US OPEN

August 30, 2006

Greg Rusedski

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Greg.

Q. Got off to a good start, but weren't able to continue it?
GREG RUSEDSKI: No. I thought the first set we played some really good tennis. It was good quality. I made two unforced errors in the tiebreaker: First with a double fault and a forehand I shouldn't have missed.
But the quality of the first set, the tennis was very good. You know, the courts are kind of tough to play my serve and volley style, especially with the conditions being slow.
But, no, I thought the first set was pretty good tennis.

Q. Umpire didn't do you any favors, did he?
GREG RUSEDSKI: No. But, I don't know, it's hard when the umpire overrules far sidelines and first serves. That's when the new technology is a Godsend. You know, you can just it just sorts out the problem so quickly.
Unfortunately, I haven't been lucky enough to use it very often. Probably not once yet (smiling). I think it's a good thing for the game.

Q. How was the hip?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, it's not bad. I mean, it's just something I have to try to deal with and figure out. You know, I'm going to reassess it when I get home and go from there really, 'cause I gave myself the summer to see how it goes. It's obviously as you can see, it's not perfect out there. Not moving as well as I'd like.
But, you know, I had to give it a go. The only option to that is either surgery or figure out what else to do. So I gave this whole summer a proper go and I still wanted to play at least one more Open, and that's what I did.

Q. What about Davis Cup, is that part of the reassessment?
GREG RUSEDSKI: I'd like to be part of it. That comes down to John figuring out what he thinks is best for the team and if he'd like to have me part of the team, whether it's playing doubles or singles. Obviously, I can't play three days back to back like I did in Scotland this year just because of the hip itself. I'm going to have to see how he can use me.
With Andy playing so well, that makes life a lot easier for us. Hopefully Josh is playing reasonably well, and some of the younger kids can step up as well.

Q. What did the guy say to you about your hip? Did he say it's surgery is one possibility?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah. You have to try it out. I rested the six weeks, which is medically what you're supposed to do for it. Then you're just going to have to play with the pain and see if you handle it. See if it doesn't stop your mobility too, too much. Then you've got to make a decision.

Q. A lot of Advil?
GREG RUSEDSKI: No, it's just a lot of treatment every day. I'm having JP try to sort it out, help me out, keep me going. That's a thing, you've just got to try to figure out. Unfortunately, I'm not getting any younger, you know. If I was in my 20s, life would be better.

Q. If the verdict is that you don't see surgery, what would you envisage for the rest of the year?
GREG RUSEDSKI: I don't know yet. I'm trying to reassess right now. That's the hardest thing for me. I haven't made a decision yet officially what I want to do yet.
It's tough when you come out and you play you know, if I played three sets like I played the first set I wouldn't be too disappointed, because the first set was good quality tennis from both sides. You know, but then the standard you know, I couldn't move as well as I'd like in those next two sets, as you guys could see out there.
Against good players you can't get away with that. Against the guys who are ranked maybe between, I don't know, 75 and outside, you can get away and you can beat those sorts of guys. But the guys who are in, say, the top 20 or top 20 or 30 range, you're not going to beat them because they move too well and do things well out there. That's a problem.
That's where I have to kind of put things in perspective. I don't want to go around not being able to play the way I like to do and move the way I want. There's not much point, because you can be mentally strong as much as you want to, but if you can't if the body doesn't let you do what you want to do, you got to figure it out. That's why when I go home, have a few days, have a good think what I'm going to do.
Still like to be part of this Davis Cup coming up in Ukraine. After that, then I'll probably make a firm decision one way or the other.

Q. What is it about the movement that's the problem?
GREG RUSEDSKI: I can't give you all my secrets, Barry. Just in case I play in Ukraine, I don't want to give my quotes away.

Q. There comes a time where you have to be brutally honest.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, you have to be brutally honest with yourself. Every week I was getting slightly better, then I had a little bit of a hiccup in New Haven when I got my second round to play back to back match ups. Against Nieminen, I just couldn't push it as well as I'd like after playing the match against Karlovic.
That's where you have to look at yourself and say, Okay, am I just traveling here making up the numbers? And are you happy doing that?
Before I had this injury I always still felt like I had a chance to win a major. Once you get this sort of injury, you know, it kind of takes your hope away a little bit more because you can't physically sustain it. I've always managed come back from the injuries I've had. I've always had a good attitude towards it no matter what, even if realistically the chances are very low that it's possible, but you still have that glimmer of hope.
For me, I think that's where I have to sit down and say, Okay, is this realistic? Got a baby girl at home right now who I've missed a lot being away for a month. Got to check out what's important in life and check out priorities.
I'm going to be 33, as well. The guy I played here in '97 in the Open is already five years retired. So you've got to look at things realistically. You know, that's one thing.
Like Wimbledon is probably the most disappointing thing for me this year because going in I felt like I was playing well. I had a chance maybe to get to a second week, win a few matches. To tear the cartilage in your hip is very disappointing for me. At least I wanted to at least try here one more time at the Open. That's what I did at least.

Q. This might be your farewell from a Grand Slam.
GREG RUSEDSKI: It might be.

Q. Is that the way you're thinking possibly?
GREG RUSEDSKI: That's the way I'm thinking. If it doesn't get better, then this could possibly have been my last Grand Slam.

Q. It was the injury in practice, and then you probably played on it too soon?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, what happened no. The problem was I got it misdiagnosed. I was told it was a muscle tear. When you get it, you get the swelling right away. A muscle tear takes two week and you can't really do any damage.
I had the MRIs, did everything right. Rested it for two weeks, got ready for Wimbledon. Two days later, I was locked up. I didn't have a tough match. I lost in straight sets to Safin quite easily. I went and had another MRI. It just showed I had a tear there.

