2004 Australian Open
Date: 2004-01-22
Philippoussis def. Santoro 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2

Question How did you assess that?
Answer As you know, it's always tough to play Fabrice. It took me a while to get my timing out there. I felt like I was hitting the ball okay. But just, you know, I wanted to be aggressive. I came out a little flat, a little too relaxed. I felt a little heavy in the legs, and he took advantage of that. As the match went on, I felt a lot better. My body felt a lot better. I started working the ball a lot more, started being more aggressive, taking control of the match. From there, it just got better and better for me, which is good.

Question What's the key when you're playing a guy like that who is giving you no pace most of the time, all the slice, forehand, backhand, lob?
Answer It's tough because you got to get used to it. I think the most important thing is when you do play someone like that, just concentrate more on your own game and worry about what you want to do. I think it's very important to be aggressive. I think at the start maybe I was just kind of getting used to his play, and he was the one being aggressive and taking it to me and coming in off my second serve, stuff like that. I knew, you know, that had to change. As the match went on, like I said, I felt like I was hitting the ball better, my timing was a little better, my groundstrokes. Stepped it up a little and got aggressive.

Question What are your thoughts on Ancic?
Answer Ancic is a tough player, obviously must have played well today. Had a long match against Corretja. Last time I played him was the second round in Japan, where I beat him in straight sets. But every match is a different match. I know exactly how he's going to play. He's going to be coming to net, serve and volleying when he can. Hits the ball good from the back. But, you know, for myself, I just want to concentrate on what I did tonight: just be aggressive, you know, be heavy on the groundstrokes, and take it to him, you know, keep the pressure on. Just keep doing what I'm doing, stay relaxed, you know, stay focused.

Question How much more improvement is there in the game of Mark Philippoussis?
Answer There's more. I don't feel like I'm, you know, just giving it -- you know, giving it everything. I feel like I'm very controlled in the way I'm playing out there. I don't feel like I need to do anything special. You know, I just want to stay positive and stay heavy on the groundstrokes. You know, I feel like if I hit the ball heavy, you know, sometimes it's as good as a lot of people's, you know, full strength. I think it's very important for me to stay concentrated and stay relaxed and go out there and be focused, more importantly be focused on my service game, play good, solid points on my service game, then you can afford to take a little bit of a risk on their serve.

Question Do you sense the extent to which people really want you to win this tournament? Have you got sort of a handle on that?
Answer The support I've been getting is incredible. I honestly love stepping out on that Centre Court. Like in the first set, you know, the people keep yelling out, "Come on." It's almost like I feel bad because of the way I played in the first set, letting them down. But for me, the crowd is very important to me. I sort of feel like it's my stage, being a showman. We're playing for them sort of. You know, we're out there competing for them, and obviously for ourselves. But especially me playing in Melbourne, where I'm from, where I'm born, it's a very special place for me. Obviously, the people want me to do well. It's a great feeling. So hopefully, you know, I can just concentrate a match at a time. All I can say is I'm going to give it everything, you know, give 110%.

Question Do you feel people want you to win a Slam to justify your talent?
Answer Well, I guess I do, to be quite honest. It's a great thought, you know, that people think that of me and they want me to win. I also want to do it for myself. I mean, sure, it would be great to win, especially at home. But I don't feel like I want to prove anything to anyone. I don't feel like I have to prove anything to anyone. I want to prove it to myself, because I know I can do it. I feel like, you know, coming back from the surgeries, especially the third one, that's what's left for me to do, is to win a Grand Slam. You know what I mean? That will be the icing for me. That's definitely my goal, you know.

Question Has the Davis Cup done anything for you in terms of giving you some edge that could carry forth in this tournament?
Answer That last Davis Cup match did a lot for me - more mentally than anything - because of the way I won it. I was down; I was hurt. I just crawled back and just turned it around from nothing. Especially it being the final, it did a lot. I think people know it's done a lot for me. But they don't realize how much it's done. Like I walk out there, and even if I'm a little not feeling great, I can always think back at how I felt physically and mentally that match and thinking, "Jesus, I feel incredible compared to how I did then. There's no reason why I can't get out of it." It's very comforting to have that match in the back of my mind.

Question Like a reference point?
Answer Definitely.

Question Before when you were talking about Melbourne, Centre Court, is it something that's kind of taken you a while to feel that kind of really comfortable out there on Centre Court?
Answer To be quite honest, I've always felt comfortable. I think the first time I went out, I was 18, I played Stefan Edberg in a night match, lost to him in four sets. Just walked out there and just felt great. Didn't feel nervous at all, which is kind of weird. Just felt great. I love the Centre Court matches. I love the atmosphere. It's the reason that I play, you know, for the reaction of the crowd, like the roars, that match point where the people start yelling and clapping, you know, the hair raises up on the back of the neck. For me, that's what it's all about. That's what gets me excited about playing the game, those situations.

Question It could be a bit intimidating. You see Andre, every time he walks out, he owns the joint, "The House of Agassi". Are you starting to get that kind of feeling out there?
Answer I feel great, don't get me wrong, and I'm from here. If it's anyone's house, it's mine (smiling). No, I feel good. The atmosphere is there. The support is there. What more could I ask for? You know, it's just a great feeling.

Question Have you caught up with Pat here at all?
Answer I just saw him quickly walking out on the court as I was walking back to the locker room. But I saw him at the hotel.

Question Caught up with him?
Answer I've spoken to him a little. Kind of funny to see him back. He said he doesn't hang around the locker room too much. Kind of weird for him. But it's good to see him back.

Question How is the body holding up?
Answer It feels pretty good. You know, had a good match against Johansson. Nothing too stressful, three sets. Today was four sets, but a pretty comfortable four sets. That's what I was talking about, how important it was, I think, at the start of the tournament to get those matches out of the way sort of as quick as possible without really staying, grinding out there for five sets or anything like that. I'm feeling pretty good.

Question You're be playing Saturday, more than likely. Would you prefer to play a day match?
Answer I don't care. I honestly don't care. I'll be ready whenever they put me on. I'll be ready to play.

Question The match you just played, is that the kind of match that when you were young, the kind you probably would have lost?
Answer You know, you got to remember, I was 19 at the time. I was a young 19-year-old. Just beat the No. 1 guy in the world when he was playing incredible tennis at his best, at home. I was still in Cloud 9 the next day. I couldn't care. It was 2-2-2, I didn't care. Looking back then, you can just tell, mentally I just wasn't ready for that kind of expectations on my shoulder, stuff like that. I was just a late maturer. Years have passed since then, so I'm definitely a different player.

Question How long do you think your window for slams is?
Answer Another five years, easy.

Question Five years?
Answer Easy. I definitely have my best tennis ahead of me.

Question It's just a matter of the body getting through those?
Answer Body is fine. I feel like a 22-year-old. Feel great. I'm actually about going for a 4K run, if you want to go with me (smiling).