WIMBLEDON
Date: 2000-07-06

WIMBLEDON

July 6, 2000

Mark Philippoussis
WIMBLEDON
MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Question What are you most proud of about that performance?


Mark Philippoussis I hung in there, stayed mentally tough. We were both tired. I was
very tired. It's a little tough in the whole of the fifth set where I'm serving, you know,
sort -- a game away from the match. Last one that serves is always going to be a little
tougher. Definitely all the training I've done with Mike and Gav, that paid off. That got
me through the match. It's simple.


Question Did you learn anything about yourself today?


Mark Philippoussis Yeah. I mean, I've always considered myself a fighter. That was a
good match for me, you know, just to hang in there. I very much enjoyed that match.


Question Was that the longest you ever played?


Mark Philippoussis Definitely the longest.


Question Tim Henman said he asked you afterward what took you so long. What did you tell him?


Mark Philippoussis He was laughing when I came in. He came in from my match at 1-Love
in the fifth. When he came off it was 16-all. Obviously, I wasn't laughing. I was
bleeding, blood on my shorts. Felt like I'd just been punched to death for five hours.


Question You say you enjoyed the match today.


Mark Philippoussis Those are the kind of matches that I'm proud of. That's why you
play tennis, those kind of matches. The crowd, you know, looking at the crowd, they're
into it, enjoying themselves. Not to say I was enjoying myself, obviously. I was just
hanging in there. Now that I've finished it and I've taken a deep breath, you know, the
tournament just started now, we're in the second week. It's like nothing to get excited
about. I'm happy I got through that.


Question You mentioned before briefly, but how much of a factor is it that you're going less
on the Playboy lifestyle, working more on your tennis? How much of that was an important
factor in a game like today?


Mark Philippoussis I don't know about the Playboy lifestyle. Obviously you can say I
enjoyed myself too much to give myself a chance to become a serious tennis player. Like I
said, a couple weeks, I've wanted to try to set myself in the right direction. If it's not
going to happen here, it's going to happen, I know, down the track. With the amount of
training we've been doing, the three of us, you know, this is putting me in the right
direction.


Question What are the kind of things that go through your head when you realise you're
getting this rhythm, 11-all, 12-all, 15-All? What are the things going through your head?
Are you thinking tactically or looking to him to see if he's tired or, "This is where
champions hang tough"?


Mark Philippoussis Definitely, I've got to stay strong. He knows I'm tired. I know
he's tired. It's pretty much when it gets to that situation, I think the guy who wants it
more and is a little tougher mentally and physically.


Question I think after the Johansson match at the US Open, your dad came out and said that
was the day his boy became a man. Has he said anything to you?


Mark Philippoussis Must be an old man. I think I've peaked becoming a man. I'm an old
man now.


Question You said you got mentally a lift from it. Physically, when you're going to play Tim,
who compared to you has had a walkover --?


Mark Philippoussis I've got a day off. You know, I've worked hard. This is what
working hard is for. Tomorrow I'm going to have a light hit, a massage tonight, longer one
tomorrow. I'm going to be fine. I'm going to be ready to go.


Question What makes Sjeng Schalken so hard to beat?


Mark Philippoussis I mean, I think we played a great match. That fifth set, it wasn't
really like anyone was -- felt like we were both nervous. I mean, we played some great
tennis. He was hanging in there. He started hitting the lines. Chalk came up everywhere.
He served incredibly. When he hit the slice backhand at breakpoint down, I was going to
cry. I couldn't believe that thing went in. A match like that, it's tough for someone to
lose. You know, he can hold his head up high. Just happy to get through.


Question He said this was one of his best matches. Is this also for you?


Mark Philippoussis I don't think I played a bad match.


Question Best.


Mark Philippoussis Like I said, I don't think we played a bad match at all. I
obviously played a good match, great match, just like him. You know, I think the only
disappointing thing was that four double-faults. I think that was just the most
disappointing thing of the whole match, where I lost some concentration. The first service
game I lost in the first set, I didn't really do that much wrong. He returned well. Good
thing is, he's such a clean hitter of the ball, give him a chance, he's a great striker.


Question How do you beat Henman?


Mark Philippoussis It's not that he's unbeatable. Obviously, he loves it here. He's
going to get a lot of support. But I also love it here, too.


Question This was the Legends day. They introduced everybody before the match. Were you aware
that Tony Roche, Laver, stayed till the end of your match?


Mark Philippoussis Obviously, when you're down at the other end, it's packed, you see
the members area. You look up a little, on top of the player's restaurant, the balcony,
that was packed. That's also a great feeling, playing in front of everyone watching you.
Really felt like an entertainer out there. Obviously, at the end of the day, I was happy
to be the one to win.


Question It will be a different kind of game against Henman.


