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AUSTRALIAN OPENJanuary 18, 2012Tommy HaasMELBOURNE, VICTORIA R. NADAL/T. Haas THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. When you got the break at the start of the third set, did you feel you were almost back into the match? Just knew you had to play a really complete set to beat him, especially here? TOMMY HAAS: Well, maybe just gave my some confidence to try and go for winning the third set. I felt like I was getting off to a little bit of a rough stat where he played really solid the first couple games, and I was maybe pressing a little bit too much and didn't win the big points to maybe get a few games early on, and then having a chance to have break point to go back to 5‑All. Then he came up with some good stuff, couple of aces and a big forehand to win the set. That kind of took the momentum away a little bit. Early break in the second but tried to hang in there. Same thing in the second. Just a few points here and there that could have gone a little bit differently, maybe, you know, who knows if one of those sets could have been mine. Overall I'm pretty happy with the way I played at times. There is still a lot of, you know, room to improve and be more consistent. I still feel like I'm, you know, lacking the experience of matches because it hasn't been really that many in the last almost two years now. That hurt my a little bit going into such a big match. I really enjoyed it and gave it all I have. I can't complain about that. Q. You looked pretty dangerous when you were coming to the net and closing out points that way. Did you feel that was your best chance of unsettling him? TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, that's how I had to play in the end, I think. I just feel like physically it's going to be too tough for me to stay behind the baseline too far. Once he dictates with his forehand, it's really tough to get out of it, especially if you have a one‑handed backhand. It's tough when he starts dominating it. So I tried to be more aggressive, tried to read his serve better, and tried to attack that, as well. I let it fly a couple times and a lot times the ball just comes back with some meaning actually. Hats off to him, obviously. He's one of the greatest players. You have to really play at the limit and do that for a while, you know, consistently to have a chance. You know, early on usually in tournaments it's a good time to catch him. Once he has more confidence further on, it's really tough. Like I said, lack of matches from my part and lack of fitness right now, it needs to improve. Q. You were saying you had your injury in Brisbane. Were you pleased to be out there on a big stage again? TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, that's obviously why I'm still doing a lot of things, you know, going into the fitness room and, you know, doing a lot therapy for my body and stuff. These are the moments, when you play in Rod Laver arena, that's great. You know, against one of the greatest, that's obviously awesome. Trying to go to Brisbane early and get some matches there was a goal, maybe even playing the second week and having a minor tear in the calf after my first round there, that didn't help. Seven, eight days of doing nothing before coming here and going out against somebody like today, that's a high task. That's part of life. I've had to deal with worse things. You just go from there. You try to take the positives and, you know, look at the things you need to work on and you see what happens in the next few weeks and months. Q. Injuries aside, you are showing glimpses of playing really, really well. If you get your body right, do I feel you can play for another two, three, four years? TOMMY HAAS: That's a big question. That's really the question I have to see for myself. That's going to be very interesting what happens in the next I guess three, four, five months. You only get your ranking protected for so long and you have a few chance to play in the main draws. If your ranking is not back within the top 80, 70, 60, you're going to have to ask for a few wild cards. If you don't get wild cards, then it becomes tricky where you have to play qualifying and maybe go back and play some challengers. I'm not sure if I'm up for the task doing that. At the same time, when I play at certain moments like today like I did today, you know, I feel like I can definitely still play with some of the big guys and maybe still have some success. That's the challenge that I have to ask myself, if I'm still willing to do that after so many injuries, after being on the road now for 15 years, and, you know, if I still want to do that. So these are discussions I have to obviously have for myself, with my team, with my family, and then see if it's going to be worth it. Q. Can you share maybe a little bit of the chat you had with Rafa at the end of the match? TOMMY HAAS: You're nosey, huh? (Smiling.) I just basically said that this might as well be my last time on Rod Laver Arena. Who knows if I'm back here and. Who knows if I ever play there again. You know, I just said that it's on honor to compete against him, and I wish him well. Q. You've been obviously on the tour for many, many years. Do you have a perspective on the current mood of the players and whether you think they're as united in their desire for change as they have been? TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, you know, it's a tricky question. It's a tricky situation. You know, a lot of people have different opinions. It seems like the majority of players right now have the same opinion on just one particular subject. You know, the ATP does a great job for the players and are always trying to improve, which they've definitely done that over the years. You know, I've been away a few years, so I don't really know what's going on too much. I did attend the player meeting and it was quite interesting. You know, the Grand Slams are where the big tournaments are, and if you look at what the players and the revenue is and what the percentage is, it makes sense to maybe make some changes there. We just have to figure out what the best way is for everyone. Q. Would you think about extending your career if the season was shorter? TOMMY HAAS: Who knows. It all depends really where you play well, how you do, where your ranking is, and how much you want to travel still and stuff, you know. If the points system would be a little bit different ‑‑ you know, it's not like I'm on the Los Angeles Lakers team and I'm injured for 15 months and I come back and I'm ready and I have time to get back into it and then I have a normal season again. I have to prove every time that ‑‑ you know, I got to win matches. Even though it today help me to get an extra amount of points because I won a few points to my ranking back up. So you have to really play those tournaments to get your ranking back up, to be in the main draw, to have a schedule. So it's a little different situation, and that's going to be the big question for me, what's going to happen after the summer. Where I'm going to be at, how my body is holding up, and then see what my ranking is. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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