TMS MONTE CARLO

April 22, 2004

Lleyton Hewitt

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I really didn't have too many chances in that game, you know, after he hit a couple of good serves. You know, I just didn't -- the next game was to try and consolidate, keep that break and start for -- go up 4-1 at the change. I just wasn't quite able to do that. I had him, you know -- I guess mentally I was starting to go there, obviously, after he played a good first set and was on serve early in the second. Then I was able to really dominate at the end of the second set and start of the third. Maybe I just lost a little bit of sharpness out there towards the end of the third. Still had 4-3, love-40. So a lot of opportunities, but...

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, no, it's good, you know. That's why I came here. I didn't have high expectations coming in, but it was obviously to get some matches and get, you know, used to the clay court surface and, you know, the whole mindset of playing on clay , the tactics that come with that, obviously the sliding. You know, just getting used to it as much as possible, I guess. You know, I'd just like to get off to a little bit better start in every match.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I played nine sets in three days anyway.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, in the end, when I started playing pretty well during the three matches, I've played well. But I wouldn't mind starting like I played in the second and third sets in my three matches rather than, you know, letting it... But that just comes, I think, with playing on clay and not having that many matches under my belt on the surface. It's always going to take me a little bit longer, so...

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was probably after the Davis Cup more than anything. If I had that Davis Cup tie, it was probably highly unlikely. But, you know, I felt, you know -- I felt fit enough and strong enough to hopefully go right through and play the Masters Series events and obviously Dusseldorf and Queen's and Wimby. So I think I should be, by the time we get to the French Open at least, should be playing, hopefully striking the ball well, and got some good, tough matches and hopefully won a few of those tight matches as well.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think so. It's totally different than practicing, I think - going out there and playing with the best guys on this surface. I think it takes matches. And, yeah, in the years past, I think I've always probably played my best tennis at the French Open on clay - not so much in the Masters Series events - purely because I feel like I need those few weeks to sort of prepare and get myself ready for the French Open. And, hopefully -- this year, I'm playing more tournaments than I've probably ever played leading into the French. Hopefully, that's going to be a benefit.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, no, I've never seen that.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know what to think. I didn't have a clue what he was doing. I thought for a minute he was getting the referee. I didn't know what he was doing. Obviously, he was out on another planet there for a bit.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, at the moment.