PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 13, 2002

Todd Martin

TODD MARTIN: For our match, they were by no means simple, but certainly playable. I was a bit surprised to see that a couple matches got brought off after ours. I heard that there was a bit of a sand storm out there. It looks like Paradorn and Marat, their shirts are getting blown all over the place. It was for the most part pretty playable for our match.

TODD MARTIN: A factor, absolutely, but not something that would have dictated us not playing.

TODD MARTIN: You know, I think I have tennis' rendition of Alzheimer's because I never remember the strangest moment, what's the most embarrassing moment, all these things. I never really come up with a good answer. When I was in -- when I was a freshman in high school, I played in our high school state tournament. I lost early. I lost in the first round, early in the day. It was ridiculously windy. Later in the day, they had big redwood umpire chairs. One of the redwood umpire chairs got blown over and landed on another player's Walkman and earphones. That's when they decided it's maybe time to take a step off the court.

TODD MARTIN: Well, it's nice to have people speak on your behalf. But I'm confident that Patrick's got plenty of choices. I'm also confident that he'll choose the right team - whether that includes me or not. I think, you know, he's finally in a position where not only this match, be it on grass against Spain, but in general, he's got a lot to choose from. That's a luxury that our captain, whoever it's been, hasn't had for a few years. That's nice to see.

TODD MARTIN: It would mean just as much if I were at home watching if I were in Houston playing. Revenge is one of the seven deadly sins, I believe. I don't like to think of it as revenge because a couple of good friends of mine put beatings on us in Santander. I held nothing against them. I think they were just better than us. Hopefully we can be better than them just for the sake of being able to be in the semifinals of the Davis Cup, give ourselves a better chance of winning this year.

TODD MARTIN: I guess I can answer it similarly, except for when it's an individual match-up in tennis, it's a little bit different than a nation versus a nation. I think Tommy's had my number on three different occasions: once indoors where I feel very comfortable, once outdoors where I was miserable, and once outdoors where we both played very well. He just out-fought me at the end. Today I know he wasn't as comfortable in these conditions as I am, but it's encouraging to beat somebody that has had your number in the past.

TODD MARTIN: Well, I know Tommy's game is predicated on shot-making, hitting smaller targets. My game is based around the percentages and playing the big targets. When it's as windy as this, it definitely favors somebody who plays my style of play.

TODD MARTIN: Oh, don't take anything away from it, come on (laughter). I thought he was in perfect health.

TODD MARTIN: The fact of the matter today was it's just not a server's court, not server's conditions. Between the two of us -- I just looked at the match facts, between the two of us we were seven of seven of breakpoints converted. The only time I remember seeing a hundred percent breakpoint conversion is if it were one-of-one or two-of-two for the match. We were both a hundred percent. We had a lot of breaks. That's very strange. I think it can be attributed to the fact that it was so windy. And the most difficult thing about the wind is tossing the ball up and making good contact on the serve and being able to locate the ball.

TODD MARTIN: Could I imagine it?

TODD MARTIN: I think it's easier to imagine January 1st because I think Melbourne is very good for him. He has a chance in all three of the remainders, I believe, but not as good of a chance out of these three as he would have out of the four before Australia. But, yeah, I can imagine seeing him. Yeah, I think he's one of the best players.

TODD MARTIN: -- who her favorite male player was and she said me (laughter)?

TODD MARTIN: Well, frankly, I think you need to look at more than eight players to really figure out which is the most compelling sport. I think you also have to look at when we have a tournament, who do the fans come out and watch. I by no means think that our points are so quick that it's not intriguing. I understand why a woman would make a case for the WTA and why a man would make a case for the ATP. I think parity and depth of play is always more intriguing than blow-out after blow-out until they get to the semis or quarterfinals.

TODD MARTIN: Yet a number of their best players didn't come. You know, I think you need to be able to rely on the masses when your best players don't show up or get beaten. Yesterday, we had a couple of our best players beaten, and I think you'll continue to see great tennis. Diplomatic enough?

TODD MARTIN: It's confirmation that I'm able to win two matches a tournament this year. It's confirmation to me that I'm doing things very well. I might be doing certain things as well as I ever have. But one thing that I was able to do in the past when I was at my best was win when I didn't play well, and another thing was progress through a tournament, regardless of who I played. And I think in some ways absolutely I am playing better tennis than I ever have, but relative to my peers, I haven't proven that. I think the caliber of the men's game has increased - don't use this in the context of your female-male battle - I think the quality of the play on the men's tour has increased in the last three or four years, certainly in the last eight years, from when I played some of my best tennis. I think, despite me being a better tennis player today than I was in '99 maybe or in '94, which I think were my two best years, it doesn't necessarily mean that I'll have a lot better results or even as good of results as I did then.

TODD MARTIN: I know I've played him twice. I don't know if I've played him more than that. The two matches that I recall - once again, tennis, Alzheimer's - I played him in Rome. I'm pretty sure that was the first time we played. I played a very good match, years and years ago. I also played him in Stuttgart indoors. I also played well. That was a good match that we played against each other. I think in many ways I was able to overpower him. Here the conditions are a bit slower. It will be a good challenge for me. He covers the court about as well as anybody, defends himself very well. I attack pretty regularly, so it will be an interesting match, I think. Challenging one for me, no doubt.