WIMBLEDON

June 24, 2005

Wesley Moodie

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

WESLEY MOODIE: Well, I mean, I came into the match and I wasn't really expecting too much. I've been injured. I had some trouble with my left knee. And so I wasn't really expecting to be able to finish the match anyway. So when I got out there, I wasn't really feeling the pain too much. Next thing I knew, I was two sets all. It was much better than I expected. So, yeah, I mean, I don't think it was as frustrating as it was for him.

WESLEY MOODIE: Yes. I mean, certainly on the first day, I mean, I was kind of motivated to try and win that fourth set so I could come out and start fresh on the following day, and also to give my knee a bit of a break. I was also a little bit tired. I hadn't really been able to do too much in the last couple weeks. But unfortunately I came out the next day and lost my serve. That was about it, I guess. It was an uphill battle today.

WESLEY MOODIE: No, I haven't. I played once in Davis Cup. I was on matchpoint on my serve. Had to come back the next day to play one point. But never four days.

WESLEY MOODIE: Well, certainly. I mean, I'm not playing -- I don't come to Wimbledon to try and lose in the first, second or third round. I mean, I wasn't nearly as prepared this year as I'd like to be. And certainly in the next couple years I think this is a tournament that I can really do well in.

WESLEY MOODIE: This year, so far?

WESLEY MOODIE: Yeah, I mean, I started the year off I guess ranked about 80 and lost a couple close matches in the States that maybe I shouldn't have lost. You know, couple things didn't go my way. But, I mean, that always happens. You can't expect to win all the close matches you play. But I feel like I've been playing well overall. But, you know, still think I can do a bit better this year.

WESLEY MOODIE: No, no.

WESLEY MOODIE: Yeah, I mean, if you play at the top level of tennis, the prize money is pretty good. And, you know, so, no, no complaints there, I guess.

WESLEY MOODIE: There's, well, two in the main draw for singles, myself and Ferreira, and a couple of doubles players. There must be at least five or six in the doubles.

WESLEY MOODIE: Yeah, yeah. We all pretty good friends, yeah.

WESLEY MOODIE: I started playing when I was about five or six years old. Just watched a bit of tennis on TV and got interested that way. Started hitting a lot of balls against the wall, against our garage.

WESLEY MOODIE: There's a lot of people working pretty hard to bring back international tournaments because we don't have too many -- actually, we don't have any at the moment. But, hopefully, next year we're gonna get some back. And, you know, they're trying really hard. The media has taken a bigger interest in the sport. There's more coverage, so...

WESLEY MOODIE: In the WTA?

WESLEY MOODIE: Well, I mean...

WESLEY MOODIE: I'd have to say no, in the next couple of years. Just simply because tennis, I mean, you have to develop the sport first. I mean, you can't take a 16-year-old, coach him for two years and expect him to win Wimbledon. You've got to take the guys when they're five or six years old, maybe 10, 15 years later. That's when they can win big tournaments. So hopefully in the next 10 years, I would say yes. Everyone would like someone.

WESLEY MOODIE: Well, I don't know. I'm talking about South Africa. I mean, I don't know -- I mean, I don't know -- I mean, I spend most of my time internationally. I don't really go home that much. But, well, maybe five years; I don't know. But certainly, I mean, you have to start coaching them from a young age.

WESLEY MOODIE: I'm here in London. But I go home every November, December. But, I mean, that's why people are trying to put money back into the sport, so we can create opportunities for everyone to come through and have a fair chance at doing well.

WESLEY MOODIE: In sports in general?

WESLEY MOODIE: That's a difficult question. I guess anyone who's at the top of their sport. I mean, it's extremely tough to make it as a professional sportsman.

WESLEY MOODIE: In tennis, I wouldn't say I really admire anyone. I mean, you've got to appreciate the guys who do well. I mean, I can't say I have an idol, because these are the guys I have to beat, you know (smiling).

WESLEY MOODIE: I mean, obviously, I mean, as far as South Africa, Nelson Mandela is obviously someone you have to look up to. The turnaround that South Africa has made in the last couple years, it's been quite phenomenal. And, you know, hopefully our country can keep heading in the right direction.

WESLEY MOODIE: I do. I do when I can, yes.

WESLEY MOODIE: Yeah, I mean, around 2 or 3, it started to brighten up a bit. And I was, yeah, I was hoping we'd get on at some stage.

WESLEY MOODIE: No, I didn't. No.

WESLEY MOODIE: Yeah, I mean, actually in the last game, before the -- I think the point before, I mean, I did notice it was quite slippery. I guess it started drizzling and the court gets extremely slippery very quickly. So, I mean, it was very dangerous. Especially if you have to change direction, anything can happen, pull a muscle. And, I mean, it's unfortunate to come back the next day.

WESLEY MOODIE: Yeah, we started Monday, wasn't it? But, yeah, I mean, you have to do it. I mean, because you can't risk it.

WESLEY MOODIE: Yes, I won in one point.

WESLEY MOODIE: I mean, obviously, I mean, I was -- it's going to be extremely tough for me to come back with two points, I mean, with him serving. But, I mean, I hit a good first return and unfortunately missed the next forehand a bit long. And then 40-30, yeah, I mean, it's tough. I mean, I guess he played well. It's tough to focus just on five seconds, you can be off the court.

WESLEY MOODIE: I mean, it's a bit mentally tiring. I sat around the whole day yesterday, I mean, just being kind of -- okay, I mean, I wasn't really getting -- I wasn't sure when we were going to go on, eating, stretching or kind of always being ready to maybe go on in the next hour. And to do that from maybe, say, 12 o'clock until 7 o'clock at night, it's pretty tiring, especially when you, I mean, you want to get out there and finish it.

WESLEY MOODIE: Yeah. I mean, I hope so. I mean, I think I've got the talent. If I put enough hours, or if I get some good practice and really concentrate hard, focus on the training, I think I will. I mean, I think that quite a few guys have a chance.

WESLEY MOODIE: My strength is probably my serve. I mean, I'm an aggressive player, try to come to the net. Keep the points short, yeah.

WESLEY MOODIE: I enjoy music. I play a little bit of guitar. I love spending time at the beach in my hometown back in South Africa. So, yeah...

WESLEY MOODIE: No, no, not really. Not really, no.