TMS - STUTTGART

November 3, 2000

Greg Rusedski

MODERATOR: Questions, please.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I thought it was absolutely fine. It didn't affect me during the match at all. I have no excuses for today. It was just a little stiff from yesterday, nothing serious whatsoever. Just didn't affect me at all. I think Lleyton just played really well. He served extremely well today. I didn't serve as well as I could. I thought I played better than I did last time I played him in Basel the week before. But if you don't serve the corners well and put enough first serves, you're going to be in an awful lot of trouble with him. The body feels good. Looking forward to Paris. I feel all right.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yeah, the problem I had was with the returns. He always got me in trouble. I was always really low and down. I've just got to improve that area of my game. He keeps his serve so, so low, it's hard to generate anything off of it. He'd have me from the first ball on, on a string, because if I couldn't get it back, he's really dictating. That's just the way tennis is, a little soreness, nothing serious at all. He played very well.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, I'm going to keep that private, to be honest. Everything is fine. Everything is good.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I was trying to mix it up. Every time I went for the big one, he'd hit a cracking return on me. I didn't have a good rhythm. I think the last few matches, I've been serving between 60, 70, 80 percent. Today was in the 50s. I was trying to get the rhythm back on my serve. I had a poor day serving. Against Lleyton, he puts the pressure on you to serve well. If you don't, he punishes you for it. That's what he did today. Both matches I played against him, I haven't served as well as I'd like. That's something I have to do against him. He's tough because he really gets those returns back. You hit a good serve, he manages to get it over and make you play that one extra ball. I think he did a really good job. You know, it's another lesson, another step forward.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Yes.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I felt pretty good. I mean, I was really pleased, you know. I feel healthy. I feel like I'm ready for Paris. I'll be absolutely fine. I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully, I can go one better than I did this week. That would be really great. You know, it was a big match for me today. I wish I could have won because it would have brought me to around 50, brought me closer to my goal. Too good. Lleyton has beaten three good serve-and-volleyers: Krajicek, Henman, played very well against me. I think he's going to be tough. The courts are a little bit slow. If you're not really on your game a hundred percent, he's really tough. I think he's got a great record against Kafelnikov, as well.

GREG RUSEDSKI: What I'm impressed with is his serve. It doesn't really look like it's that big a weapon, but it's really tough to read. I think he's really improved that area. His mind is very strong. He's there from the first ball to the last ball. I think he reminds me of someone a little bit like a Jimmy Connors, the way his attitude is out there and the way he works. I think he's a great player. You have to play good tennis to beat him.

GREG RUSEDSKI: He can play on anything. He's a very good player. I give him a lot of credit. I'm impressed with such a young age, at 19, being such a good player. He's an all-arounder. With the conditions getting slower, the balls, he's not your favorite opponent to hit, I don't think, for anybody these days.

GREG RUSEDSKI: It is. It is. It's his sort of style. Unless you can come out on a quicker court, even a US Open, even there he did exceptionally well getting to the semis. I mean, I'm impressed. Darren Cahill has done a good job with his serving, and all aspects of his game have improved. He's volleying better, mixing it up, he's clever.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Just something, a little bit of soreness, no big deal.

GREG RUSEDSKI: It's not a new injury. It's just tightness from playing on the courts. Nothing serious. Nothing to worry about. Back to training on Monday for me, getting ready for Paris.

GREG RUSEDSKI: It's just a hot pack, hot bandage. It keeps it warm. Instead of putting cream, you put a bandage on it. It keeps it warm.

GREG RUSEDSKI: He says to keep it warm, that's the biggest key. Everything is in place, everything is good. I haven't played four matches in a while. These courts are pretty rough on the body. I think, if you talk to anybody, they'll say this is probably the hardest surface to play on.

GREG RUSEDSKI: I'm getting a lot of questions today. I didn't fly there, I'll tell you that much (laughter).

GREG RUSEDSKI: I didn't drive there either.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No.

GREG RUSEDSKI: No, it was never close. I was always going to be on court today. I was looking forward to the match. No, it was fine. Just back spasms. You know, took care of them. There's no problem today.

GREG RUSEDSKI: Did he come and see me? He helped me out, let's put it that way. Are you happy now (laughter)? He gave me some help, now I feel fine. Is that easy enough? It's like pulling teeth here today (laughter).