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WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 15, 2006

Greg Rusedski

CINCINNATI, OHIO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How are you feeling, the hip?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, no, the body feels good. I think I'm improving every week, so that's the main positive for me at the moment. This week, would have been nicer to have a little easier draw, but I felt like I played pretty well. I felt like I played better than last week. Just came down to two games where I made three unforced errors which cost me. Against a player like him, you can't get away with having two average sort of games. The way he served, I think he's serving better than anybody in the world right now. You just don't really get a chance. With the way the balls are bouncing on these courts so high, I mean, he's gonna be really rough to break. I think he's gonna have a good week.
Being 3 in the world right now and the way he's playing, you know, it's an improvement from last week, and I just got to look to positives and try to get ready for the Open.

Q. So it feels like you may be able to contain the injury?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I feel good. I mean, last week I pulled up pretty well. Got some good practice sessions. Then this week, I don't feel like I'm making -- it just keeps on improving. That's a good sign. I took the right precaution by taking the rest and, touch wood, so far it's been very good. So that's the positive thing which I have to look forward to.
The ranking is not as good as I'd like, but, you know, that comes with the territories when you miss your best part of the season for you and now trying to build towards something else.

Q. How would you get past the problem of the ranking?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I've got a few events to play at the moment. I've got New Haven, I've got the US Open where I have no points to defend. Probably going to head off to Asia this year to try to get some points, and then hope for some wildcards. I have to call Mark Philippoussis' agent and see if he can -- I'll take half of what his is, which is like 12, which would be fine for me for a year (smiling).

Q. How much rest do you have to give the injury?
GREG RUSEDSKI: You have to give it six weeks. So from the date you do it, it takes six weeks, then you either try to play with it or you have the surgery. What I did do, from Queen's when I did it, I gave it a month after Wimbledon because they had diagnosed it wrong as a muscle tear when I tore the cartilage. So now I know the diagnosis, and then every week just keeps on getting better, keep on strengthening in the gym, keep on trying to get the flexibility up. For me that's the biggest positive right now.
The other thing is I have to look forward to is the US Open coming up and the Davis Cup and different things coming up in the future. So that'll be good. Always something to look forward to (smiling).

Q. One quick question, it's not very relevant. What do you think of the challenge system, the HawkEye? Do you like it?
GREG RUSEDSKI: I like it. I think it's good. Bud Collins actually made a really good point, I was reading the newspaper today, and he said, Why don't they just have HawkEye on the chair umpire so that if there's any problems, they can just look at it right away and there's no discussion.
I think it's great for the crowd because it gets the crowd into it. But, you know, it would just make officiating so much more easy going. The only problem is might have liked it on the outside courts a few times. So unless you're playing on Stadium all the time, I haven't had the experience to deal with it yet. But I think it's a good thing.

Q. That's one of the criticisms, it's not fair because it's not on every court.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, well, I think you're probably getting your marquee matchups on the center courts and that's what the fans are paying the big bucks to see, is the top players. If you get into the semis or finals, at least when you get into that later stage and it comes down to a big call, you can see what really counts.
It's like last week I think Malisse was playing Federer and he didn't ask for an overrule on a big point and he was down 15-30 instead of replaying the point at 15-All.
So you got to think, you got to find the balance whether it sits in the chair umpires or whether it comes down to you. But I think the technology can only help. You haven't seen so many explosive sort of situations.

Q. It stops it.
GREG RUSEDSKI: It stops it, but also gets the crowd involved. It's a good combination.

Q. One of the chairs was remarking somewhere not too long ago that there's now no coaching from the coaches in the stands. Instead of the players like looking over, they just go with what the chair says, so the chairs feel a lot better.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah. I think the coaches are still -- I think the coaches are still telling the players when to do it, when not to do it, so you're still getting that in between the two (laughing).

Q. You think if the chair umpire would stop, he wouldn't have to make overrules at critical times in matches, that kind of thing?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think what happens now is if you feel like you get a dodgy overrule, you can always call the system into play if you haven't used up your two. So I think it takes that element out as well 'cause like if you feel like all of a sudden you got a bad call, you can challenge it. So I think it's good.

Q. One of your main motives for still playing you said was to enjoy it. Are you enjoying it?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I'm enjoying it because I'm getting better. Physically, I'm feeling better. Today's unrealistic for me to think, Okay, I'm going to go out there and beat Ljubicic who's been playing great tennis. You know, I felt like I played pretty well except for those two games today, which was an improvement from the day before. Getting healthier.
I think the main goal for me this whole trip is to try to do something at the US Open, try to win a match or two, try to get through a few rounds there. It would be a bonus. It's highly unrealistic for me to come back from a period where I've nearly missed two months and think, Okay, I'm going to come back and start beating everybody from the injury I've had. I could either still be training and trying to get ready, but that's not going to build me towards where I need to be.
Trying to enjoy it. It's less stress on the tour because the expectation level is not as high as it used to be.

Q. In contrast, how optimistic you always have been and Murray comes in and says, I'll never beat Federer if I have to play him in the next round. He just said it.
GREG RUSEDSKI: I think he plays a clever game, you know. Put all the pressure on Roger, which Roger is used to by now anyway.

Q. I'm sure it's really going to be a problem, worrying about Murray.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I mean, Andy played pretty well against him in Bangkok this past year, a year ago. I thought --

Q. He wouldn't talk to the BBC afterwards.
GREG RUSEDSKI: I don't get into those things. I don't know about that.

Q. It's funny, though.
GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I thought he played pretty good against Roger. The other thing is, I think Brad has done a good job in what he's done with Andy. I could see the improvement already just last week in Toronto. I don't think he's good enough yet to beat Roger, but if he keeps on progressing at the rate he has the last two weeks. And Brad is quite a clever tactician and he's really got Andy playing a lot better with his backhand crosscourt, his forehand inside-out, trying to teach Andy to get a higher percentage of first serves, which I think he's still struggling to get him to do that. Once he gets him to do that, he's going to be even better than what he's doing at the moment. What Brad's doing is right at the moment. He doesn't have any pressure tomorrow. He can hit away, enjoy the match, just totally taken the pressure off him. I mean, that's gonna be a fun one for him. I think it's gonna be great for all of us to watch tomorrow.

Q. So you go to New Haven next?
GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, after New Haven. I'm going to be staying here till probably Friday. Try to get a match victory, which would be nice. Think it's my longest time I haven't won a match. I can't even remember once in my career going this long. These things do happen. You just have to try to get the confidence and try to win a few matches and if you feel like you're improving it, enjoying it, then things will happen.

Q. Fingers crossed.
GREG RUSEDSKI: Fingers crossed. If it doesn't happen, you know, then that's life.

Q. New Haven next.
GREG RUSEDSKI: It's not a bad place, actually. Hope I don't play James Blake first round. I want a quiet match, don't want a loud one the first one (smiling).

End of FastScripts...

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