WIMBLEDON

June 23, 2003

Lee Childs

LEE CHILDS: Yeah, that's right. Yeah, it was a good match today really. I started off a bit slow, just a bit tight playing at Wimbledon. But after I got going, I felt good, felt at home. Yeah, it was my first five-set win. So it was good for me, yeah.

LEE CHILDS: Not really. Because after that fourth set, winning that tiebreak, the momentum was with me. So, you know, I just had to build on that and keep the pressure on. I felt good. I felt I was hitting the ball well. I didn't really feel too much pressure. I just thought, "If you're going to win, you're going to win. Just play."

LEE CHILDS: Yeah, I mean, I admit I was a bit nervous to start with. Opening service game, I dropped that, and it was -- I just didn't play very well. A bit frozen out there, if you like. After the first few games, I lose, that you run it off and you feel fine. I was okay.

LEE CHILDS: Well, they helped me a lot actually. There were a lot of people there. For me, a crowd like that, I don't get that very often at the moment (smiling). So, you know, it was good. They were all on my side. Yeah, they were really behind me. It was very good, very good.

LEE CHILDS: I mean, obviously it's good for me to win that match. But it's one match. You know, I've got to try to build on that, get through my next one and just take it a step at a time really.

LEE CHILDS: I did actually. You feel like you deserve the wildcard more. You've had to beat players to get the wildcard. You feel just a different mindset when you come to play. It's different. You know, you've earned your wildcard, if you like, you haven't just been given it for past results, you've had to win on the day. You've done it. You've come through. You feel better for it.

LEE CHILDS: 5-2, deuce, we're playing the point, and all the crowd start going, "Oh. Hewitt's lost." It was during the point. Obviously, you know what's going on there. I got through that point anyway, so it was okay. But, yeah, I was aware of what was going on.

LEE CHILDS: No, I was fine. I was fine.

LEE CHILDS: Yeah, but I don't think it was because of that. It was just a bad point before.

LEE CHILDS: I played quallies. I didn't get a wildcard for that. We didn't have the playoff system then. My results beforehand weren't good enough to get a wildcard. I played qualifying, lost first round in quallies. I played doubles 2002, mixed doubles, played third round with Elena Baltacha. Yeah, that was the reason.

LEE CHILDS: No, I was fine (laughter).

LEE CHILDS: Disappointed a little bit because I always liked Nationals, just because all the guys are there. You know, it's just to prove that you can beat these guys. I personally enjoyed Nationals. I won it a couple of times. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I think the timing, unless you're top hundred, there are tour events on, but unless you're that ranking... I think we should have Nationals really. I understand it's expensive, all the rest of it. But I do enjoy the Nationals, yeah.

LEE CHILDS: I play the young Spanish guy, Nadal, lefty.

LEE CHILDS: No, never played him before.

LEE CHILDS: Yeah. Feel like any match really, yeah.

LEE CHILDS: My next tournament will be in Bristol, the challenger down there, on grass. After that, Manchester on grass, as well. From there, I don't know yet. Maybe some challengers somewhere. I don't know. We'll see. Get close to the time, then decide.

LEE CHILDS: I'd say it's one of my surfaces, yeah, that I favor. I do like the hard courts probably. But we only get to play on the grass a few weeks a year really. But, yeah, I did like it a lot. I do like it a lot, yeah.

LEE CHILDS: Well, I'd love to play on Centre Court or Court 1. I mean, who wouldn't really? I mean, the court is an unbelievable arena. I would love the opportunity to play on those courts really.

LEE CHILDS: No, no. That was my old doubles partner James Nelson (laughter). I think he used to do that, start the week. If he kept winning, he didn't bother, kept the rituals and stuff. That was him, I think, not me.

LEE CHILDS: Yeah, I have a few, but I'm not going to tell you, otherwise they wouldn't work, would they (smiling)?