TMS - STUTTGART

November 2, 2000

Greg Rusedski

MODERATOR: Questions, please.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, it was a good win today. You know, I felt good out there. I thought the key to the match was at 5-4 when he served for that first set. If I would have got down that first set, it would have been a tough match to come back from. It was very satisfying to play so well in the tiebreaker, then to get the early break in the second, just being able to serve really well. I thought the second set I served extremely well.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I think I'm all right. It's just a bit of stiffness. This court is a rough court on the body. It's pretty tough for everybody. Just a little bit of stretching. Looking forward to tomorrow.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Oh, just a little bit sore on my back today. Just got myself a few clicks. Hopefully I'm ready for tomorrow.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I wasn't surprised to win my first two matches, but I'm pleasantly pleased to be here in the quarterfinals. It's going the right direction now. Last week was three matches, this week is four, and a chance for five or six. You know, something I'm looking forward to. A great opportunity.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, I feel like I'm playing well. If someone's going to beat me, they're going to have to play good tennis. That's a nice feeling. You know, to come into one of the biggest indoor events, to be back in the quarterfinals is nice. Last week was quarters, this week is quarters. The consistency is coming back a bit, which is positive.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I had to be a little more clever because I wasn't serving, I don't think, that well in the first few games. Against Marat, he's going to punish you for that. I missed a few forehands, played not such a great game when I got broken. I managed to get back in the second set. I think I really served a high percentage, hit the corners well.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I think the pressure is on. I think this week he was talking about if he got to the semis, he'd be No. 1. That was a big thing. I knew he was putting a little extra pressure on himself. I lost to him twice before, so I kind of knew what to expect. Just really pleased with my performance.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, not really. It's just another match. I mean, Tim has had a very good year this year. He's played some good tennis. You know, I look forward to playing the match. I mean, it should be some good tennis. If he plays well and he wins, then he deserves to be there. It will be fun.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I haven't played him since Indian Wells. Not too much practice. Not too much practice at the Davis Cup, to be honest with you (laughter). No, we haven't played in ages. It should be fun if it happens.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I played him last week in Basel. We both played kind of a really nervy sort of match. It wasn't too, too pretty. You know, I'd hope I could play a little bit better than I did last week. You know, I'd have to expect a lot of good passing shots, running down a lot of balls, you know, someone that is going to be there from the first point to last point no matter how well or how badly he's playing.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Well, I think my groundstrokes are pretty good. It's when I can move well, that's the key. If I can move well, I can hit my groundstrokes pretty well. You know, my movement around the court was very, very good today, I thought. That's the key for me. If my movement's good, then my groundstrokes get better. If my movement's not so good, my groundstrokes look pretty poor out there.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Just a little bit in the second set. I don't think it really affected me that much. The serving still looked pretty good at the end.

GREG RUSEDSKI: It did. I'll have to focus a little bit more.

GREG RUSEDSKI: That's the way he always plays. It's quite deceptive. He could be throwing his arms up, you put four serves in his pocket, he hits four winners. I kept it out of his zone, just kept him a little bit down. That's the way it's always been. Even when he won the US Open, except for the match against Sampras, he's been doing that all the time.

GREG RUSEDSKI: What do you mean "a one-off"?

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I don't think so. I think he's a good enough player. You're 19, you win your first major, I think -- I mean, he's got great chances I think at all the Slams. Maybe Wimbledon might be the most difficult for him to win. But I think he can win any one of the majors. He's very physically gifted. He's very strong. He's improving all the time. You know, he really hasn't played that well indoors in his career, but he's getting better. You know, he's a great player. I'm sure it's not a one-off.