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US OPEN


September 1, 2000


Todd Martin


FLUSHING MEADOWS, NEW YORK, T. MARTIN/M. Chang 6-4, 6-2, 6-4

MODERATOR: Questions for Todd.

Q. Rather awesome piece of serving, Mr. Martin.

TODD MARTIN: You know, you're just like Sharko, so insulting. I go out and play a great match, and all you can say is I served well. You think I'm joking around? I am joking around, actually. I played very well. In fact, I served also very well. Thank you.

Q. Any other comments about your serving today?

TODD MARTIN: It was good. You know, I served very well, but I served smart. That's the biggest key, especially against somebody like Michael. With all due respect, I felt like he made it pretty easy on me. He stood on the baseline the whole match, and I served body serve after body serve after body serve, which is the easiest serve to hit, greatest margin for error, and he didn't do a lot to change that. I think that was a big key.

Q. He's had such a good record against you. What is he not doing anymore that he used to do?

TODD MARTIN: You know, it's been a long time since we played. Each and every match that we played, except for one, was a pretty good match. I think a lot of it has to do with what I've learned and what I do differently than I did when I was in my 20s (laughter).

Q. It's not like he's one step slower?

TODD MARTIN: You know, I don't feel so. I just feel like there's no substitute for confidence. In the mid-'90s, he was booming with confidence. Also, especially against a style of play like mine, somebody who attacked, attacked, attacked, attacked, attacked, he gets comfortable with that. He doesn't get alarmed or thrown off by that like some of the other guys do, and some of the other guys that play like he does. When you choose your spots, it's difficult to get used to it, first of all. Two, when the other guy's attacking, he's usually attacking with better stuff. That was, I think, the biggest difference between now and then.

Q. Does the fact that you have an awful lot of points to defend here --?

TODD MARTIN: I'm so motivated. I have to keep that ranking up there (laughter). No. After Wimbledon, I resigned myself to the fact that my ESP, as we call it, was not going to be a barn-burner at the end of the year. That doesn't really trouble me too much.

Q. Do you believe at least subconsciously when you come back to a place where you've had great results that something kicks in that helps your game when you return to that site?

TODD MARTIN: I think probably a little bit emotionally it does. I also think just the way you see the ball. You obviously have been able to pick the ball up well, feel comfortable moving on the court, feel comfortable with the speed of the court. This court is just a tad bit slower than it was last year. So those things are great. Then emotionally, you know, it's nice to know you're back at a place where you've proven yourself before. More than anything else, this is the US Open. It doesn't take much more than that to pick it up a notch or two.

Q. Is this the fittest that you felt all year?

TODD MARTIN: Probably not. I had some great training weeks before the clay court season, just after my injury. You know, I was a little bit skeptical about how my ankle would hold up, but it held up great all through the clay court season. I was pretty darn healthy and very fit. But these conditions, especially with the ball, don't abuse my arm as much as the European clay court circuit.

Q. Have you picked up a basketball lately?

TODD MARTIN: No. I've just stuck to football.

Q. Has your game changed a lot in the past few years?

TODD MARTIN: I wouldn't say my game has changed a lot. I'm still right-handed. I really feel like I'm a better tennis player. I don't feel like I do certain things as well as I used to. The general package is a smarter player. That's what I rely on an awful lot.

Q. Just smarter, or anything else more specific?

TODD MARTIN: Gee, you know, I volleyed great today. Each and every year I develop a greater level of confidence at the net. You know, I might not hit my backhand as well as I used to. I might not serve as well as I used to. I might not just throw caution to the wind as much as I used to. I understand how to defend the court. I understand how to play -- I should say I understand how to defend the court better than I used to (smiling). I understand how to play a neutral point and how to stay neutral and work your way to offense than I used to. It was an awful lot of, "Uh-oh, I'm in a neutral position, I better do something" years ago. That concern is not as prevalent as it used to be.

Q. This isn't about your match, but did you have any thoughts about Andre's loss yesterday, where he's at in his career?

TODD MARTIN: Well, you know, it's hard not to know about it. Most of us have known about his family situation for a little while. I think most people could probably understand what's happening in his life. I certainly don't feel at all bad for him as far as his tennis is concerned. It's just a tough thing to go through. I think it's probably a blessing in some ways that he lost; that he gets to go home and spend an extra bit of time with his family.

Q. There's a lot of talk about young European players on the tour. Where do you think American men's tennis is or going to get to?

TODD MARTIN: Well, I think the thrill of sport and the thrill of life is to see what happens. I'll stick to that answer. I think there's a lot of talent. It's just a matter of who learns how to play the game best out of the group of guys that we have. You never know. There's a chance that somebody who we don't know about yet is going to be the world beater that we're looking for.

Q. Any doubts that Andre is going to make it to Sydney?

TODD MARTIN: It's silly for me to speculate.

Q. I don't know if you talked to anybody about it.

TODD MARTIN: No.

Q. You said you weren't particularly concerned with the rankings this year. What is it that's motivating you here? Just the chance to do well at The Open?

TODD MARTIN: It is the US Open. It is what I grew up watching. It is what Ivan Lendl was in the finals of 42 times in a row. I'm looking for twice.

Q. Could you look forward to your next opponent, Greg or Pioline?

TODD MARTIN: I just found out that's who I play. I don't know what the status of their match is.

Q. Greg is a set up.

TODD MARTIN: I'm excited to play. It's what I'm here for. I'm just glad that I get to play again on Sunday.

Q. He's a familiar opponent, Greg is.

TODD MARTIN: They're both familiar, both very familiar.

