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THE ARTOIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 13, 2007

Jamie Baker

LONDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Jamie.

Q. Tough match?
JAMIE BAKER: Yeah, lots of chances.

Q. Why did it slip?
JAMIE BAKER: I think on the whole, my game, I play better when I'm behind. It's something to do with my mentality, where if I'm sort of backed up against the wall, I play even better.

Q. All those set points.
JAMIE BAKER: Exactly. I think I hit my first ace the set point down. That's something I've been addressing for a while. Even if it's something as simple as a 15-Love lead in the first point or whether it's match point, any time I'm ahead, I'm trying to recreate the same feelings or atmosphere, whatever it is, as when I'm behind.
If I could play that tennis the whole way through a match, I'd be even more difficult to beat.

Q. Is that because you're just going for it and you're not planning it or is it you're more relaxed or...
JAMIE BAKER: Not sure. I think I just need everything in my -- everything in my game just needs to be a little bit bigger to do a bit more damage. Towards sort of the end of that second set, I think a key thing was that my first serve dried up and he started making a lot more. I was able to really get onto his second serve and come in sometimes and really dictate the points. Also when I got my first serves in, I was able to do that as well. When that reversed, I had a bit of problems.

Q. Have you worked with a sports psychologist on this or is this something you worked on with your coach?
JAMIE BAKER: Yeah, I do both. But, I mean, they can help me as much as they'd like. It's only down to me. I can only keep trying to put myself into these positions, into these tough matches. That's ultimately where the most opportunity of getting better is.

Q. Is it anything to do because Alex is your friend? First-round win, you finished your man off. Why couldn't you have done it in this one?
JAMIE BAKER: As I say, I think everything in my game needs to be a little bit bigger. If I put in three first serves in that game at 4-3, I think the chances are I would have won that game. Instead, I don't think I made one. That's a problem already.

Q. Obviously you're very disappointed today, but must be pleased overall how Queen's has gone so far?
JAMIE BAKER: Yeah, obviously my best win of my career so far the other day. The most disappointing thing is the actual performance, how it panned out. I still feel that the flashes of play that I put together today, if I'm able to do that on even just one occasion, if I'm able to do that a little, that means I can keep doing it even more and even more and even more. I have to ask myself the question, "Why wasn't I able to do that?" Hopefully the next time I play, which hopefully will be Nottingham, would be even more.

Q. Are you very self-critical?
JAMIE BAKER: Yeah, I want to get better as quickly as possible. So I'm always looking for areas that I can do that. I mean, I still have to recognize that I did a lot of good things - not only today but the day before, things I've never done before. Actually, recognizing that is just as important as recognizing the things I need to get better at in order to get better. If I'm not putting fuel in the fire, where do I get my motivation from?

Q. Are you working now solely with Martin and Keith or do you have any input from the LTA's Dream Team, shall we say?
JAMIE BAKER: Martin, Keith, also Chris, who is the psychologist.

Q. Annacone, Gilbert, blah blah blah?
JAMIE BAKER: Paul helps me quite a bit. He would be the one, yeah. Not really the other two.

Q. When has he been with you? What has he done with you?
JAMIE BAKER: Paul, I get on the best as sort of any of them. Our personalities kind of match up. Also the three people I have around me, he focuses on similar things, and it's to do with really taking care of yourself, process, process, process, not thinking about scores.
I think the more time I can spend with him, the more normal something like that's going to be.

Q. Of course, the Davis Cup captain thinks a lot of you, as well.
JAMIE BAKER: Yeah, that always helps (smiling).

Q. Aside from the particular issue you talked about, what happened today, do you feel like you're improving? If so, in what ways particularly?
JAMIE BAKER: Well, I think if I compare myself with this time last year, in terms of what I was able to do, I really didn't make much impression on the person I played. So the point I made about getting the forehand slightly bigger, backhand slightly bigger, serve slightly bigger, I think that's already happened in the last 12 months. So it's just a question of going along that same road.

Q. Looking forward to Nottingham, what are your goals for that? How far realistically do you think you can go?
JAMIE BAKER: I'll be just concentrating on the same things: trying to put as many of those points, attacking, aggressive points as I put on court today. Wherever I'm playing next, that's what I'll be trying to do. That's the only thing I can actually control. It's the only thing that's going to improve things instantly.

Q. Where does grass figure in your surface preference list?
JAMIE BAKER: I quite like it because I like to kind of get the first hit in in a rally. I actually enjoy the sound of hitting the ball hard. On grass you don't really have many options on the way you can play. I think actually I wouldn't be surprised when I go back onto hard courts after the grass court season, because I have this forward intention in my mind, actually I'll play a lot better than I was before.

Q. These few weeks where you have the opportunity to get ATP Tour-level matches and wins, do you think it's a bit of pressure?
JAMIE BAKER: Pressure is only something that you inflict on yourself. Nobody else can do that. I think if you asked any other player in the locker room whether they'd rather be in the tournament or not be in the tournament, there'd only be one answer (laughter).
No negative points at all on being in the tournament when really I have no right to be in.

Q. It is an opportunity for you, isn't it?
JAMIE BAKER: Wonderful, yeah, yeah.

Q. Looked at what this is going to do for your ranking?
JAMIE BAKER: Only 10 points. More points available at Nottingham actually. Good money here, though (laughter).

Q. Does that make a big difference? Obviously you're getting some help from the LTA, but...
JAMIE BAKER: Yeah, the ranking, everything helps, because I have a coach with me most of the time. You can't complain when you get some money in the bank (smiling).

End of FastScripts

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