Mark Philippoussis How do you mean?


Question I mean, in terms of the way Henman plays.


Mark Philippoussis Well, sure. Henman mixes up his serve and volleys. He doesn't
serve-and-volley all the time. You know, it's not like I'm intimidated or anything. I'm
feeling good. I think it's good to get through a match like that, a tough one, because if
it gets tight, I know I've been there before, and I'm going to feel good. I'm looking
forward to it.


Question You've beaten him the last three times, is that right?


Mark Philippoussis I'm not sure.


Question You beat Rusedski here last year. Obviously, the crowd were against you on that
occasion. I presume you're expecting more of the same, maybe worse?


Mark Philippoussis Sure. There's nothing like a Davis Cup final. Put it that way. I'm
going to have everyone with me. That's what it's going to sound like compared to what we
had to go through in Davis Cup final.


Question Did you get an IV or fluid replacement?


Mark Philippoussis No, it's not that hot.


Question How difficult is the serve in the fifth set for so many games when a breakpoint
means a match point?


Mark Philippoussis That's right. I didn't really think about it. I was extremely happy
with the way I served. I think the biggest thing was once when I was 15-30 down, went for
a second serve, made it. That love-30, he hit a great return at my feet, I scooped it up,
went over the net. I jumped up just to help it go over. I mean, I was extremely happy with
the way I served in the fifth set.


Question You were aware you hit 44 aces today.


Mark Philippoussis I'm a little disappointed with that.


Question Two short of the record.


Mark Philippoussis I hit 43 aces in a three-set match. I'm actually quite disappointed
with 44.


Question What about the atmosphere? You seemed to thrive on it last year. Do you think you
can thrive again on it this year?


Mark Philippoussis Sure, it's a great atmosphere. The English, the public here, the
spectators are great. Of course, they're going to be on Tim's side, but they're very fair,
which is nice. They're going to enjoy their tennis. If it's a good point for me, they're
going to applaud. Obviously, a good point for him, they're going to applaud a little bit
louder. They're very fair. Wherever we play, Centre Court or Court 1, I'm going to enjoy
being out there and obviously out there to win.


Question You're not the man under the pressure in that sort of atmosphere, if you like?


Mark Philippoussis I'm expecting to go out there and win. I'm not going to go out
there and think anything else.


Question Are you still sort of haunted last year when you were beating Sampras, and your knee
went?


Mark Philippoussis No, not at all. I completely forgot about that when I left. I'm
back here. This is next year. I'm back in the second week.


Question Does a match like this give you kind of rocket fuel for the second week emotionally?


Mark Philippoussis Yeah. Like I said to the guys, "I just qualified for the
tournament. The tournament starts now."


Question This new regime with Mike, will it allow for a sleep-in tomorrow?


Mark Philippoussis Mike and Gav, you know, they saw me when they came into the locker
room. My head was on the ground. Obviously, there was like blood all over my shorts. My
arm was dripping. They said, "A late hit." I said, "Light, too." They
said, "Yes."


Question Have you spoken to Boris at all?


Mark Philippoussis No, no. He actually came to the house this morning. He said he's
around if I want anything.


Question Was he here today? Did he see your match?


Mark Philippoussis I'm not sure.


Question Did he say something to you at the house this morning?


Mark Philippoussis We spoke. Spoke to my father a little bit. We just spoke a little
bit. He just said, "Go out there." He watched my match. He said it was good. If
you want to talk about anything, just call him.


Question Are you expecting one of those wake-up calls from him tomorrow?


Mark Philippoussis No. I'm going to lock my door. I think my mother will be my body
guard. She won't let no one in.


Question You reached one Grand Slam final, Mark. Do you reckon Wimbledon provides with you a
better chance of winning a Grand Slam?


Mark Philippoussis To be quite honest, there's no second best here. It's like people
are going to remember the winners, they're going to remember the names on the trophies.
They're not going to remember the runners-up years later. I know what I'm capable of
doing, and I've come here to win this.


Question The whole thing?


Mark Philippoussis Sure. What else is there? Is there anything else?


Question Did it make it any better that he seems like a nice guy?


Mark Philippoussis I tell you what, Sjeng is one of the nicest guys, definitely is.
We've had a lot of practises. It's always been fun in practise. At the end of the day,
you've got no friends on the court. He's there to win, just like I am.


Question What is the big difference with the regime?


Mark Philippoussis Just a lot of hours, a lot of hitting, a lot of rallies, a lot of
drills side-to-side. That paid off for today. A lot of hitting, a lot of fitness. Gav has
been working me hard. Mike has been working me hard. They said all the work we've done got
you through that match. I agree with them.


Question Do you feel at your peak?


Mark Philippoussis I feel very strong. My legs feel as strong as they've ever been.


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