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THE STELLA ARTOIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 16, 2006

Tim Henman

LONDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What does it feel like? You've finally done it.
TIM HENMAN: I'm pleased with the win, obviously. I tend to start worrying when, you know, you've lost to someone eight times in a row. So, three, that was a long way to go (smiling).
But, yeah, it was good. I think my sort of approach mentally was - before the match - was important and paid off because you've got to expect the unexpected. And I kind of talked yesterday a little bit about trying to get off to a, you know, positive, quick start. You know, I was able to do that.
And irrespective of whether he's able to, you know, get back in the set, as he is capable of doing, you know, I always felt like I was, if anything, keeping my nose in front early on, and it got me through in the end.

Q. Quite strange game. So many breaks of serve.
TIM HENMAN: Hmm, I think that's, you know, not necessarily the norm on grass, but I just think with the nature of his game, it is so -- it can be so up and down. I think the fact -- the reason why he's so difficult to play is because a lot of it is out of your control. He has so much power and he can be so erratic, you know, you feel like you're reacting a lot out there. It's more difficult to be proactive, and that's why mentally you've got to accept that and expect that and deal with that and keep plugging away. That's exactly what got me through in the end of the second set.

Q. At the start of the week did you genuinely feel you could reach the semifinals without even losing a set? Are you surprised by that?
TIM HENMAN: We don't look that far. Certainly when you're playing Agassi in the first round, you don't start, you know, looking that far down in the tournament.
But, you know, my grass court record's good. I had a bad year last year, but, you know, I'm through to the semifinals. I'm delighted. But I'm not altogether, you know, so surprised given the form that I've had. But I'm very, very keen just to keep building on it, whether I can, you know, get through to the final or not or whether I can just, you know -- I've given myself a great foundation for Wimbledon, whatever happens.

Q. You felt as though it was only a matter of time before you would string some decent results together. I mean, is the timing of it just genuinely --
TIM HENMAN: I can't really, as I said, predict that and I can't necessarily control that. But it's happened right now. It's fantastic.
But, you know, I think it's fair to say - I've said it for the last, you know, three, four, five weeks - I've felt very good about my game, I'm feeling physically fit, I keep doing the right things. And as I've seen throughout my career, it will pay off. Whether it was going to be at, you know, Roland Garros or whether it was here or Wimbledon or Washington or wherever, you can't always control that. But, you know, now that it is kind of coming through, it's good news.

Q. Was it frustrating waiting week after week, "Is it gonna happen?"
TIM HENMAN: No, you've got to have -- I mean, experience helps, but you have to have the patience and the belief. You know, you can relate it to in a match. You know, yesterday, it's 1-Love, 1-All, and I'm not really on to his serve. 2-1, 2-All. 3-2, 3-All. You've got to have that sense of inevitability that, "Yeah, you know what, I'm going to keep doing this, I'm going to break his serve."
That's no different to the way you have to approach some longer-term issues. If it's not going to happen this week and it's not next week, it might not be this month, but you have to be able to stick with that mentally. At times, that's not easy.
I think given my consistency in my career, it could have been easy for myself just to get more frustrated. But I think having Paul's experience and Joey helping me work so much physically, it hasn't happened.

Q. You've reached three finals. Would this be the most satisfying one if you're able to do it again?
TIM HENMAN: They're very different. Yeah, it would certainly be another big step. Whoever I play in the semis, it's going to be difficult.

Q. But everything that you've been through --
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, we don't -- it doesn't -- no, no. We don't really -- I certainly don't look at those types of things. I'm sort of consumed with what's going on right now and I'm playing well. Whether it means more to me than the other ones I think is irrelevant really.

Q. He never looked comfortable, but were you surprised when at 5-4 he double-faulted?
TIM HENMAN: I mean, I think with most opponents you would be. But, I mean, it was set point in the first set, wasn't it, that he thought he hit a shot out but it was a miss-hit. It drops, hits the line, and I sort of push it back down the middle and he's sort of just strolling off to the chair. What do you say? I mean, you don't ask him if he wants to play a let. You just say, "Thanks a lot."
You know, there are other times where it works in his favor because he doesn't -- I don't think he thinks a great deal, and he just hits some incredible shots. That's where you've got to -- if you go in with that mindset that you're going to take the rough with the smooth, then you can deal with it. But other times, if you're not expecting that, it can really drive you mad.
I think, you know, it was a good example, the 5-4 game. He gets the set point, doubles, then I hit a good return and then, you know, he misses a smash that you know he's trying to hit 200 miles an hour. So, yeah, you just take it.

