DAVIS CUP - USA vs GREAT BRITAIN

April 3, 1999

Tim Henman

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.

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.

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.

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

TIM HENMAN: Thank you.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

TIM HENMAN: No --

GREG RUSEDSKI: I'm a left court player.

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.

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.

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

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.

TIM HENMAN: Depends on tomorrow.

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.