TMS MONTE CARLO

April 16, 2002

Lleyton Hewitt

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lleyton, please.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was tough. I don't know how it could get much worse. Yeah, Carlos is a tough player to play at the best of times. You know, the conditions definitely favored him, I think, out there today, especially first match back as well. You know, after a couple weeks off, first match on clay, it was like playing in mud out there today. I couldn't believe they didn't pull us off, that's for sure. And then, you know, it's tough to come out after a rain delay as well. I really just couldn't quite -- you know, if I was able to hold serve there a couple of times in the first set, you know, the opportunities were there for me to have won that first set.

LLEYTON HEWITT: What's that? Sorry.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, yeah. Actually, I didn't think of that. But now you say it, it was pretty similar, yeah. We played in pretty bad conditions that night and then had to come back and finish it. You've got a good memory.

LLEYTON HEWITT: For here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. You know, I hit a little bit on clay before coming here. But I had never played here before. Normally, you know, probably if I was playing Davis Cup in the second round, I wouldn't come here and play either. You know, it doesn't fit in well with my schedule. This year I thought it was an opportunity to come and see what the tournament is like and try and get some more matches on clay, you know, going into the French Open. But, you know, I've gotten at least one more match.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. The conditions would be a bit better than today, that's for sure (smiling).

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he hit it well. You know, I felt like his backhand was consistent. I'm not sure how many errors, unforced errors, he made off his backhand. I think everyone knows that's probably his weaker wing. And if he's not making too many errors off that, then he's playing pretty well. But, you know, still I had a lot of chances. I had breakpoint in the first game of the second set. I had three break points in the third game. Then maybe even another breakpoint at some stage as well. So I had chances, just wasn't able to convert. You know, I was up a break in the first game of the first set as well and I wasn't able to sort of put a stamp on the match.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, I am playing Barcelona next week and a week off, then Rome and Hamburg.