Q. Came back from a very nasty brink last year.

TODD MARTIN: For him it was more about his match against himself, and for me it was more about my match against myself. It does boil down to a head-to-head match. More than that, you've got to beat yourself or you're going to not beat yourself, something like that, before you can worry who's on the other side of the net (laughter). I'll prepare as if I'm playing whoever and be ready to play come Sunday.

Q. How much do you think about that match last year? Is it special to you more than any other?

TODD MARTIN: You know, I think it's a lot more fun to enjoy what you're going through than to worry - not worry - but think about the future so much, dwell, relish the past. It is nice to occasionally recall some of those emotions I felt last year. More than anything else, it's great to know that I'm in the process of doing it again. That process could end on Sunday. It could end next Sunday.

Q. Does it irritate --?

TODD MARTIN: -- when people compliment my serve after a good match, yes (laughter).

Q. Does it irritate you when people get on you for not holding a 5-1 lead in a critical match at Wimbledon, not remember the match against Rusedski at the US Open?

TODD MARTIN: Can you just say the beginning of that question again?

Q. You may be in a situation where you're at Wimbledon, have a 5-1 lead, you don't hold it, 5-2 lead. People talk about Todd Martin, unable to close out the match. Yet no one seems to recall the Rusedski match from the year before. Does that irritate you?

TODD MARTIN: No. It's tennis. I mean, you know, I heard a joke the other day. Why do they call golf golf? The punch line is, Because every other four-letter word was taken. If anybody would have been smart about it, they would have call it t-e-n-n. (Laughter.) Thank you.

Q. Todd --?

TODD MARTIN: No, I'm not done (laughter). It's incredibly difficult at times to close out matches. It's difficult for each guy, whether I'm in the lead or I'm behind. There has to be something that happens so that both players walk to the net and shake hands. I mean, it happened today. I was up 30-Love. I played two pretty shaky points. You know, if Michael by chance hits a couple good returns then, boom, I played two bad points in three sets. That's not all that bad. I think Greg last year didn't play all that bad of tennis in the third set when I came back. I got a little lucky, dug a few balls out. That's sometimes all it takes. The same thing with Mal and Andre at Wimbledon when I was up.

Q. Have you gotten to a point or are you getting to a point where you beat or you don't beat yourself less and less?

TODD MARTIN: I think from the get-go, yes. I think there's always a challenge to deal with the later stages of the match. I rarely now, except for earlier this summer, go out and beat myself from the get-go. I don't feel like I've ever done that badly, but I do feel like that's a big improvement.

Q. Is that a maturing thing?

TODD MARTIN: It could be attributed to that. Also there's guys out here who probably struggle with that more and more. It's not because they're getting less mature. It's just because some people, you know, I don't want to say relish making mistakes so that we can learn, but do learn from those mistakes. Some people get discouraged by them.

Q. You mentioned the phrase "back in my 20s" jokingly. Do you feel old out there? Do you relish the position you're in now with the experience you have?

TODD MARTIN: Well, I've felt experienced for a while. Each and every year, a good friend of mine seems to retire. Each and every year, about 20 new players that are in their teens come up and start beating up on us. I mean, I feel old, but I don't feel elderly, I guess. I feel like I've aged, and I feel like I've more or less improved with age. I still get a little kid's feeling when I go out and play the little kid's game.

Q. Many people in the press core feel that --?

TODD MARTIN: -- i'm the greatest guy in the world? Thanks.

Q. Thank you for that comment. It ties into my question. Many people in the press core feel that the Todd Martin sense of humor has evolved beautifully over the past years. If you had to say one key element to your sense of humor, what would that one key be?

TODD MARTIN: Well, I've finally mastered a monotone. It's taken a long time, but I've finally got it.

Q. You're one of the tallest guys on the tour. There's been an outrash of the shorter players on the tour up-ending some of the taller guys on the tour. What do you make of this shorter players having the success they are?

TODD MARTIN: Well, I think it says a couple of things. One, that there aren't height limitations in this game. It might sound funny, but there aren't. Anybody can play this game. I don't feel like I beat Michael today because of my height. I felt like I maybe beat him because I used my height very well. There are days where I don't. There are days where some short players try to play like big guys. That's not always the best way to do it. The other thing is that, sort of on the same thought process that I'm on about myself, understanding the game better, I think players who are shorter and aren't going to just win so many free points match in and match out, Michael wins a lot of free points on his serve and on his return, but it's not necessarily a match-in and match-out process. What it forces them to do is understand the game of tennis, whereas some big, strong guys can go out and get away with just slapping balls around. They'll win and lose. If somebody who is short just tries to do that, I think they're going to struggle a little bit more than the average bear. They've got to use their heart, their mind and their legs a lot more than us. When we don't, there's still a huge opening left for them.

Q. Can you see yourself back at Northwestern someday?

TODD MARTIN: Yeah, I'm going to see myself in October.

Q. Back to school?

TODD MARTIN: I'm going to homecoming.

Q. Can you see yourself back in the classroom?

TODD MARTIN: I don't know if Northwestern would let me back. Hopefully they won't disclose my grade point average. If they did, they would have no justification in letting me back in.

Q. In a generic sense, do you see yourself back in school?

TODD MARTIN: Yes. Thank you for generalizing.

Q. Could you expand on that? If you get through the next round, you could possibly come up against Corretja. Would that give you a little extra motivation? Do you look particularly forward to that match?

TODD MARTIN: I could see myself back in the classroom. I'd like to be back in the classroom. I would love to play Alex Corretja, but not for a revenge factor of what he did so well against our team in Santander; because I think he's a respectable man and fun to play against.

Q. Do you find yourself thinking about Sydney and the Olympics?

TODD MARTIN: No.

Q. Obviously you're focused on this?

TODD MARTIN: Yeah. It's something that is very big and a very great occasion. But so is this. It's pretty easy to keep them straight.

End of FastScripts....

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