WIMBLEDON

July 7, 2002

Todd Woodbridge

TODD WOODBRIDGE: Yeah. I'm just over the moon. I really felt like I could win some more, but you never know. I always felt that Jonas was a guy I could win it with here. Coming in this year, we've lost some finals we probably should have won, maybe could have done a little better. But I said to him on the court before we left that, you know, sometimes the way things work is that we were meant to win it here. You know, the whole tournament, we played some pretty good tennis. We were a little lucky in the semi. We got through, but we didn't get through by luck. We just played great. Today the same thing in the last stages.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: It's completely different. I have another partner here that hasn't won it before, and I presume it's a huge thrill for him. You know, when I look back, and I've come here now, those ones, it's amazing how many times Mark and I did it. And I appreciate those more than when I actually did them. So to win it again, I really have an understanding of how difficult it is. It's a really pleasing sort of experience for me. I'll think more about it, but it's just great.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: We were having some champagne up there. He said he was doing a bit of commentary on the match. I think he anticipated a few of my moves, so he said. He was spot on apparently.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: I thought they played -- the first two sets, I think we just played on a different level. I don't recall playing that well for two sets myself ever. I give them full credit because they stuck to it and really made a tough finish for us. I don't think they expected us to play that well the first two, and they really could have faded away and gone home early, but they didn't. They made us tough it out. I think that was a credit to the way they've improved in the last six months as a combination.

JONAS BJORKMAN: It's huge. I think if there's any of the doubles titles I want to win, it's Wimbledon. I won three in Australia and haven't been winning anywhere else up to this stage. No, I'm really thrilled and happy. I've been looking to sort of finally come out and win a Wimbledon title. It definitely helped when the Woodies sort of stepped aside, and I managed to get one of the guys on my side instead because it has been hard to win this one. No, it's just an outstanding feeling to be here as a champion.

JONAS BJORKMAN: Well, I had a good record in the beginning, but then I think probably here I lost both in the quarters and the semis. They definitely have been in my way in the past. You know, I'm really, really happy to, you know, have a partnership with Todd. I think we had an awesome year and a half. I think it was really good for us to have his experience out there in both the semis and the final, to maybe sort of we're the better team, because we managed to be very calm and confident out there because of his experience being out there before.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: No, it's not strange, because I've played against Jonas a lot. One of the reasons I've wanted to play with him when Mark retired was because I didn't like playing against him. That match was actually quite casual and fun. There was a bit of banter between us in the locker room because obviously we're playing with two high-profile partners. I think we both handled that situation really well. We just concentrated on keeping our form, and whoever won won. That was the way I went about it anyway.

JONAS BJORKMAN: I feel a little better winning than losing (laughter).

TODD WOODBRIDGE: Yeah, it's one of the reasons I keep playing. 78, is that right? Today I think was 73 for me. I think if I play the standard we've played here, I can certainly pass that. That's one of the motivations for me to continue out here for some time yet. You know, when you win majors, I guess you want to try to keep on winning a few more of them, as well.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: Well, if you would have asked me that three months ago, I would have said we were probably struggling. But the young guys in the junior program have really stepped up to the plate in the last two majors, come through with some good results. That's terrific. I think we had thought we didn't have much backup after the fact that I'd retired from singles and Jason Stoltenberg, Richard Fromberg are retired, Mark Woodforde also. Things were a bit lean when you notice we only had four players in the main draw. For Todd Reid to come through and win, that's a huge boost for junior tennis in Australia. Looking forward to, you know, coming into the professional ranks. I couldn't be happier for him. You know, let's just hope that he remains level-headed about that experience. It doesn't mean that he's, you know, a sure thing. He has to keep working hard. If he can, he's got a good group of people that are still around him as coaches and then players that can help him get better again.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: It's tough. Ever since I've known Lleyton, he's gone better than I ever thought he could do. Coming into this, I didn't expect him to really win Wimbledon. He wins Wimbledon. I mean, I think he's a four- to six-Slam winner. It's just a matter of keeping fit, the drive and motivation he has. He's just a freak really in a way. I mean, people like Lleyton come along every 15, 20 years, one person like that. You know, the beginning, you look at Lleyton, I didn't expect that from him when he first come on our Davis Cup team. He just keeps taking the next step, taking the next step.

JONAS BJORKMAN: I think it's fantastic. I think for tennis overall, for the game of tennis, that's the best news in I would say 10 years. To get it combined, singles and doubles, is something that I really think is a step forward for both tennis and obviously for doubles. With the new changes we have done for doubles, I think hopefully we can do a lot of improvements to get the status back on doubles. Then I'll let the president talk a little bit more about it.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: No, I agree with Jonas. I think it's just the fact we've really made an effort to get the singles players on the court. If they want to play, they have their spot there. That's going to raise the profile and the interest of doubles again, the popularity amongst the fans. The ATP has made an effort to get that going. We have to keep our foot on the pedal, don't let it stop there. The fact that it's going to Houston with the singles, that is terrific for the whole game of tennis as a whole because the young players can continue to know that they can play that, they've got to work on their game to get to the net, become better all-around players. I think it's a very positive thing for us at that stage, where there's been a lot of negative talk.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: I think Wimbledon wanted that in some ways. They've wanted a more all-court game being played here. The way tennis is played now, guys are better off the forehand and backhand than they were before. One guy had one good side and didn't have a great backhand, let's say had a great forehand. If you don't have a good enough second serve now, you serve-volley, you watch it fly by you. That's just the state of how players have improved. You know, in a way I think that what we saw this year is going to be around for a number of years to come.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: Very much so.

JONAS BJORKMAN: I don't know. I just want to step in and say I think that's a dangerous part right now, that most of the indoor tournaments is definitely changed.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: They're slower than outdoor.

JONAS BJORKMAN: Who is coming out and winning their tournaments? That's guys who normally has been very, very good on slow courts. For me, I love to play indoors before. But these days I'd rather play outdoors. The courts have definitely changed. The tournaments and everyone is really trying, you know, to make the court slower. I think that's dangerous for the tennis because for me myself, when I retire, what I want to see in tennis is Patrick Rafter-Andre Agassi match-up where you have one attacker and one sort of who is coming up with the great passing shots. That type of game is, for me, the most exciting to watch. I think they need to be careful to not do too much about the courts and the heavy balls so we can still have a few guys surviving and trying to play serve and volley because I think that's an interesting play to have guys playing with a bit of touch.

JONAS BJORKMAN: I would say it's a factor. But then obviously when you're playing outdoors, it's obviously depending on the weather. If it's really, really cold, obviously the ball is going to get even more heavier. But it is a factor. On the other hand, I think most of the guys is working a lot harder physically and going to the gym and getting stronger. I think we can manage that, but it's still a dangerous part of doing it maybe too slow.