US OPEN

August 29, 2001

Mardy Fish

MODERATOR: Questions, please.

MARDY FISH: I was just happy to get into Wimbledon. That was just a learning experience to play my first ever Wimbledon and win a match. I was kind of overwhelmed with everything. That was good. But it's good to get that out of the way. Then this year, here at the Open, I mean, Carlos is such a good player. What can you say? I mean, I almost won the second set. I mean, I had a bunch of chances. Two break points in the last game, didn't make it. And then couple points here and there and it could be a totally different ball game.

MARDY FISH: I just have to cut down a lot of unforced errors, try to maybe get my movement a little bit better so I can get out to a lot of my forehands that I miss, that I hit long. Other than that, I mean, just keep getting experience in those type of matches.

MARDY FISH: First service game?

MARDY FISH: Yeah, I don't know. I thought I served pretty well. That one side was tough because the sun was right there in deuce. So there's nothing -- I mean, but the games that he broke me were long games or I had game points and it was a couple points that made the difference I think.

MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean I was a little disappointed in how many unforced errors I made. I mean, this week in practice I was practicing really well and I was prepared for this tournament and I had high hopes coming in to, you know -- not just winning a round or two, you know, hopefully , I mean, in the beginning of the year I played and I beat two guys that were Top 10, so I knew that I could play with those guys. So, I mean, I was coming in and I was ready, fit and playing well. Just came across a good player today.

MARDY FISH: Enqvist and Philippoussis in March.

MARDY FISH: That was one in Scottsdale and first round in Indian Wells was Philippoussis.

MARDY FISH: Yeah, he was pushing me back. My game plan was kind of to obviously play my game and just try to come in a lot because that's my game. He was hitting the ball so deep and it was really tough for me to come in on a -- I mean, I didn't really have all that many short balls at all. When I did, I tried to take advantage and go to the backhand a lot because that side is a little bit weaker. He passed me on a break point in the second set. I broke him right back after that. But he had an awesome running cross-court pass.

MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, beginning of the year I started, I was like 350. And so right now, I'm like 170 or 180 or something like that. So it's -- I've been going up every week. So, I mean, that's the only thing you can try to do, is try to keep improving, try to keep going up. You know, I'm gonna play a bunch of challengers in the fall and hopefully I can keep moving up.

MARDY FISH: I don't know exactly where they are. There's one right after this in California. There's like eight of them.

MARDY FISH: No, not at all. Not changing anything mechanically. We worked a lot on my forehand this past month, month and a half, and a lot on my serve since like in the year that I've been with him.

MARDY FISH: No, Brad Stine. I mean, last year here, I played Gambill and my serve was nothing. I mean, this year, I'm hitting serves like 130. Last year I was hitting serves like 110. So hopefully I'll keep improving. Hopefully I can do some good things.

MARDY FISH: Yeah, he is a little bit. That's kind of not my mentality. We're different guys and he understands that. Jim, he was just a bulldog, you know, and a workaholic. You know, I mean I work hard and everything, but on the court we're kind of totally different. So, I mean, he understands that.

MARDY FISH: What about them?

MARDY FISH: They're gonna win the Super Bowl.

MARDY FISH: They are. Every year they're gonna win the Super Bowl, I think.

MARDY FISH: In the preseason they do.