US OPEN

September 2, 2000

Todd Woodbridge

Mark Woodforde

MODERATOR: Questions for Mark and Todd.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: Yeah. I think everyone knows that was our last Slam. Good crowd.

MARK WOODFORDE: I mean, you know, disappointment that we lost, I mean, at this stage. That's what it feels like, disappointing. I think they played pretty well the first set and a bit. We were trying to just find a bit of a groove. We nearly grinded it out, but I think the rain delay sort of did us in a bit. It's disappointing. Got to look at it that it was another match. We always knew it was going to be tough. I think that was going to be maybe the biggest hurdle for us, which it always is in a Slam, one of the early matches, whether we're ready to go straightaway. They got the jump on us. Disappointing. Last tournament, last Slam. Wanted to do pretty well in it.

MARK WOODFORDE: I didn't hear them say good-bye. I just heard the applause. I guess it's something.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: Yes, that's disappointing. But, you know, played a million matches together, a thousand matches or something we played so far - a couple more to go in Sydney. Yeah, a little disappointing because we did well to get back into that match. We had our chance, up a break in the third, as well. But that's the game. Some people have done it to me and done it to him.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: It's really hard to really figure that out just yet. But, yeah, you know, that was a hard finish in the sense that I didn't even want to shake his hand. I wanted to more give him a hug and say, "Thanks, very much," because it's been great. It's one of those things that I never dreamed about, being able to do as well as we've done. This year, no matter how we do in Sydney, has been nearly the best year of my career because I've enjoyed it the most. Losing today and everything like that, that's just part of everything, but this whole year has been the most enjoyable that I've spent playing with Mark. I realize that now because I appreciate a lot of what we've had together.

MARK WOODFORDE: Nestor usually calls me an asshole when I walk by him.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: That's why I'm laughing.

MARK WOODFORDE: Nestor and I rib each other a bit. I'm sure I called him a few names, as well. Yeah, that's great. I mean, I think they've been -- not too many times have they been on the winning end, but they've certainly been on the losing end a few times. I guess it's something, not necessarily me, because I think it's sort of us, easy to sort of hold yourself out on the court, performing as a duo. I mean, I've always had a good work ethic. I love competing. I love being out there. I've enjoyed the wins. The losses, you sort of thrive on them to come back out. If that's sportsmanship, I'm out there trying, then that's me. I think that's us anyway. You know, I think I just tried to apply myself. I got the most out of myself, and I think we've got the most out of each other. Maybe I think a few of the other guys are probably breathing a sigh of relief now that we're out of this tournament, that we're not going to be around too much longer. I think we've raised the level over a number of years. It's been tough for some of the guys to keep up. I don't know if that's necessarily sportsmanship. You've got to take some of the losses on your chin. There always has been another day, another tournament to play. I've never been frightened to show up and try again. You know, you always put in a bit of a mediocre day. As I said, there's always the next tournament or the next day to come out and play a little bit better. I've never really sort of had this cloud hanging over me. I've tried to just keep getting out there and playing.

MARK WOODFORDE: It's not something that we deliberate a lot about. Obviously, being in the public's eye, especially back in Australia, they know who we are. It's like we're a household name almost. When you mention tennis, you know the Woodies, you know Rafter, a couple of the other guys. We've always tried to I think be professional. I think that's probably more -- hopefully a lot of the other guys realize we're being professional. We've gotten the most out of this tandem. If some young kids are looking at that, that's the way to go. You can't go hell bent playing match after match, tournament after tournament, not train properly. I mean, I think we can look back.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: For up-and-coming players, I think that's what Mark is saying.

