US OPEN

September 1, 2006

Tim Henman

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. Tim, I mean, there were some very encouraging elements of that match, weren't there, for you today?
TIM HENMAN: Yes and no. I definitely I've played better. I can reflect on a couple of moments where I began to make life a little bit more difficult for him.
You know, but having said that, it's you can't really afford to give him the start that I did because he's got enough confidence and he's playing at such a high level, he certainly doesn't need any help from me.
You know, that's I think that's where your biggest chance of having an impact is if you can stay with him early. Even, you know, in the second set when I broke back to be one break back to be 5 4 then I had a 15 30, he played a good point, I played a good point, I think you've got to try and make that happen at an earlier stage, and then you can bring a little bit more, you know, pressure into the match on his shoulders.
And, you know, the third set is the way that you need to try and play. But, you know, not two sets to love down, as well.

Q. What's changed particularly in his game since the days when you used to beat him quite regularly?
TIM HENMAN: Well, I mean, every aspect has improved, that's for sure. You know, we all know in sport the magic word is 'confidence,' and he's got that in abundance.
I just think his actual level of play is so aggressive actually, but it's so consistent because his margins are so great. I think his serve is still probably the most deceptive factor because his variation and his accuracy, the spots that he hits, is as good if not better than anyone.

Q. Like Sampras?
TIM HENMAN: It's a totally different serve. Sampras would serve a lot more aces but, you know, the way that he sets up the point and how many, you know, cheap or even free points he gets on his serve is still a lot.
You just feel that, you know, there's no good in just getting the ball back; you've got to be aggressive. Then you feel like you're taking more risks. It's just that fine line: you want to take risks and be aggressive, but then you miss a few and you feel like you're giving him cheap points, and then you try and be a bit more consistent, you're not quite aggressive enough, and he can dominate with any shot.
So, you know, I think that's the conundrum for everyone.

Q. Can you talk about the rather remarkable shot he hit in the first.
TIM HENMAN: I think it's actually an occasion, you know, the less that he thinks about it or the less that anyone thinks about it, the better it's gonna be. I think I hit a good approach. He makes a low pass, which, you know, he's probably thinking I'm gonna play a drop volley to his backhand side, and therefore he's moving inside the court. I kind of felt like I didn't want to hit a drop volley, so I actually hit what I thought was gonna be a perfect volley, because I've hit it deep, it's gonna be six inches from the baseline. He's actually then in the wrong position. But because he has no time to think about it, it was just a split second reaction, but he executed it fairly well, as well.
So there's not a lot you can say at that stage apart from laugh.

Q. I've seen you do that in practice. Have you ever done it in a match situation?
TIM HENMAN: I mean, you know, funny shots like that happen. Again, it's not really something that you can plan. It's just such a it is such an instinctive thing. I think when you do try and you sort of say, Oh, I'm gonna try and play this shot, it doesn't normally work.
It's just like he's there, wrong position, it's straight at me, bang, hit it between his legs. I think when you're that loose, that relaxed, that confident and that talented, you got a good chance of bringing it off.

Q. You've not played like that?
TIM HENMAN: I've played behind my back volleys and stuff like, but not like that.

Q. Were you ever considering using this match as a sort of barometer for where you are and where you think you might be in days and weeks to come?
TIM HENMAN: Not really, because I think if you can, you know if a lot of us mere mortals compared ourselves to him, there'd only be a couple of dozen people playing.

Q. If you were genuinely competitive over an extended period of the match and thought you were giving him trouble...
TIM HENMAN: It's not really something I've given a great deal of thought about right now, having just come off the court. I've reflected on, you know, the year so far. And in certain respects, you know, I don't feel it could have been much worse. I've had some sort of difficult moments, and then I've started to play some better tennis. In certain matches I've played a lot of very good tennis.
There's part of me that says, Yeah, I don't really feel like there's been anything that has been particularly good or anything that's gone my way. And, you know, I'd probably be 45 or something in the race, you know, if I'm being positive, there's no reason, you know, why that couldn't be 25. That's the challenge. That's why, you know, I do have some motivation to improve.
It's very difficult. I can't deny when you feel in pain and you can't play the way you want to and that was a big factor I felt that's the best I felt this summer physically on the court. I felt like I was able to serve and move and lunge.
And then, you know, you have a lot of positive energy, and then you get off the flight tomorrow morning and feel like you can't move and you think, What am I doing? It is a difficult battle.

