TMS - THE ERICSSON OPEN

March 26, 2000

Greg Rusedski

ATP: Questions.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think I played really well. I thought for about a set and a half I served the best I've served since I've come back. The percentage was good; a lot of aces; a lot of clean winners. Then I got those two foot faults and one warning, and things went a little bit all over the place. Managed to come back and win in the tiebreaker.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I thought it was a little bit of a bad call, to be honest. I rolled the ball.

GREG RUSEDSKI: The foot faults, I didn't think I foot faulted. All of a sudden they changed crew. I hadn't been called for a set and a half, then I get two at 30-15. Then I get the other I think it was 15-Love, then 15-30, on big, big points, out of the blue, for no reason, where for a set and a half I hadn't been called for anything. To get a warning for rolling a ball slowly into the corner. . .

GREG RUSEDSKI: I didn't hit the ball; I tapped it there. It was in between the line judge and the ball kid. I don't know, I think it was a pretty tough warning.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah. I think it was key. I mean, I was a little upset after that point. I played a bad game on Byron's serve. He really took advantage of the situation, got to 5-2, held 5-3, then I played a gutsy game to get the break back. If I wouldn't have got the break back, we might have been in the third set. Anything can happen in the third set considering he's such a good competitor.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think every game in the second set I had a chance on his serve. I think I got to deuce. I didn't get many breakpoints, but I was getting deuce. I missed a few easy forehands from the ground. I let him take it to me, be more aggressive. In the beginning, every time I had a short ball, I came in, attacked. In the second set, I didn't do that enough, which I have to do because against a player like him, whoever takes the initiative first is going to win. My game is not staying on the baseline.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I worked on the three areas I wanted to work on: my return, my serve and my backhand. At least I made two backhand passing shots today out of five. That was nice (laughter).

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, just about an hour and a half, just with Sven, drilling and serving, working. It's getting there. Tomorrow is going to be the same thing, keep working on the serve, the returns and the passing shots. Against Sampras, it's probably going to be quite a level higher.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, not really, I don't think, because I feel physically strong, I feel good. I'm still trying to find my game at the moment, I feel. I need all the work I can get on the court. The more work I can get, the better off I am. If you're slightly off against Sampras, I'm going home. I might as well put in the effort.

GREG RUSEDSKI: If you serve 78%, you beat Moya 1 and 4, that makes quite a good statement to start the tournament. I think he's been struggling with injuries a little bit, with his back and his body. If he gets himself physically back to where he was at the end of probably not last year but the year before, I think, you know, he can dominate the game still.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I don't know. You'll have to ask him. I don't know how he feels when he wakes up in the morning.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think I can be philosophical about it because my three to four losses, two to Kafelnikov, one to Sampras, one to Max Mirnyi. This week I'll probably be playing Sampras again. I've beaten most of the guys I'm supposed to beat. I've just got to keep on working, keep on improving my game if I'm going to have to progress in these sorts of events.

GREG RUSEDSKI: It's getting better. I think, you know, I was doing my gear shift analogy. I think I got into third, into fourth, then it kind of rickled around a little bit again (laughter). It's just getting it smoother and keeping on practicing. It's a matter of time. Having such a long layoff, it will click, it's just I'd rather have it sooner than later. I've still got time to work on it.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I think it was the same. I think if you look, the US Open is when I came back. I was still struggling a little bit in those respects. The balls are a lot quicker with the US Open ball than the tour ball.

GREG RUSEDSKI: With Pete, you kind of know where he's going, but he does it so well. It's just trying to keep the pressure on him. You've got to serve well against Pete, hold the pressure on him. When I beat him in Paris, I served really, really well. I managed to keep the pressure on him by making a lot of returns. Even though I didn't win a lot of points on my returns in the beginning, he had to hit a lot of volleys. When it came to later stages in the match, I got a few double-faults. The first who breaks down on their serve is the one who's going to lose. The last little while, it's been me who has been breaking down on the serve. That's going to be the key to the match.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, not really. I think clay is going to be good. They're supposed to be having a quicker ball on the clay courts. I'm still going to be working my serve-and-volley, coming in, being aggressive. I'm going to be playing the Melingenis, Moyas, I'm going to be kicking myself in the head staying back with those guys. I'll be working on my serve-and-volley, chipping, charging, attacking. You have to be a bit more patient. On the clay it's just more work. If I can serve well, I can play anywhere. Rome and Paris are very, very fast clay court events to do well in.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Monte-Carlo, Barcelona.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, Monte-Carlo, Barcelona.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah. I'm probably going to have a few days off, really hit it hard in the gym, get stronger.

GREG RUSEDSKI: In what respect?

GREG RUSEDSKI: In changing tennis, whatever I want to do?

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think everybody's one wish would just to win Wimbledon. I think for me that would be great, to win a Slam. It's the only thing I haven't done in my career. If you're talking about changing something in tennis -- you're not?

GREG RUSEDSKI: That's easy then (laughter).

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think it would be special. I mean, the last British player to win was Fred Perry in '36. That was a millennium ago. I think every player is measured by if they've won a major. Rios has been No. 1, but he hasn't won a major yet. A lot of great players have gone through without winning a major. That's really what puts you in a different category as a player.

GREG RUSEDSKI: At least I gave myself the best chance. But I couldn't rate myself as high as some of the other players because I haven't won a Slam, definitely.