WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 12, 2003

Scott Draper

SCOTT DRAPER: Well, I'm obviously disappointed I lost. But as John Newcombe would say, I kept asking the questions, and he just came up with the goods. From 6-2 in the breaker, I felt like I played good points. I mean, the topspin lob was amazing, couple good set serves. Look, I played a good match. He's a Wimbledon Champion. I threw the kitchen sink at him, and I didn't win, so... I can hold my head high, though.

SCOTT DRAPER: Yeah, look, I mean, a lot of close calls in that match. That's tennis, and there's no point in harping on bad calls or good calls. It's just, you know, the forehand was apparently long-going by the umpire, and I felt differently. The lob was still gonna go in, but I could have the chance to run it down. Look, it's just one of those matches. You can't do anything about it. You've got to play by the umpire. You know, he was the winner.

SCOTT DRAPER: How well I played?

SCOTT DRAPER: I thought I played a great third set. I thought the first two sets were both a little scratchy. My serve got better as the match went on. I felt his service percentage picked up a lot after the first set. I thought he was a little bit sluggish in the first set, then his serve picked up and I couldn't get really a break. But, look, Roger's just such a shot-maker. He's very unpredictable. You don't know what to expect. As it turned out, the unexpected happened. I mean, 6-2 in the breaker and he just was too good. You know, I felt like I played good points, just didn't win them.

SCOTT DRAPER: Absolutely. Yeah, I mean, I feel like I'm capable of beating anyone on a particular day. Obviously, if we played 20 times, he's probably gonna win more than I am. But I certainly feel like I can win. There's no real point in me stepping on the court if I don't feel I can beat him.

SCOTT DRAPER: Absolutely. Yeah, look, it's got to be one of my memorable matches. You know, I've had a few, but that's certainly going to get on my top three or four. You know, he's the next possible No. 1, he's only 22 years of age, and, you know, I'm getting towards the end of my career. It's great to have an opportunity to play players like that and have matches of that standard and that excitement - 12-10 in the breaker, all the drama, it was great.

SCOTT DRAPER: No, look, physically we're only playing best-of-three. The heat this year isn't too bad. Quallies are actually good for me. I need all the matches I can get. I'm still on like a comeback trail. My tennis is getting better all the time. It can only do me good things to play extra matches against good players. With regards to main draw players playing qualifiers, when I was a main draw player, I always felt it was a tough draw to play a qualifier because they've got a couple matches under their belt, they're confident, they're used to the speed of the court, yeah, they're used to winning, so... You know, it is tough.

SCOTT DRAPER: I really don't know. At the moment, I'm just trying to work on the process of playing. I'm competing well. My mind is back on how to win tennis matches rather than focusing on other stuff that is irrelevant or not pertinent on the court. Over the next sort of year to three years, however long I'm gonna play the game, I'm just gonna keep working hard on my fitness and my strength, keep my body and mind as well as I can. And, you know, if I keep asking the questions out there, I've got to eventually win some matches like that. I just can't seem to just get that little win and get on a roll. I mean, I had a little bit of a roll in Indianapolis, but that ended. I'd just like to do well in these Masters Series events and obviously the US Open. So I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing out there, and hopefully time will make me win, help me win.

SCOTT DRAPER: You know, when I first came on the tour, there was no easy -- I mean, there was a few easy matches. Now, everyone's a good player. I don't think anyone takes anyone for granted these days. The depth of men's tennis is unbelievable. Whether it's me or someone else, you've got to go out there and do your job. Because as I proved today, I'm over 100 in the world and he's possibly the best player in the world right now, and I nearly beat him. You've got to just go out there, do your job and execute.

SCOTT DRAPER: Look, I've been pretty confident the last few weeks. I feel I'm hitting the ball well. As I said, the process is there; I feel it in myself. I just -- I just got to get on one of those little rolls, just get a win under my belt in a big match, then just keep sneaking through. Then it all happens. You really feel confident, so...

SCOTT DRAPER: Yeah, the low point for me was probably Miami this year. I'd been sort of, you know, doing a bit of fitness and trying hard, but I just wasn't really enjoying it, and the passion wasn't there. I nearly went home, and I was certainly considering giving the game away. But I just wasn't at peace with my tennis. A friend of mine, who's also a psychologist, we were talking about it. And just basically, I'm a person that doesn't want any regrets in my life. You know, I wouldn't want my tennis to be one of those things, that's been such a big part of my life. So it was basically get back to the love of the game, the things that I enjoy - hitting tennis balls and competing. Competing is what life's all about. I figured, "Well, let's go out there again, give it 100 percent, be at peace when you finish this sport," and that's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to finish strong and give it my best.

SCOTT DRAPER: Basically what we were just talking about, you know . I'm a great competitor, and I sort of lost my way there. Anything I do, I compete hard at. You'd miss the competition. You may not miss tennis, but you may miss the competition. I'd have to go back to just enjoying the battle of one-on-one competition, whether it's tennis or golf or whatever I'm gonna do with my life, I've got to have that in my life. We basically just talked about getting back the enjoyment of competing, being at peace with, you know -- maybe not being successful because I'm a bit of a perfectionist, and I wasn't happy with the standard of tennis I was playing. You always get down in the dumps when you're not successful. Success brings enjoyment. I was just trying to focus on the process over the next, you know, months and years and just be patient and try my best.

SCOTT DRAPER: No, look, I saw him early in my career as a very much try-and-improve-my-mind-for-tennis and-for-life. Since then, we've just been, you know, friends and we just chat. You know, I stay at his house sometimes. You know, we just, you know, shoot the breeze. We just talk about things and talk about other players and matches and whatever. So just it helps a lot.

SCOTT DRAPER: Oh, look, you know, it's absolutely essential that I've, I think, moved on from my struggles. I have a, you know, a wonderful girlfriend who I certainly intend to be a part of the rest of my life, and that obviously makes me happier. I'm a happier person than I was 18 months ago, two years ago. You know, I look forward to the future. I wake up, you know, in the morning and feel good. You know, it certainly helps your tennis. There's nothing worse than feeling a little depressed or struggling with certain issues - you can't compete, you can't focus.

SCOTT DRAPER: You know, obviously winning Wimbledon, I can't even speak for that experience, but I'd imagine it would be an unbelievable sort of confidence-booster. It would also quiet down all the people who said, "Roger Federer is a talented one, he should win this, should win that." Once you win it, all those sort of questions die down, and I think that gives you confidence in yourself, and the self-belief that everyone has around you to go out there and execute the big points. I think today he did that. I mean, you know, as I said, that topspin lob on that 6-2 in the breaker was just such a great shot; that only comes from having that inner belief. I mean, you can't just do that without that feeling.