Q. Why didn't the first one show it?
GREG RUSEDSKI: This just happens. When you do an injury initially, it might not show up right away. That's not unusual. That's part of it.
Since that day when I fell, it's just a little bit of bad luck. I mean, Norman knows the day it happened to him because I talked to Bomber about it. He hasn't recovered since or never played again. Guga had it happen to him as well. He's not hasn't been the same player. Now he's on his second surgery hoping to come back. But it's not that same Guga that we love and remember.

Q. And Bates as well?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, Bates is playing the SENIOR TOUR. He still gets away with it because he still practices with all us young guys, so...(smiling).

Q. He said when he heard about your diagnosis, Greg will be lucky to play the Australian Open. Bang, you're back playing again.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, no, if you have the surgery, then the Australian Open would have been more realistic. If you don't have the surgery, then you give it a go after six weeks. That's the maximum healing time you can have without having surgery. I did everything that was right by the doctors. The doctors told me, You have nothing to lose by giving it a guy go.
If I take the six weeks off, I have the surgery, there's a 5% chance I can make it worse. It might stay the same, or might get slightly better. So from my perspective, being as selfish, as all tennis players are, I want to at least give it a proper go. That's what I wanted to do this summer. It's answered a lot of questions for me.

Q. Is it the labrum?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yes.

Q. Arthroscopy?
GREG RUSEDSKI: That's what I would have to do.

Q. Will you need surgery no matter what?
GREG RUSEDSKI: No. For normal everyday life I won't. That's what I have spoken to Jean Pierre about. That's where I have to make a decision for myself. If I keep on doing the tennis and I want to keep on playing, then I have to think about the option. But that still might not even be a solution to the problem.
So, you know, that's why I have to weigh everything out. That's why I gave it a go this summer. Next year I'm going to be 33, nearly 34. You might as well give it a chance when you're nearer the end of your career rather than, say, if I had it when I was in my 20s. There's a different sort of play you sort of take on the situation.

Q. You talked about your baby daughter and your age. Regardless of your state of health, have you got the hunger to want to go back on tour again next year?
GREG RUSEDSKI: I've always had the hunger. That's been my key to all the comebacks I think I've had. I think you guys have written me off a few times in your careers. I managed to bounce back every single time. This one's a little bit more serious than the last ones. The last ones have been serious, as well.
But this is a different sort of league when it comes to hips and tennis players because you have to compensate some way for it, whether it's through your back, whether it's through your legs, whether it's some other way.
You know, this one that's why I said I have to reassess myself after this summer. I'd still like to try to at least play in the Davis Cup in the Ukraine. After that, I can make a proper decision.

Q. Is there anything in you that wants to bow out maybe at Wimbledon next year?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I don't want to be someone who is just running around, how do I say, to bow out and not being able to play good tennis. I think the worst thing is seeing an athlete when you can tell that they kind of can't do it. Do you know what I'm saying? It's nice that they get the farewell and everything, but it's kind of an anticlimax.
At least Andre comes here. He's 36, but he played a great match against Pavel. He's got a chance to win.

Q. Which surprised a lot of people.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, but you've got to at least have that belief. You've got to be able to physically do that.
I don't want to be waving to people and bowing out first rounds just because I'm hobbling around. You know what I'm saying? I think it's better to make a solid decision. Probably after Ukraine, if I get chosen for the team, then I'll make a solid decision one way or the other and figure it out.
For me to play on grass, which is probably the hardest surface for your hip, and not being able to do it properly, I don't think it's fair on the public as well even to see that, if you know what I'm saying.
Because, you know, they like to see you one more time. At this sort of level, you're playing with such small margins to win a match. You have to have so much intensity. You have to do things so well. If you can't do it, it's kind of disappointing. Why not come watch me in the Seniors. At least we can all run around hopping around in a different manner, which is a little bit more sociable, if you know what I'm saying. Then you can reminisce. If you can still play good tennis, there's no reason not to be there.

Q. Is Seniors something you're thinking about?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Maybe in a few years. I'm not there yet. Rios is doing it. He's three years younger than me. So, you know, no real barometer for it. Maybe in the future.

Q. Is it something special to have played your last Grand Slam here, given it's your best performance?
GREG RUSEDSKI: That's why it is nice. That's why I wanted to try it at least one more time. I was hoping to get on Center Court one more time here.
Nice thing today was we didn't have a band playing too long, which was great on Court 11. We still had the hamburgers coming in, so that was fair enough.

Q. The planes were at a distance.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah. Court 11, it's a nice court. Tim and I have had a long history, played some good matches. Especially the one I think in Dubai was a good match both of us played. And you know, World Championships and different things.
I just wish him well. Unfortunately for him, the draw doesn't get any nicer. Playing Federer is going to be brutal, but at least he can have a swing. Probably going to go on Center Court and enjoy himself. Good luck to him.

Q. What did you say to each other at the end?
GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I just wished him well. Just good luck for his next match. Well played. That was about it.

Q. There must have been a point where you thought you and Tim might have gone and there would be nobody. Is there some comfort that somebody has come through?
GREG RUSEDSKI: It definitely is pleasing to see Murray doing so well. I think Brad has done a great job with his game. I think, you know, Josh qualifying twice for Wimbledon, for the US Open, has been a big positive.
Hopefully Andy can get some of that younger generation. Because what happened with Tim and I is we broke away. Nobody came to really follow us until Andy. Maybe Josh can try. I'm not saying they have to be top 10 or top 20, but just some guys who are between a hundred and 50 in the world, you know, having three or four players somewhere.
Maybe if Josh can crack into the hundred, some of the younger kids, that would be a nice thing to be able to have that sort of environment. With Andy doing so well, being so young, I think it brings a lot to the game, because it still brings that interest because you have someone you can follow every day.

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