm the kind of player that is not very much motivated by money or by wins or by anything. Until I feel good or until I feel that I want to play, nobody can push me. I'm the only one who's in charge of that. So as soon as I feel better, you know, I'm going to start playing better again. When that happens, I don't know.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Off court. Off court. I have to figure a few things for myself off the court. Once I'm done with that, everything will be fine. I believe I still have talent. I believe I still have all the shots in the book, and more than that. I believe that I know how to win. I've been there. I'm not too old to still do it physically. Just has to come together, plus the motivation, plus the will. Some guys -- most of the guys, I take my hat off to them. They're very professional. They can do it day in and day out. Me, I'm more of a freelancer or something. I like to do other things outside of tennis because I enjoy life. I plan my life after tennis. That also takes a lot of time. We'll see. I'm trying to fight with it already for almost a year. I haven't won the battle with myself yet. Hopefully I will come to conclusion soon because the older you get, the smarter you get. There are a lot of things happen that taught me about life in the last year, and I think I would make the right choices very soon.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: I like to take care of my family, first of all. Friends are very important to me, as well. I love my city, Kiev. More than anything, I would like to realise a few dreams that I have outside of tennis. That mainly has to do after my career. I also said this year that I might retire. That might be as well true. You know, some people would say I'm too young, too old. But this is the feeling I have at the moment. Just that I'm not enjoying very much myself on the court. I'm really excited about the plans that I have for the future. Who knows, maybe the conclusion I will have will be to stop. But if I decide to go on, I'm sure it will be very exciting time for myself and tennis.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Business (smiling).

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: I say for sure Pete is a favourite to win here. Every year, when somebody didn't think he was the favourite, he proved them wrong and won it. I wouldn't put my money against him, for sure. Doesn't matter what shape he's in right now. Yeah, I'm a little bit sad because it's turning out to be a great tournament, and I'm not a part of it anymore. Wimbledon has done a great job with all the new facilities, the way they treat the players is really a pleasure to play here, honestly. The way they take care of us is just great. I mean, for the second year in a row, I lose in straight sets in the first round. It's disappointing that I can't take advantages. Last year my girlfriend was playing till the second week. I could stay here and than joy it. Now I have to go home.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Well, he has to win the match point, that's for sure. The way he gets to it is going to be very difficult. I've seen Agassi practising. He's hitting the ball very clean and well. Not too many players can beat him on grass. Jamie will have to play a little bit better than he played today. In fact, he will have to play much better than he played today. Everything will have to come his way. You know, you've seen Agassi play. I mean, he's probably the best tennis player in the world. Him and Sampras, they both share it. To beat them, you have to play better than the best tennis player in the world. There is no way they play a bad match at Wimbledon or they don't try or anything. Probably if they have two broken legs, they will still go on the court and fight. That's how it's going to be. To beat them, you have to play better than them. Simply as that.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: In former Soviet Union, we say, you know, you play good one year, then the next year you celebrate, then you play good the next year (laughter). I think he's in the process. That's a joke (smiling). Get me right here. Probably, more or less, that's what's been happening. Plus, of course, if you take it on the serious side, there is an added pressure to him. Everybody expects him to win. How old is he? He's like 20 years old.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: It's difficult to deal with that. He's got the fame, he's got the money, he's got the titles to defend. Is really not easy. I mean, I'm surprised that he's actually not -- that he's doing not as bad as I thought he would be doing. He's got the talent. He's going to be there no matter what. I'm sure that if he doesn't recover this year, he will have a great next year. I mean, he is the Top 3 player in the world. There is no way that he will let it slip from his fingers.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Yeah, he's a great guy. He's a very good guy.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: I think he's handling it very well, in fact. He's hired Mats. He's one of the most professional people in tennis. I think Marat has a good head on his shoulders. He's working hard, from what I saw. Yeah, he likes to party sometimes, but who doesn't? I mean, everybody does. You just don't read about them as much as you do Marat. It's not because he's partying more than them, it's just because it's written about him. Yeah, I think he'll be back. There is nothing wrong with his attitude. He's got a lot of attention. Sometimes the person just can't deal with it, it's just too much physically. I've been there, you know. It's difficult to remember all the names and all the requests and all the things that you promise, and concentrate on winning on the highest level. But I think he's doing good. I mean, he'll be fine.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Well, he's been pretty good on the crucial points today, or maybe I wasn't good enough. From what I felt, he played very well. No, I just say that to beat Agassi, you have to play better than him, whatever it takes. If it takes to hit only two shots per rally when Agassi hits only one, then that's what he has to do. But most likely he will have to hit seven to ten great shots to win every single point against Agassi. That's not easy for anybody to do.

ANDREI MEDVEDEV: Sure. The ball is round, it's grass. I would rate the grass the least fair surface in the world. It's a tricky surface. You know, if you know how to handle it, you'll be fine. I just never learned how to handle it.