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INTERNAZIONALI D'ITALIA

May 8, 2006

Greg Rusedski

ROME, ITALY

THE MODERATOR: Just so you know, it's Greg's first clay court win over a top 10er.
Q. We knew (laughter).
GREG RUSEDSKI: Because it happens all the time (laughing).
THE MODERATOR: His last top 10 win was in Cincinnati 2004 against Gaudio.
Q. So you've got these clay courters now, you know what to do?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I felt this week, I had two weeks off and just kind of refocused. I felt like I played pretty well in Monte-Carlo for two sets. So I just had a feeling this week was going to be a pretty good week to start off. I felt like my serve was coming back, which was, I think, the key in the second and the third set. And just played pretty well from the back and returned well.
So it was a good match. I can't complain. This is what I'm still playing for, is to try to get these sorts of victories and, you know, do things I haven't done before. So I'm really pleased about today.
Q. Tommy is obviously in the top 10. Can you feel that sort of level coming at you?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, well, I mean, he's worked hard. He's definitely one of those guys who's definitely in the top 10 on clay. I mean, he's a great player on the clay courts. You know, we were sitting in the locker, me, Grosjean, Tommy, and, you know, Grosjean was saying he thinks it's time for him to buy everybody a bottle of champagne, he's finally cracked the top 10.
So, you know, it was just great to beat him, especially on this surface being his best surface. For me, this is a special day to win this match.
Q. When you looked at the draw...
GREG RUSEDSKI: I was pretty optimistic. It was a strange thing. You know, you do the TVs before they start for the television. I said, you know, this week I feel like I'm going to have a good week. I feel like I've got a chance against Robredo. Obviously, he was the massive favorite today. But, you know, I just felt like my game's coming together. I really haven't felt that all year where I've played that well. Even in the Davis Cup, I didn't feel I played as well as I possibly could.
This week, for some reason, it just felt like everything's starting to click again, getting that feeling, which is nice, because obviously the important stuff coming up for me is the grass court season soon.
So it's a great opportunity now having beaten Robredo and going on to the second round to play an Italian. I think we've got Italy-British matches for the next three matches, which will be quite exciting.
Q. You couldn't have seen him play. I mean, apart from what you may have seen from him this afternoon...
GREG RUSEDSKI: I watched him play a little bit this week in practice, yeah. He seems like he takes the ball pretty flat and pretty early. He moves pretty well. But, you know, if I serve the way I do and I take my time, then I have a good chance to get through.
So it's not too often, as you say, my first time out of five times beating a guy in the top 10. I just really want to enjoy today and then look forward to Wednesday.
Q. And that lovely exchange at 5-4, 15-40, that's about as good a point as you've played for a while, I should think.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, the backhand dropshot behind me was pretty good, and then the one at deuce was even better when he went to forehand down the line and I just picked the right side. It was nice to actually play some classical serve-and-volley tennis once in a while, which you don't see out there very much.
I'll have to serve particularly well and mix it up well. So just really pleased with it.
Q. And your daughter was there.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, she was there with Lucy and Lucy's mum. She was in Miami but she didn't see any live tennis. So she's seen her dad win his first match, which was nice.
Q. When you lost those first two service games, did you think, "Here we go again"?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I got back to 5-5, so I had some chances. But I felt like I'd been serving well all week and I didn't serve that well in the first set. I mean, 40-15 up the first game, which was key. Then from there on in, from the second set I was just determined not to lose my serve, and I didn't do until 4-1. Had I closed that game from 4-1, it would have been a lot easier. But against a player like Robredo, I'm really pleased. If the serve's going, which it was in the second and third set, I can still play with anybody out here.
Q. The game in the second set, you held on to your serve.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, that was important, that game, to get a high percentage and play really well. So I'm just really pleased.
Q. When did you last have the feeling that you've had just coming into this event, that maybe it's going to be a special week?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Probably not until last summer really. I haven't felt anything really click since about after Wimbledon last year until about through that whole summer. Then I went through a patch where I played kind of average. This year I really feel like nothing's really happened for me - I haven't done anything bad, but I haven't done anything good. It's just been really mediocre sort of tennis until today where I felt I really just managed to lift it up a level. That's what we all hope to play for, is when we can lift that level on that day. To continue and try to get back-to-back wins for the first time this year would be nice.
Q. What had you been doing since Monte-Carlo?
GREG RUSEDSKI: I took two weeks off. I just didn't do anything for two weeks. I just needed to get my mind fresh. I was a little bit tired. I just needed to get myself focused again and just feel good about playing.
So then when I got back, I was a little bit hungry, a little bit more keener. I think that helped because I only started practicing on the Tuesday last week, so I had like two full weeks where I just did very light gym but almost nothing, just at home really.
Q. You didn't pick up a racquet?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Didn't pick up a racquet after Monte-Carlo. I think sometimes it's good to do that because it just gets you that little bit hungrier sometimes, little bit sharper. It seems to work this week, so I can't complain.
Q. What do you think about the next match?
GREG RUSEDSKI: It's gonna be a good match. I mean, obviously, playing an Italian in Rome is always tough, you know. It's going to be very loud. As I said before, we have three British players playing an Italian in the next match so, you know, maybe I'll come out and see how it is for Tim and Andy tomorrow to get a little bit of atmosphere.
Obviously, he's played well, beating Novak, who is a very good player.
Q. Have you played on the center court here?
GREG RUSEDSKI: I have a few times but, unfortunately, I don't have too many fond memories (laughing). I lost to Roddick here last year, and then I lost to Ivanisevic a few years back.
Q. You played against him four years ago in Rome, here.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Galvani?
Q. Yes.
GREG RUSEDSKI: I don't remember that. Really?
Q. Yes, because I saw the match.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Okay. Did I win?
Q. Yes.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Okay. Well, hopefully, I can continue (laughing). I didn't remember.
Q. No, you lost.
GREG RUSEDSKI: I lost? Oh, I didn't even know that. I can't even remember that match.
Q. You were very hungry.
GREG RUSEDSKI: I was very hungry or angry (laughing)?
Q. You were fighting.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I don't remember it. I mean, I'm looking forward to it. I've seen him play and he's a good player, so I'm looking forward to it. I'm just trying to enjoy what I'm doing with my tennis and I look forward to playing him on Wednesday.
Q. How much of a kick do you get out of kind of surprising people like you did today?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I just seem to enjoy it, that's why I keep on playing, you know. One minute you're written off, next minute you beat a top 10 player, next minute I could lose to anybody, but it's kind of exciting, it's kind of interesting.
I remember watching Wilander when he was kind of near his end of his career and he played Mark Petchey on center court and he kind of said, I don't always expect to win all the time, but when I win, it feels great, you know.
So it's kind of a different feeling I'm getting now where you just really enjoy it more. I just surprise myself sometimes, you know, winning these sorts of matches, especially being a new father, to being 32, going to be 33 this year. So everything's kind of new for me right now, even though you've been through it years.
This is what we keep on playing for. I'm sure you look at Agassi. Why does he keep playing? I mean, he's won every major tournament, he's done records that some people will never match. But he still seems to enjoy it and like it. I still get that buzz out of playing tennis - especially when you win a match, it's such a lovely feeling.

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