EUROCARD OPEN

October 23, 1997

Tim Henman

Q. Bad luck, Tim, I mean, really good effort. You must have thought you were reasonably close to winning that?

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, very close. I definitely struggled with -- I struggled with the surroundings, really, to begin with in the first set. I couldn't sort of judge the distance. I felt very enclosed in it. That is obviously a change with the stadium court. But, then, you know, beginning in the second set, I already started to play some good tennis and put him under pressure. And, in the second set, I obviously created opportunities and I took them. In the third set, I created opportunities but I couldn't take them. I think if you look at it, the nuts and bolts of it are on the two breakpoints in the third that I had. He made two first serves on the one break he had. I was hitting the second serve.

TIM HENMAN: Actually after the first four, five games, I was 4-1 down, double break, but I still wanted to keep that set lasting as long as possible just so I could get a feel. I think the last couple of games -- first set, I felt comfortable; kind of got my range off the ground. That is why I was sort of ready to go in the second set. That is when I think I started to pick up my game.

TIM HENMAN: It is a different light, but it was tough to just get a hold -- sort of your peripheral vision is a little bit different. Obviously in the stadium, you have got so much more space and suddenly, you know, you are in a very enclosed, concealed area.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I did actually.

TIM HENMAN: It is different. There is much more, sort of, very short, very short and not so much movement. I mean, you are standing in one side of the court; not really doing a great deal, but in the singles obviously there is a lot more to it. And I definitely struggled. But, you know, I was pleased with the way I really picked up the game in the second set. But it is a very frustrating match to lose after getting into a dogfight.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, sure. I mean, there is -- the draw opens up for a reason, so obviously if it has opened up, the people all have beaten some good players. Haarhuis beating Muster and Kiefer beat Rusedski, so obviously that is a section that has opened up as far as ranking goes, but you know as well as do that they are -- everybody is good players, so you still have to go out there and win those matches. But, yeah, no question, it was a good opportunity.

TIM HENMAN: Definitely. I was very pleased with the way I probably played 10, 11 games of Ivanisevic, but I think, again, I have picked up my game from the second and third sets quite considerably again.

TIM HENMAN: Definitely. I think it is -- I broke a racket, but, you know, the world will still go around.

TIM HENMAN: If I win the next two weeks I will probably make it fairly comfortably. There is no reason why I can't. I think I am playing good enough tennis to, so --

TIM HENMAN: I made the first volley. Just so happened, the next one came at me at probably 150 miles an hour, so it wasn't an easy shot to control and I missed it by about an inch. At Love-30 I think it is pretty smart play to come in and put him under pressure and make him hit two passing shots, so I think you have to give him credit there.