Q. Overall, are you still enjoying it as much as you were?
TIM HENMAN: That's why it has been a difficult sort of few weeks. I was on the plane going to Washington, what, five weeks ago, and I couldn't have been more positive and optimistic and excited about this summer. Then, you know, I played some pretty good tennis in Washington, but I then struggled with my back. And then it's at those times you sort of feel it's a bit of a roller coaster. You feel that the emotions come into it a little bit, and sometimes difficult to get a clear picture on it.
But having played today and felt, you know, as physically good as I did on the court, then you feel like there's lots of opportunities.
I think really the unpredictability of my back is sometimes the toughest aspect because you feel like you take a couple of steps forward, and you feel very positive, and then you feel like you take three backwards. But, you know, that is the challenge as you get older.

Q. How do you feel about Andre doing what he's done, have having cortisone injections?
TIM HENMAN: I don't really understand the nature of whether that is how damaging that is. I mean, on the surface of it, 'cortisone injection,' it sounds fairly invasive. But I don't really understand the ins and outs of where the cortisone is going, so it's difficult to really state, you know, how I'd feel about that.
You know, last tournament of his career, I can understand it. But I think he appreciates that it's been going on for long enough, if that's the extent that he's got to go to to be able to keep competing.
But, yeah, I just hope that I don't have to get to that stage. I think if I can keep managing it as I am, then I can avoid that.

Q. Do you think if it did get to that point, you would say no?
TIM HENMAN: If I see a needle, I'm gonna pass out. I'm gonna struggle to have cortisone shots just to be on the court. So I will avoid that at all costs.
As I said, I hope I don't get to that stage where I've got to make a decision. But, you know, right now I wouldn't really want to be doing that.

Q. Is the medical advice still that you're not going to be doing yourself any long term damage?
TIM HENMAN: Absolutely, yeah. My back, I think compared to 12 or 18 months, there's been improvement. But it's still always gonna be there. So when it's not quite right, if there's soreness, then it's just accentuated. You know, I sort of appreciate more and more, and this summer is evidence when it's not right, it's just so difficult to really compete to the level that I want to. You know, that is just the that's what I'm dealing with.

Q. What do you think sometimes when you see people give advice to Andy that to succeed in this sport you've got to sort of be built like the Incredible Hulk? You've never been one that was especially intimidating on the court. Does it make you rather shake your head, How is the sport going?
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, absolutely. And certainly with my sort of style of game and the way that I play and, you know, the strategies that I use and the techniques that I've got, on a daily basis I look at other players and I just can't quite believe my eyes sometimes that there's sort of techniques and shots being hit that you just don't think are possible. That's from a technical point of view, but also physically the way that guys move now and how demanding it is. I mean, it's just changed so, so much.
I was talking to I think it was Safin the other day, and he's here with Volkov. He said that, When I played Volkov when I just came on the tour, Volkov said he couldn't believe how hard I hit the ball (laughing). I'm thinking, God, that's music to my ears.
Yeah, just in that period of time, I mean, it's just...

Q. Sometimes when you see that, do you think your desire to continue to play means you have to be competitive? To be competitive, you have to be physically at your peak almost all the time.
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's the challenge. That's the challenge.
As I said, you know, I don't really feel there's been anything that's particularly, you know, gone my way in certain events and stuff. I still you know, I say it's just been pretty ordinary. But I still feel like, you know, it could have been so much better. That's exactly where I'm at.
You know, I play Bangkok and Tokyo, and it won't take very much to turn things around sort of in a more dramatic fashion. It just is the nature of the game right now. And I think, you know, it shows in the variation or lack of for so many players.
You know, even here, I think this is one of the I mean, today was much cooler. But when it's like warm, I think this is one of the quickest tournaments we play in. You still don't see many guys near the net.

Q. How much of a priority is your ranking for the rest of the year?
TIM HENMAN: I mean, it is and it isn't. You know, I said that, you know, I want to start improving it because that's proof that, you know, the work that I'm doing is paying off to a certain extent on the court.
But I can still look past the results and look at some of the performances and say, Well, I might have lost today, but in actual fact, the way that I felt on the court in certain instances, the way that I was playing, there's some positive stuff there.
But, you know, I'm not going to be putting in the effort and the sort of commitment to the work if I'm not getting results at some stage. So you're always gonna pay attention to that to a certain extent.

Q. That chicken and egg question. You obviously ask it to yourself every December. Will it be tougher this December than other Decembers because of the changing physicality of the playing?
TIM HENMAN: Sure, it doesn't get any easier, that's for sure. A lot's going to happen in between now and then. But, yeah, I still have every intention of, you know, keep going and keep working hard. You know, physically there has been sort of big improvements, but I'd like to see a lot more improvements in my results.
But while I still have this mentality and I'm enjoying the challenge, then no question that I'm gonna keep playing and keep have having fun.

Q. Just for fun. Imagine they're in a boxing match, Federer and Nadal, how do you think it would go?
TIM HENMAN: Uhm, I think Nadal would win.

Q. TKO?
TIM HENMAN: I think so, yeah.
Great question.

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