US OPEN

September 9, 2004

Dominik Hrbaty

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

DOMINIK HRBATY: I don't know. I think I've been pretty long time there with the tennis. So I make the better results on the Grand Slam than this one. But I'm pretty happy with the way I played, the result I did. I think before the tournament when I was thinking to come to US Open, I wanted to pass one or two rounds. I did quarterfinals. So I am pretty happy. But also disappointed to lose the match. But that's the sport, and there is always next chance - maybe next year. Just get back hard to the practice, and I think if the next chance will come, just try to make it.

DOMINIK HRBATY: I don't know. I came early. I was here probably from 10 o'clock in the morning until midnight.

DOMINIK HRBATY: I don't like it pretty much. I like, you know, I like to basically put on my clothes before the match and go for the match. Maybe that affected a little bit my first set with Henman. But, I mean, you can't do anything with this kind of weather, so you just have to wait. Once you get on the court, try to play your best.

DOMINIK HRBATY: I don't know. I think I would be happy to finish the match more. Because I think he was getting a little tired. I was feeling that the time we stopped, I was on top of the game. I think if I would win yesterday the third set, then continue, I think my chances were better yesterday than today because I could see that he was more fresh, he was running much more better. He was, I think, from the movement on the court, you could see that he's much more relaxed and probably he doesn't feel too tired from yesterday. So I think my chances were better yesterday.

DOMINIK HRBATY: I think little, yes. If you play serve and volley or chip and charge, then you take the ball earlier. In the wind, it's very tough for the baseliners to pass on the net because the wind is taking the ball a lot of times. So I think it was little bit better advantage for him. But I can't say that he didn't have the wind also so, I mean, he have to fight.

DOMINIK HRBATY: No, no, I don't think. He just was returning very solid. Today I couldn't serve my, I mean, full-blast serve, because with the wind it's tough. I think that was better for him that I couldn't serve as hard as yesterday. But yesterday when we were playing, then I had my chances always to break him. I mean, I had couple times 30-Love. He played well on the moments. I think especially he was better today in the important moments of the match.

DOMINIK HRBATY: I think if Federer plays well, it's tough to beat here. Even Roddick, with his game now, I don't think he can beat him because Roger just can so easily return 240 K serve, like a piece of, you know, paper. For him, just tennis looks so easy. Even such a hard balls from Roddick I don't think can damage his game too much because I think he's too good for that.

DOMINIK HRBATY: I always do that. I always lower my toss during the wind. Usually I serve more not as hard as when there is no wind, but usually I try to place the serve more, a little more spin. But Henman, I mean, against Henman, he's returning really well. Sometimes I think it's better to serve on him really hard that he doesn't have time, you know, to do anything with the ball, than a slow serve to have angles.