PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 12, 2003

Tim Henman

MODERATOR: Questions.

TIM HENMAN: It was beginning to. You know, I think in all honesty, the better player won today. You know, it certainly wasn't through lack of effort. You sort of break the match down into individual games, and I pretty much donated my serve in the first set, you know, couldn't create any opportunities on his serve. Actually, I had Love-30 in his first service game. If I slightly miss-hit my volley, it probably would have been better. But it came back to him so quickly, he didn't have time to think, and he volleyed it past me. No, I couldn't create any opportunities. I think that's all credit to him because he was playing too well for me. But in the other service games, I didn't really feel like I was under too much pressure. I felt like I was serving okay. But, as you said, you give a guy a break of serve like that, it just goes to heighten his confidence even more.

TIM HENMAN: And I didn't, yeah. That was pretty much the story of the first set. Again, in the early part of the second set, I felt like he was playing some great tennis and I was managing to hang in there. I played a good first service game to eventually win it. Again, put myself under pressure in my next service game and managed to get out of that. It's amazing that, I think it was when he was serving 1-2, I didn't really feel like he had played too many mistakes all day. I eventually get to deuce, he misses a backhand up the line by an inch or two, and all of a sudden he's throwing his racquet. You know, that's what you're hoping for because you know he can be a little bit brittle mentally. You know, I kept -- I certainly kept working hard, you know, eventually did create an opportunity and took it. Once I got back to be up in the tiebreak, it was frustrating really not to give myself a chance in the third.

TIM HENMAN: I think, you know, those things I talk about are probably to do with matches. But, you know, I still wouldn't take away too much from him because I felt like, you know, his serve and his groundstrokes were very, very good. You know, his backhand, he's so strong. You know, sometimes I'm coming in on a good approach shot, sometimes an average one, and he's ready to, you know, hit the lines pretty consistently. You know, he's playing with a massive amount of confidence. You know, I think I perhaps could have done a little better, but I don't really have too many complaints.

TIM HENMAN: Yes, it is, it's disappointing to lose because I wanted to give myself more and more opportunities. But, again, in terms of my game in general, you know, there isn't much wrong. I can certainly get better, but the more and more I put myself in situations, the more matches I play, the better I will become.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I feel, you know, good physically. I mean, my shoulder definitely knows it's had a tough workout. I'm confident there won't be a reaction. But, yeah, I'm back competing and now I've got to build from it. There's a long way to go. It's good to be out there competing hard and, you know, not worrying about other factors really.

TIM HENMAN: I wouldn't necessary say it's flowing because I think that goes back to confidence. When you are confident, you sort of think very, very little, things sort of fall into place naturally. Whereas at the moment I still think there's quite a lot of decision making going on in my head, you know, about when I'm going to take balls on. But, you know, I don't think I should be surprised at that. You know, again, I feel like my game has definitely improved in the last couple weeks, and I'll keep working hard on the practice court. You know, I'm looking forward to the doubles tonight because I think it's another good opportunity to work on my serve and volley game. I think these types of conditions to serve aggressively consistently, I don't find it easy. It's very light through the air. Sometimes it's tough to control the ball. So it's another good opportunity to work on that.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, my legs, my bum feels way worse than my shoulder. I feel really sort of sore from the running and lunging. I don't think that's to be a surprise. But just because I've had surgery, I don't really care about my legs, you know, my focus is on the shoulder. So that's where I sort of have to -- you know, I have to expect that. I've never had any problems with my hamstrings or my quads, but they're feeling really sore now. My shoulder, it just feels tired. I think that is to be expected.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah.

TIM HENMAN: It's a challenge, isn't it? I'd much rather be where I feel I belong, in the Top 10. But, again, these rankings and points, they don't lie, do they? If you look at the way I've played since, you know, the summer hard court swing last year, then my results haven't been sufficient enough. Then you look at how I'm going to rectify that. Obviously, if I stay healthy, I do the right things, I have absolutely no doubt that, you know, I'll get back up there. But, again, you know, it will take time. I think that's where I've said I've got to be realistic and to a certain extent patient. But I have absolutely no doubts.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I don't think I really could have rushed it back any more. I mean, if I'd have come back and played when I wasn't ready, then I wouldn't have won anyway. So, you know, just because when I started to have trouble, then there was still quite a lot of tennis to be played at the end of the year, and I wouldn't necessarily say that I played -- that I was really playing. I was trying to, but I was obviously below par. Then you look at the actual number of events that we play in the first three months, it isn't really that much. Add to that the fact that 12 months ago I played so well, it magnifies the situation. You know, again, I'm the one -- I'm the only one that can put that right. You know, I feel very confident I will do that.

