	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 15, 2006

Justin Gimelstob

CINCINNATI, OHIO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. In Newport you had a pretty good run.
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: For me, very good run. You know, got to the final, and my first final after a long, long time on tour. So that was exciting.
I had -- I was pretty run-down after that and hadn't played too well. I got sick in Washington, and then I took the last week off, spending it at my family's house in New Jersey. Came in this week feeling refreshed physically and mentally.
So I think that, you know, is really important out here because you get, you know, you get pretty run-down. It's pretty physical. Also just being out there week in, week out, getting away from it is just as important sometimes.

Q. What happened in Washington? You said you got sick. Just a bug or something?
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, just had the flu. I just got the flu babysitting one of the other player's little kids. And, uhm, that mixed with the fact that it was a thousand degrees there, didn't exactly mesh well.

Q. So for you to get through qualifying here and win your first-round match, just talk about how you're doing right now.
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, it's, you know, the fifth time I've qualified this year so, you know, while that's -- while you always wish you were in the main draw and it's an added burden, if you do get through it, it gives you kind of a leg up on the competition because, you know, it's really your third, you know, third or fourth match when it's everyone else's first. And the first match is always a little bit challenging because every week plays differently, you know - the court, the speed, the conditions, the balls. So to have a few matches under your belt is really a bonus sometimes.

Q. Sports Illustrated did a piece a few weeks ago about Average Joes in different sports. Did you see that?
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I did see that.

Q. Paul Goldstein.
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I saw that, yep.

Q. Just in terms of we write a lot about the guys that are in the top 5, top 10, you probably kind of fit a similar role. You've been around a long time, obviously are making a good career out of it, but maybe never going to be top 10.
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I could pretty much guarantee you that that's the case, that that's going to be the case (smiling).

Q. How do you reflect on your years in tennis?
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I consider myself a huge success. I mean, not to be arrogant, but, I mean, I get to play tennis for a living. I've gotten to travel around the world and meet great people, you know. Get to hit tennis balls and go to the gym, you know. Challenge myself to try and be the best I could be at something. I get to compete against some of the greatest athletes in the world. I've gotten to play on center court at every big, you know, stadium in the world. I've played every -- almost every great player of my generation and past generations. I've beaten a lot of top players. I've had a lot of great memories. I mean, represented my country in Davis Cup. I've been able to make a little money.
I've been able to meet, you know -- I have been -- I consider myself very fortunate. I mean, everyone is born with a different talent level. I feel like I've worked my butt off and I have nothing -- I should be proud of what I've tried, what I've accomplished, what I've tried to accomplish, and what I've failed to accomplish.

Q. I don't mean to insinuate there's any disgrace --
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: No, no. Not at all. I didn't even take it as that, definitely not.
I think there are two different ways to look at it. A lot of people look at, you know -- a lot of people could look at it, could be really top-heavy elitist. Other people are just treated like, Wow - the other way - like, You play professional tennis, you're the greatest thing since sliced bread. It's somewhere in between.
You know, it's like, you know, Roger Federer and Andy Roddick, these guys are just more talented and more blessed than I am. But that being said, I'm more blessed than 99.9% of the other tennis players in the world. So it's, you know -- I've been given a lot. I've worked hard. It's been a great opportunity for me to do this.

Q. At what point were you comfortable with, you know, the realization that maybe you were not going to be top 10? You played UCLA, had a good junior career.
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, I mean...

Q. Trained with the best. Probably had hopes at one point of being top 10.
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, I mean, we all have hopes. It's tough to gauge because you really don't, until you get out there, really don't know. But, I mean, if I was being completely honest, I would say that I was probably, you know -- when I was getting so much attention and hype, you know, when I was young, I would -- I was -- if I was being completely honest, I would say that I thought that that was unrealistic.
I thought that -- I certainly would have hoped -- and I think I would have had higher highs over the course of my career if I could have been a little bit more fortunate with injuries or if I could have developed emotionally or handled situations better throughout my career. But, you know, you live and learn, and I've battled through a lot of things. I've had foot surgery. I've had three herniated discs in my back. I broke my ankle. You know, it's -- and I've just -- you just kind of do the best you can with what you got. And here I am, almost in my eleventh year, and I'm still competing at a pretty decent level, and I'll keep trying until I can't.

Q. With all that said, I know in Newport you reached your first ATP final. Obviously, you still, you know, are pushing forward. Through all that, the injuries, what still motivates you to go out there, push yourself to train? You're like the Iron Man of tennis. You play doubles all the time, you're playing singles, coming through qualifying. I mean, what keeps you going?
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Just that, building the -- trying to reach my potential, and the memories that you acquire and the feeling of achievement and feeling that you've done the best you could at the end of your career. That's always been my goal, is to keep pushing and to see how much you could achieve and how having that -- if I retired, I would never have had the, you know -- who knows? Maybe I could win a tournament. I got to the finals -- maybe I could -- in my 11th year. Maybe in my 22nd year, I'll win one.
You know, I really play for the opportunity to try and keep pushing myself as long as I can. And, you know, I make a decent living and I play tennis and, you know, I try and have some incredible opportunities and memories that you can't acquire at any other walk of life.