MARK WOODFORDE: Yeah.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: We have set a good example of what you need to do to become a good tennis player, what you need to keep working on. If I was a young player hanging around the tour, like a Lleyton Hewitt, sort of sapped every bit of information out of Patrick Rafter and the Woodies.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: I'll miss confidence in himself, in the other guy on my other side of the court, the ability to really want to come out the next day and improve. If the day before wasn't very good, come out and get it better. You know, you talk about his work ethic. For the Woodies it's always been when we had a bit of a dry spell, didn't play so well, we found a way to get through it. That came from both of us. I don't know whether I'll be able to find someone else that will have that same aptitude.

MARK WOODFORDE: At 19, I probably was struggling, trying to become a tennis player. Certainly wasn't at the level that Lleyton is at now. I think that's the process, due process, Mother Nature maybe. It's like each player perhaps from a state. When I was growing up, John Fitzgerald and Brod Dyke were the people just above me. I like to believe that I became -- used that information or learned from them and became a little bit better. I think Lleyton has done that. To be able to say you're one of the best ones from your state, even in Australia, it's fantastic. He will no doubt erase some of my achievements. He already has in singles. Certainly hope he keeps going with the doubles, as well. He plays very well. Yeah, he's just evolved into a better player. I mean, he just -- you just sort of pass over the next player again. Hopefully there's somebody else from Adelaide that will come on after Lleyton. I think I said when he first beat me, when he won Adelaide, I said, "I think he's a tough little shit." He certainly is a tough little shit tonight for digging that match out. He came up with the goods. That's great. You know, he never flinched one bit. He believes in himself, that he can win. That's why he's out there winning. I guess if you have to lose to someone, it's better to lose to a countryman, teammate.

MARK WOODFORDE: I'm going to just enjoy the next stage of my life. I've again worked very hard at this, gotten everything out of my ability. I'd like to take a breather, just sit back for a while. I haven't really thought too much about anything besides raising a family. I mean, both of us are having kids later in the year. That will certainly take a lot of my focus, perhaps my focus that there are tournaments going on back in Australia without me. I've given myself about a year to decide what I want to do. But I'm sure probably after a month I'll be itching, "Where am I going to go here?" But the beauty of it is that I guess we've made a name for ourselves, we've been very professional. I don't think the Woodies will ever disappear at all. The Woodies that name, us, we're certainly one of the -- hopefully I can finally say it, one of the greatest teams out there that have played. You know, we're hoping that we can still, while I'm maybe not around too much at the tennis tournaments, Todd is playing with someone else, that we're still able to push our name and associate ourselves with some quality products, with quality companies, you know, go on that way. Who knows, when Todd gets 35, we might look at playing some of those events at the Slams. That's a long way away yet, isn't it?

TODD WOODBRIDGE: Yeah.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: I think -- it's two. This year, winning back-to-back French and Wimbledon. Those were the two great ones. I know you asked for one, but I find it difficult to be able to single out one of those because winning the French meant we'd captured everything. I think Wimbledon was the one we felt was our own personal one. To leave Wimbledon for the last time together winning that, that was just the best. That was the best, the most pleasing, fulfilling feeling I've had in our partnership, those two months.

MARK WOODFORDE: Yeah. You know, to bounce back from a bit of a barren year in 1999, where I guess a lot of people had written us off, there was a lot of doubt, you know, I think from this tournament last year onwards, we could feel there was a bit of a turnaround for us. So to bounce back and win a Grand Slam that we'd never won, had wanted to win so badly, to win it, then two weeks later to win another Wimbledon is incredible. Even like the first Slam you win, that's something very, very special. For me, I certainly remember that very special feeling. I felt like then that, "Hey, I've got a decent partner, and we're going to do pretty well, and I think we can win all of the tournaments." That was a very special moment for me because I felt like I picked well and we could blend well. He was not going to let me down. If we're out of singles, we were going to do well in doubles. That was a special moment, as well, that very first one.

TODD WOODBRIDGE: At this stage, it's just the Olympics. At this particular moment, yeah. It's been our goal, that one has always been our goal, we talked about. I still believe we can win there, get a medal. I think if we could do that, that's just perfect.

End of FastScriptsâ?¦.