TMS MONTE CARLO
Date: 2000-04-17

TMS MONTE CARLO

April 17, 2000

Mark Philippoussis

Question How difficult was it to play this first match on clay under these conditions?


Mark Philippoussis There is no excuse. Wayne is also playing under the same
conditions, but it is always tough when you play your first match, first clay court match,
but I think I played maybe one set of clay court tennis today; that was in the second set.
First set, it was pretty much nothing. It was just not great tennis; not thinking out
there. I wasn't working the ball. But I mean, I wasn't playing great out there, but I had
my chances. Love-30 I changed my mind; let the ball go and I couldn't pull back my racket
and that could have given me Love-40 at 4-3 and who knows how the match would have turned.
But I just started playing some clay court tennis at the end. It was to late.


Question What was your injury, the left calf?


Mark Philippoussis Yeah.


Question What exactly?


Mark Philippoussis I had like a pull or a slight tear, I don't know what it was
exactly. But it is in the top of the calf there.


Question When did you start practicing again after that injury? Did you start practicing at
all?


Mark Philippoussis Yeah, I started practicing last Monday. I only had a couple of
days.


Question What is your coaching situation right now? Are you still with Pat Cash or are you
finished completely?


Mark Philippoussis At the moment I am not with Pat Cash, no, I am with Gavin who has
been a full-time coach now for four years. My father is starting to travel with me more
now.


Question What are your expectations this year on clay? Obviously you are able to play well on
this surface.


Mark Philippoussis I am going to leave now. I have two weeks off, I am going to go
home and I am going to train very hard and I learned a lot from this match and I am going
to make sure I go into Rome with not doing the same mistakes and I have to be positive.
Obviously I am disappointed; didn't want this start for the clay court season, but that is
one match down, but a lot of tournaments to go. I will just go back and work very hard.


Question Are you surprised that no other Australian players are playing this tournament?


Mark Philippoussis Well, they were at Davis Cup on grass; maybe they wanted a bit of a
rest, I don't know their program.


Question What are your expectations on clay now because you played very well in Nice Davis
Cup final, you played very well a few times on clay, do you feel you can play well on clay
or is something still a bit too far from you now?


Mark Philippoussis There is no reason why, I feel comfortable on all surfaces, like I
said. But I am not going to win any tournaments or do well when I play the way I did
today. All credit to Wayne, he played some good tennis, but I just wish I would have made
him work for the match a bit more.


Question So how will you prepare for the French?


Mark Philippoussis I am playing the Italian Open, German Open, and --


Question Dusseldorf?


Mark Philippoussis No. Straight after the German Open I am going to Paris to train.


Question Are you enjoying when you are playing on clay even if it is not your favorite
surface; is it enjoyable for you to play on it?


Mark Philippoussis Good thing is now I am enjoying playing tennis, period. I love
going out there. I love the challenge. I love the tight situations. But obviously when you
play like this, I didn't love it too much today.


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