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WIMBLEDON

June 27, 2006

Tim Henman

WIMBLEDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Tim, please.

Q. Five-set Wimbledon rollercoaster.
TIM HENMAN: I thought it was pretty routine as five sets go. You know, the first set, I felt like I was the one that had a couple of opportunities, but, you know, hit some great serves on the breakpoints, comes down to a tiebreak, and a tight one at that. Every point, every call, is going to be vital at that stage. Didn't go my way.
But I think I stuck in there and kept my level of play very, very high, dominated the next two sets. You know, I felt like I had the early opportunity in the first game of the fourth. He hit a couple of pretty good volleys. That kind of set ran away from me. When I was down 4-1, I was getting ready for the fifth, got off to a great start, just always felt like I had it under control.

Q. What about the prospect of facing Roger?
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, it's fantastic. You know, his record here is just getting better and better. You know, it does feel -- it feels really good to be playing a match here at Wimbledon with really very limited, very little pressure and expectation.
You know, I want to go out there and let it happen. Go out there, go for my shots, see what happens.

Q. Have you already been told that you'll be playing tomorrow?
TIM HENMAN: No, I don't know. I'm sure we are. But I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine.

Q. Presuming that won't bother you. You've had a tougher match than Roger. You're happy enough?
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, you know, I've talked about, I felt, you know, in really good shape. That's been a big part of this year, the first sort of six months, I've worked very, very hard on that. You know, ideally I would like to have a day off.
That's not the way the schedule is going to work after missing Monday's play. You know, just see how I pull up tomorrow. You know, fingers crossed, it won't be a problem.

Q. How much do you think you need to raise your game on today to beat Federer?
TIM HENMAN: You know, I think tennis at this level is going to boil down to, you know, who can take their chances. You know, obviously you've got to create them. When it comes to the big points, it's whether you can take advantage of those opportunities.
You know, I'm very, very happy with the way that I've played on grass this year. It's been a huge improvement for me, and probably the last four or five years I would say, you know, from 2002, I've hardly played any good matches on grass.
You know, the way that I played at Queen's and overall my level of performance today is good.

Q. What chances of recapturing 2001 then against him?
TIM HENMAN: Well, it's about playing to the conditions, and the conditions have changed so much. I just think I'm doing a far better job of playing. I think the last couple of years I wasn't getting the balance right. I was just trying to, you know, play the way that I used to play on grass. But when it's been, you know, so much slower and heavier, I don't think that's the most effective way.
And now, as sort of started at Queen's, you know, I'm still being very aggressive the way that I'm playing, but, you know, I'm setting up the points and hopefully finishing the point at the net, but not really serving and volleying so much. That's really helped me massively.

Q. How do you beat him?
TIM HENMAN: Got to play my own game and, as I said, try and create some opportunities, not let him dictate as much as he likes to do. When you get the opportunities, you've got to try and take them.
You know, that's probably easier said than done.

Q. Do you believe that you can win?
TIM HENMAN: Absolutely, yeah. I mean, I haven't beaten him for a while. But I know my game matches up well. I've beaten him -- I think I've beaten him five or six times in my career. You know, it's a fantastic opportunity. I think the most important aspect is for me to go out there and play my game and not -- and feel like I haven't got any pressure or expectation.

Q. You've beaten him playing more serve-and-volley tennis. How will you play him since you've been playing a lot more from the back?
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I mean, when we played in whatever year it was here, 2001, I mean, I think he serve and volleyed on both balls, first and second balls, probably a hundred percent of the time. You know, I was right up there, as well. You know, the nature of the conditions have obviously changed.
But it's still about, you know, trying to dictate the play. The one thing that hasn't changed on grass is that you can't play defensively. So, you know, be looking to play offensively, but perhaps in a different fashion from years gone by.