Q. You talk about making a decent living. I think fans could probably look up your career winnings, but they don't factor in the expenses, the travel, the coaching.
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Right, definitely.

Q. How much do you think you spend in a year?
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I spend a lot. I'm a spender (smiling). I spend probably more than most.

Q. Tennis expenses.
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I was referring to tennis expenses. I probably spend more money than someone at my level generally would. I've also been fortunate, I've made more money than someone at my level generally would. When I came up, I had a lot of really lucrative endorsements, and my dad is a very savvy investor. So, yeah, I've made -- you spend a lot of money, so it's, you know --

Q. What's like an average year?
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Trainers, flights. Average?

Q. Total expenses.
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I would say well over a hundred thousand dollars definitely for me. Well over a hundred thousand dollars.

Q. I think a lot of people may not know that. They only read winnings.
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: I would probably say a hundred to maybe even closer to a hundred fifty thousand dollars in expenses I spend a year.

Q. You mentioned some of the cool places you've been, places you've played, things you've done. Do you have any favorite victories, just single matches?
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, sure. I mean, beating Andre Agassi at UCLA where I played college tennis and had great friends there, and beating Patrick Rafter there, Philippoussis there. Playing on center court at the US Open against Andre Agassi in a hard-fought four-set match on Labor Day weekend, where I've been going to the US Open since I was, you know, eight years old. Playing Pete Sampras on Centre Court at Wimbledon in the third round and being up a set and, you know, that was the year he won his, whatever, 100th straight Wimbledon or whatever. You know, playing Davis Cup. You know, winning -- I won a couple mixed doubles Grand Slams.

Q. It sounds like some of your favorite matches maybe weren't even ones that you won.
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: Yeah, definitely not. That's what I'm saying. Some of them are; a lot of them are. The Agassi and Philippoussis and Rafter, I won all those matches. Some, I lost, you know - the Sampras one at Wimbledon, and the Agassi one at the US Open.
But, still, I mean, playing on the biggest court or in the biggest tournament of the world at that point, you know, and, like I said, striving to try and challenge some of the greatest players ever. And I didn't win those matches but, you know, neither do most people. But I was there. I put myself in a position. And, you know, for a kid with, you know -- you know, it's still -- you know, the world really kind of looks at you're either the best or -- have you seen that movie, "Talladega Nights"? It's like you're the first or the last, you know, and that's like a lot of people's mentalities. You're either the best.
Take how people are brutal on Andy Roddick now. I mean, he's like the 11th best tennis player in the world. He's had a bad little run. It's just like it's not you're either first or last. There are a lot of -- if I was the number -- I don't know what I'm ranked this week, 80-something. But if I was the 83rd best doctor in the world, the 83rd best lover, you know, I would be, you know -- it would be great. I'm sure my girlfriend would be way happier, you know (smiling)?

Q. Are they like that elsewhere? We know how brutal the American media can be, like you said.
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: The British, I mean, they treat Tim Henman like he's a red-headed stepchild, you know. It's just -- Germany, I mean, after Becker and Stich, they make it like Kiefer and Haas are, you know -- they're just -- I think it's just a mentality for the most part. I mean, maybe Australians are a little bit more laid-back.
But for the most part, I think people are just rough. I mean, for the most part people look at famous figures, sports, entertainers, whatever, actors, I don't know why people do it, but they build you up in order to break you down as well. So it's just kind of idolize you to bring you down and make you feel flawed like probably, you know, they are. We all are. I mean, everyone's just doing the best they can with what they have, you know?
I mean, I had the other night -- I've been able to strike up an unbelievable relationship with Andre Agassi, one of the greatest tennis players. The other night after he defaults, we go for a three-hour dinner, talk about everything under the sun from tennis, relationships, you know, the greatest players of the generations, you know, unbelievable things, unbelievable dinner. Would I ever have had that opportunity?
So I never won a singles Grand Slam or I never -- haven't won a tournament, main draw tournament yet, but I've been able to spend -- I've been able to fly with Pete Sampras on his private plane. I was able to have, you know -- make great friends, you know, and run a charity and raise money for my, you know, kids' hospital because I play tennis and people like to -- I've got great friends that come out and support it. I mean, a lot of great things have come from me just being an average tennis player so to speak, average professional player.

Q. Where did you eat the other night?
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: PF Chang's.

Q. There's one up here, closer.
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: It was pretty -- we drove a little bit for it, but it was, yeah...

End of FastScripts...

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297