home jobs contact us
Our Clients:
Browse by Sport
Find us on ASAP sports on Facebook ASAP sports on Twitter
ASAP Sports RSS Subscribe to RSS
Click to go to
Asaptext.com
ASAPtext.com
ASAP Sports e-Brochure View our
e-Brochure

DAVIS CUP - USA vs GREAT BRITAIN


April 3, 1999


Greg Rusedski


BIRMINGHAM, GREAT BRITAIN

Q. Were you surprised they played Todd?

DAVID LLOYD: Well, he obviously played so well yesterday, when someone is in that form, then -- and he's a good doubles player. No, I thought he probably would play. But Greg and Tim are really a very good pair. They combine so well, being a left-hander and right-hander, and they serve and volley well. They really are an excellent pair.

Q. Would you like to see them play a little more?

DAVID LLOYD: Well, I don't think they're going to get any better play, they combine well, they have that natural movement, and some of the quick rallies, they looked like they played so many times together, and they haven't. They have instincts to know where the other guy is. They're strong overhead. It's impossible to lob them. In the air they're dynamite.

Q. (Inaudible.)

DAVID LLOYD: As I said at the beginning of the tie, I think every single match was a 50/50 match. We lost two, and now we've won one. It's tough to call.

Q. You said this morning if you won the doubles, you think you'll win the whole thing?

DAVID LLOYD: Yes, I think we're going to win it, I have a feeling, in my blood.

Q. Well played.

TIM HENMAN: Thank you.

Q. When did you start to feel you were really a team out there?

TIM HENMAN: When we were knocking up. What do you mean by that?

Q. You lost the first set, and you did seem to be a disjointed twosome.

TIM HENMAN: If we break up on serve from 15-40 at three all, then --

Q. You win in straight sets, probably.

TIM HENMAN: I don't know that, but perhaps we win the first set. We didn't, and there's opportunities and they got a couple on mine, but that's the nature of doubles. We weren't too concerned about that.

Q. You weren't broken all night, Greg, and you only let 13 points on your serve in five sets.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think the key was I didn't try to hit the serve too hard today. Yesterday I was trying to hit it too hard, I got a high percentage of first serve. And having Tim at the net on doubles is always great. We had some reflex volleys, and worked together as a team.

Q. You were lifting your returns, and also seemed to be putting more pressure on Todd, who wasn't returning well.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I think we didn't play great in the first set, and hence we lost it, but we picked up our game and started getting more returns. Once you start getting more pressure on it, it pays off. And I think that's what happened at 5-6 we suddenly get our momentum swing. Greg hit a good return on set point, and suddenly you're a set all. And so at five games it's a huge momentum swing, and that's what we needed.

Q. What about the crowd?

TIM HENMAN: It's phenomenal. I think after playing just over seven hours or something, there's going to be times when I feel a little bit fatigued, but when that sort of support is behind you, you soon forget about it.

Q. (Inaudible.)

TIM HENMAN: Definitely, there was always talk that this was going to be a sellout, and you hope that everyone is going to be there, and that's definitely been the case, the support has been incredible.

Q. You must be tired, Tim, but it must give you satisfaction, because Todd looked very tired.

TIM HENMAN: I hope he's tired, as well. For sure after that amount of tennis, you know it's inevitable where you're going to be a little bit tired. But I'll do plenty of stretching and drink plenty of water and make sure I'm hydrated so I don't have a problem tomorrow.

Q. Would you rather have been first tomorrow?

TIM HENMAN: It doesn't make much difference, I don't think. I'm just ready, whatever.

Q. Greg, do you feel you started getting the feel of your service returns a bit better after the first half hour or so?

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, definitely. I didn't miss any today. Yesterday I really missed returns I should have made and I was moving all over the place, and just jumping up and down on them. Today I didn't return great but returned solid. While Tim made the spectacular return, I made the dink return at the feet, which isn't spectacular, but it does the job. I was pleased with that. If Tim can do business tomorrow, I think I'll play better. I think yesterday I was too hyped up, instead of being calmer today as I was with Tim in the doubles.

Q. I understand you first started out playing the right court. And had you always been a right court doubles player when you played?

TIM HENMAN: No --

Q. I mean Greg.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I'm a left court player.

Q. I thought you switched.

GREG RUSEDSKI: The first two Davis Cup ties I played the deuce, but I prefer the ad court. So we worked together at Battersea --

TIM HENMAN: In those two matches I don't think we returned very well. And I think now I've played -- I've played a lot more in the juice box, and I feel comfortable there.

Q. Tim, are you still confident you're going to win the whole title, do you obviously feel that way now?

TIM HENMAN: I think David made a really accurate comment yesterday that all these matches are 50/50. And unfortunately we lost two of them yesterday. But today was -- it was anyone's match. There was no guarantee we were going to win, but we pulled it through in five. So we are still very optimistic and positive about tomorrow.

Q. Is there a sense more that the momentum has swung now? Obviously you were very down yesterday, the contrast is today.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I think we'll sleep a lot better tonight.

Q. I don't know if you're pals or not, but has Davis Cup brought you closer?

TIM HENMAN: For sure.

GREG RUSEDSKI: We might actually go to dinner together for once outside the Davis Cup.

TIM HENMAN: I think it's inevitable, we've got a great team spirit. And we've practiced a lot more outside of Davis Cup and now we're combining well as a team, and this is seven doubles and seven wins.

Q. When will we next see the pair of you on court together?

TIM HENMAN: Depends on tomorrow.

Q. Your captain suggested you were good enough to win Wimbledon together, is that a thought for you?

TIM HENMAN: No. I think perhaps if Wimbledon was best of three sets, but --

GREG RUSEDSKI: Maybe when we get to like the 30's, maybe we'll think about it.

TIM HENMAN: Maybe we'll think about it then. This is a perfect example, if I've got to come back and I've got to do that 13 times in two weeks.

End of FastScripts....

About ASAP SportsFastScripts ArchiveRecent InterviewsCaptioningUpcoming EventsContact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297