TIM HENMAN: Definitely. That's exactly the way I view it, you know, my sort of belief, which is so important on any surface. But I think when I was lacking three or four years ago on clay, that's obviously changed because I've had some good results. You know, I will definitely look forward to it as another part of another challenge, to play those clay court tournaments. You know, again, it will then be -- before you know, we'll be on the grass. I'm sure by then I'll be, you know, feeling much more confident about my game and ready to keep improving.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I think my serving is one of the things that will be -- you know, I'll continue to work at because I think -- you know , when I've served well in the large part of the sets, I'm holding my serve relatively comfortably. There were times when he was getting on it, but then I'm using my volleying and I'm able to come through. To suddenly start two games double, same game in the second set, double, double, you're giving the guy 30-Love, he rips a backhand up the line, you're suddenly Love-40. How many times are you going to manage to get out of it? I managed to get out of it once, which was a pretty good effort, but you can't afford to do it. I'd say right now that's an obvious area to keep working on.

TIM HENMAN: More than they perhaps were here because I think, you know, in one respect I do feel that my game is pretty close. There are some positive signs. So, again, it's going to be another -- it's another chance with a bigger draw to try and work your way into it a little bit more.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I mean, they say the easy bit's getting there, wherever it is, and the hard bit's staying there. I think, bar Agassi, I've been one of the more consistent ones with four of the last five years inside the Top 10. I did sort of slip out briefly, but only finishing 12th. It wasn't exactly a big drop. I suppose in terms of the time I've had away from the game and perhaps, you know, my ranking going down quite a lot further, then, yeah, I think this probably will be a harder and bigger challenge. I have no problem with that. You know, I look forward to that. Again, you know, it's like all these things, it's dull. But if you approach it head on, you do the right things, you do the things you think are right, you work hard, give it your best, I think with my ability, I'll do it, I'll get back into the Top 10. You know, if I didn't...

TIM HENMAN: I think it probably is harder now. I mean, you look at the way, you know -- I mean, you look at the Argentineans, for example. Coria, did he beat Corretja?

TIM HENMAN: You have Calleri playing as well as he is, Chela, Nalbandian, Zabaleta seems to be back playing well. I mean, the standard in that country is just phenomenal. Then you throw in everyone else. It is, I mean, it is so tough. You look at the draw here. I mean, you have Kuerten playing Federer, Philippoussis playing Safin. You have Rios playing Agassi, obviously didn't happen. Hewitt-El Aynaoui. That's the standard we're up against. It's absolutely phenomenal.

TIM HENMAN: I think there's -- I think, you know, this thing centers around the players becoming a little bit more unified. I think that's a good sign for us in general because I think perhaps in the past there hasn't really been that unity. You've had a few players here and a few players there. I think, obviously, it centers a little bit around the Grand Slam issue. But I think whatever the subject, I think if the players are all as one, then I think it's a good thing.

TIM HENMAN: I think much more so. I think it's kind of -- there's probably been a change in the last year or so, which I think is fair to say. I think it really does show that the players care, that at times in the past perhaps, and probably quite rightly so, people have had the opinion that, you know, we can be a bit self-centered and a bit too interested in what we're doing. But, you know, I think now players are kind of realizing their responsibility, you know, to try and make this a better game for everyone. I think they're prepared to put their heads together and try and do something.

TIM HENMAN: I think it's something that I'll certainly look at. I mean, I haven't actually been able to hear everything. But I think whether it's a players' union or whether the players can be a little bit more proactive in the structure we've got at the moment, because there are -- we certainly have the opportunity to be. I think in the past, you know, players are quite happy to complain about things, but when it actually comes to doing something about it, then they sort of say, "Oh, I'll leave it to someone else to do." You know, I think now we're all showing that we'd like to try to make things better.

TIM HENMAN: Well, I think there's obviously talk about prize money. I'm sure that everyone views it very black and white, that it will come across that the players want more money. I think the players feel that perhaps, you know, more money could be invested into the promotion of the game from the Grand Slams. I think that's a relevant subject. But, again, I think if the players can come together and be in a position where, you know, we talk to the ITF and try and work things out, you know, I don't think you want to sort of make out that it's some sort of war brewing. That's probably a very poor example right now. I think these things should be talked about. I think the schedule is a really important thing. Is it time to try and address that seriously, to perhaps push back the Australian Open a couple of weeks so that we can have more of an off-season to prevent the injuries, have a proper lead-up into that event, widen the gap between the French and Wimbledon. I think these issues are ones -- you know, there's got to be give and take. We can't expect players to click their fingers and these things happen. We've got to all work together.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, that's why I say, my schedule at the moment I don't think really will change a great deal. But I do feel that when the opportunity arises, it may be on the grass, perhaps -- I'm definitely playing Queen's and Wimbledon, perhaps I'll play Nottingham. I don't know at this stage. Certainly for the latter part of the year, I didn't really play so much last year. But there's the opportunity to play another week in the States. I'm going to play Washington. It's Montreal this year. Cincinnati. Maybe, depending on how things are going, I may play the week before The Open. But then certainly after the US Open, I think there's the chance to play some more indoor tournaments, play a little bit in Asia. That's where I think I'll be able to take advantage of, not having had that opportunity in 2002.