Q. What did he say at the end? Wry smile.
TIM HENMAN: He said, "Very well played" (smiling).

Q. Do you feel less pressure in your game?
TIM HENMAN: I think we've talked of this. A little bit less expectation and not quite the same intensity of the spotlight scrutiny, if you like. Andy's obviously - Andy Murray - helped that.
But irrespective of the way it is, I enjoy this time of year. And I've dealt with it well over the years, so I don't think this should be too different.

Q. Do you feel your confidence coming back? Do you feel your confidence growing?
TIM HENMAN: Certainly the wins emphasize it, but I understand my game now pretty well. And as I've said, I haven't just been saying these things, I've believed them. Because over the last, you know, three months, I've really felt there's been a good direction with my game, and that has kind of been dictated a little bit by my back, and obviously it's been good and want that to continue.
But, yeah, I've just absolutely believed that -- knew the results were going to come.

Q. Can you envisage facing an opponent against whom you would want to serve and volley all the time and chip and charge all the time?
TIM HENMAN: I think, yeah, there's definitely people that I would serve and volley a lot more. If I play Nadal, I think that's a tactic that I would use a lot more. And still chipping and charging, it's difficult to do against him, just the nature of his -- the lefty serve and his has got quite a lot of sideways movement on it which is difficult.
But, yeah, it's, again, you know, being able to choose the right tactic at the right time. You know, whether that's for a point, a game, a set or a match, I think I've got the options. And what I'm doing better this time is that I'm just using them, breaking it down into, you know, the present and doing it well on each point.
So, you know, if I -- there's quite a contrast, I think, between the players that I could play. If I play Nadal, then I think I can be a lot more aggressive on my serve and look to serve and volley. Not necessarily be a lot more aggressive on my serve, but I think I should serve and volley more. Whereas if I play Hewitt, I wouldn't serve and volley much at all.

Q. How much do you enjoy this Stella Artois Championship as a championship?
TIM HENMAN: It's great. It's a tournament I've played for so many years. It's been my home tournament even more so than Wimbledon perhaps having practiced here. So it's fantastic.

Q. What do you make of the way Nadal has been able to transfer what he's done in Paris to come here and play the way he's played?
TIM HENMAN: I just think it speaks volumes for his attitude and, you know, the way that he embraces the game. You just see his enthusiasm. He loves -- I think he loves that challenge. I think it shows up a lot of the other guys that haven't sort of embraced it, and the other clay court guys who have stayed away for whatever reason.
He's got belief in his game, obviously, and quite rightly so. He says whether this court's red, green or blue, he's going to go out there and compete. What he's done is, I think, absolutely phenomenal, to have won in Paris on Sunday and come here on Monday and arrive at his hotel and come straight to practice Monday night.
Kind of hope he'll grow out of that (smiling).

Q. Do you think there might have been a situation a couple months ago where people were thinking, Henman used to be one of the boys, but that now perceptions will change markedly once again?
TIM HENMAN: It doesn't matter, does it? It doesn't matter.

Q. You're the most dangerous unseeded player.
TIM HENMAN: What was the -- I can't remember. What was the big thing when I lost and Andy won last year? You know, it was all...

Q. "Changing of the guards"?
TIM HENMAN: No, there was a good -- one of the tabloids was a good one. It wasn't like "heaven and hell" or something? And so it's, you know, what the perspective is and what expectations is, you know. It was all done and dusted last year. You know, now that it's, you know -- people are getting excited again, does it have any impact? I think it's pretty amusing really.

Q. I thought you didn't read the papers.
TIM HENMAN: Well, no, I get told about it, though (smiling). You get people, "Oh, did you see this?"
I'm like, "No, I don't really want to hear it either."
It's whatever. If people are starting to talk it up, then I think it's, you know -- my confidence and the way that I'm playing, it's, you know, plain for -- it's a bit more clear for people to see I'm playing well. Likewise, I'm still going to be unseeded, so there's probably going to be a few favorites ahead of me.

End of FastScripts...

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