Q. He's on the court at the moment wearing that fantastic jacket, looking the part.
TIM HENMAN: You like that?

Q. Fantastic. Do you take the view that because you are such good friends, he's spoken about this, that some of the aura will not be there? You won't be affected by the aura that he carries with him when he steps on the court?
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, you know, I don't think -- I won't be approaching the match obviously thinking about his record and how well he's played, the grass court streak that he's on because, yeah, you know, obviously I know him well, I've practiced a lot with him, I've played him in however many matches it is in my career.
With all due respect, it's very much another match for me. And I think, you know, when I've played some of the -- when I've played some of the, you know, very greatest players in the game, I think when you've -- when that happens for the first time, it can be a little bit of an eye-opener, a bit of a shock to the system. But I think the more you become accustomed, the more comfortable you feel, and the easier it is just to concentrate on your game and play the ball and play the point rather than, you know, playing your opponent.
Yeah, I think I'll be very, very excited and looking forward to the match. But, you know, I'll just approach it as any other.

Q. Your forehand has been a major part of your new strategy on court. Throughout the years, it changed a bit. Are you running around your backhand?
TIM HENMAN: I don't think my technique or my shot has changed. I would say maybe I play with a little bit more spin now. And, again, I think that's making an adjustment to the balls.
Yeah, you know, I have confidence in it. I think when I get in the right position, I want to go for it because I believe it's the right shot and I want to be offensive with it. So, yeah, it's a shot that I don't think's changed, but I think has improved.

Q. You say playing tomorrow, no pressure or expectation. Do you feel the British public has given up on you?
TIM HENMAN: No. I mean, the support today was fantastic. You know, it's always been the case. But, you know, I think if you're talking about a favorite and an underdog, you know, Roger will be the favorite.

Q. There were quite a few debatable line calls out there.
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I don't know. I mean, you tell me. Looking at them, I think a few were questionable. I'd be the first to admit that sometimes you're looking and hoping from what you see.
I mean, you tell me. I'm sure you can see the replays. Were there any ones they got wrong?

Q. I was going to say, I think it balanced itself out. 2-All in the start of the second set, it was Love-30, would have been Love-40, line judge called it, changed his mind.
TIM HENMAN: Swings and roundabouts. They do tend to level themselves out. I still feel I'm owed a couple from Queen's (smiling).

Q. That said, though, you've mentioned Queen's, last two games unhappy with the line calling. Do you think it's time to get a challenge system in place?
TIM HENMAN: I think when we had it in Miami, I think Hawk-Eye worked fantastically well. Not only is it a great addition for the fans, the big screen, for them to sort of really participate in what's going on, but I think there's an opportunity to use the technology so that you can perhaps correct a few calls. You know, as I said, it's a very, very difficult job with how hard we're hitting the balls and how close to the lines. It's not easy. But if we've got the technology, I'd be in favor of using it.

Q. Could you comment about Andre Agassi's retirement?
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I think it's something that, you know, I think he's appreciated that his career's going to come to an end at some stage. But I think what he's done so well is really, you know, maximizing his opportunities and how disciplined he's been with, you know, choosing his schedule and how physically he's sort of looked after himself.
It just goes to show that even last year in September at the US Open, to be playing the way he was at 35, was just fantastic. I certainly don't think he's got anything left to prove in the game.

Q. You obviously like soccer. Being from Portugal, I have a couple of questions for you.
TIM HENMAN: You haven't got any players left, have you (smiling)?

Q. What are your thoughts on Saturday's match? Did you see the match against Holland?
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, yeah, sort of questioning whether the umpires are having a little bit of a bad time. I think the referee is having a pretty suspect time in Germany at the moment.
I think we'll win. We'll wait and see.

Q. If there's a good time to play Roger, is it in the first couple of rounds here?
TIM HENMAN: I think so, yeah. Just in the sort of slightly shorter term, i.e., the last 15 or whatever it is tournaments, he seems that it gets to the semis and finals, and that's what his game is at its most dangerous.
You know, whether it's first round or the final, you know it's going to be a tough proposition. So, no, I think it is a good -- it's probably a better time to play him early on.

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