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MASTERS SERIES MONTE-CARLO

April 16, 2007

Max Mirnyi

MONTE-CARLO, MONACO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Hot enough for you?
MAX MIRNYI: Yeah. You know, coming to Monte-Carlo what comes to mind is the wind, a little bit overcast. But it's beautiful weather. Just maybe psychologically wasn't ready for it. Was completely winded in the first set.

Q. Really?
MAX MIRNYI: Felt like for a moment Cincinnati. Maybe also being the beginning of the clay-court swing in Europe. Best way to get used to it and get match-fit, but certainly was difficult moments today.

Q. Talk about the match. Technically how did it go for you?
MAX MIRNYI: Well, being on the clay courts I generally feel that I have confidence, because in the past I've beaten some top players and had some good results in Hamburg, which is the slowest clay court, and here beating Gonzalez couple years ago.
Just a matter of being at the top of my game, because it takes more on clay. But when I feel good I know I'm capable of causing some trouble for players. Marcos I haven't played in the past, so I a little bit not certain of what he's going to do. I felt he played pretty conservative.
Once I got the confidence winning the first set I knew I just have to keep pushing forward and apply the pressure, which he didn't like.

Q. People would think that with your big serve you would do better on fast courts.
MAX MIRNYI: I think my wins on clay it's about returning. Sure, I can serve big. Guys know about it and most get ready. Over the course the match it's tough not to get broken, especially now with the tendency to slow everything down with the balls and the surfaces.
Clay courts give me opportunity to return better I find. Especially some of the second-serve returns on grass it stays low. Here on clay I'm a tall guy and I don't mind it. I feel I'm still going look to come forward and try to apply my big-body game.
But returning I make much more high percentage on clay than I do on any other surface.

Q. Is it possible to make serve and volley, chip and charge on clay?
MAX MIRNYI: Well, people have done it. Rafter had great success and Stich into the finals. But certainly it's in my mind. I'm one of the probably last people that still use that style of play maybe with Tim Henman and couple other guys. It's not going to change overnight for me.
I realize that somebody like Gaudio or Nadal or 90% of the guys are very strong and better than I am at the back of the court. So I got to go with my strength and be as most focus as I can on that given day.

Q. What is your opinion about the fact that you are the last of the Mohicans?
MAX MIRNYI: It's sort of a double-edged sword because it has become more difficult to be successful doing what I'm doing. But on a day like today I felt like, you know, some passing shots that should have been made and would have been made in the past because there were so many guys coming forward and people were used to this type of style, today maybe he was a little bit caught by surprise and not used to doing what he had to do today.
Because a few passing shots he missed today were fairly makable. I mean, strictly due to the fact that players don't have to play players of my kind so many anymore sometimes it's to my advantage. It's the way I look at it, and still take one match at a time.

Q. How it's possible that this new passing shot that we didn't see ten years ago, how is it possible to make that? How it's possible for them to suddenly play some passing shots that really troubles your game and that you wouldn't have seen ten years ago?
MAX MIRNYI: Passing shots, certainly players in general got stronger physically, but it's the tendency, I think, of slowing the game, which happened maybe in the early 2000, 2001. I find the balls have gotten a little bit fluffier and a little bit bigger and a little bit heavier.
And the surfaces, even the indoor tournaments, have gotten that rough hard court surface which we call Greenset now. Plus the change with the technology of the racquets and the strings. All that put together gives the returners much more advantage being able to swing at the ball and the ball not fly out as much.
You know, certainly puts a lot more pressure and stress on somebody that comes forward and relies on catching the ball above the net.

Q. A guy like Roger Federer that like to serve and volley, come more to the net on clay, what would be your advice?
MAX MIRNYI: No. I don't think so. I think he's got so much variety to his game that maybe it's troubling him sometimes because he knows he can beat many players in many different ways.
So I think he does enough of everything, and it's a matter of time before he succeeds at the French Open. I don't think it's an issue of trying to pick certain way of playing because he's been so close last year already and the year before. I have a strong feeling that he's going to do it this year or next year.

Q. Do you think he has a chance to win Roland Garros?
MAX MIRNYI: Well, somebody that last year won clay court tournament Hamburg I'm not sure how many, two, three times, he's certainly the best player today after Nadal.

Q. Can you just explain us what's the pleasure to come on the net and play serve and volleying?
MAX MIRNYI: Well, when you see somebody scrambling and running and not able to pass you it gives you so much reward for all those years staying low at the net and working on those volleys.
Certainly gives you a lot of confidence on what you do is working, because a works the other way around when it doesn't work. So it's very rewarding when something like this happens today playing a top player and playing on clay and playing on Center Court at Monte-Carlo, it's very good feeling. I look forward to reproducing again.

Q. What should be made maybe of the regulation on the racquet or on the strings or on the court to emphasize -- to make that more people come to the net?
MAX MIRNYI: Well, I'm not sure if it's -- it's not something in regulation that could be made. I think what has to be looked at generally is to give tennis a chance to be colorful. To me right now it's pretty gray, because having so many one-dimensional type players.
Before it was the other way around in the '80s, '70s, when people had very flat strokes and came to the net and there was no other way of tennis. Now we've come to another extreme. Seems to me maybe in the next twenty years there will be a good balance between the speed of the balls or the courts where we'll see more youngsters come to net.
Now even the new generation of -- Andy Murray and Nadal is only, what, 19, 20, Monfils, they don't seem to look forward to come to net.
So I hope that would be the next generation that would realize that it's a great addition to a tennis game and conditions will help them to achieve that.

Q. Do you think they will remember Max Mirnyi as a hero?
MAX MIRNYI: I'm not sure I could be considered as hero yet. I've had some success here and there, but there are many guys that I'm sure have played better than me. I'm still out there and working on my game, and I try to win any match I can. Who knows, maybe I can get another breakthrough.

Q. Federer and Nadal have been making some fairly heavy comments about the political situation here at Monte-Carlo. Are you with that group who seem very critical of moves being made in the game?
MAX MIRNYI: I've never been a part of that group that was having difficulties to come to tournaments and play matches. You know, I have totally different background. My life has come from a different angle, and whatever I'm given I'm happy and I'm happy to play.
I do understand their point of view that when you're striving for a record and when you have Grand Slams and when you have tournaments of this caliber to win, it's becoming very enduring to have come through the whole year and having to attend this many tournaments. I respect their decision, but in my case, I don't know, I wouldn't be sitting on the fence and trying to see what happens, but I'm just happy that the career that I've had I was fortunate to play such traditional tournaments.
It will it would be pity for it to go away if it does happen, but at the same time I will be so happy if it stays and I get another chance to come play this event. So I'm supportive the Roger and Rafa, but I wouldn't be disappointed if it stays.

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