TMS - INDIAN WELLS
Date: 2000-03-17

TMS - INDIAN WELLS

March 17, 2000

Mark Philippoussis
INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA
ATP: Questions for Mark.


Question Did you have a sore arm? You didn't hit the ball very hard.


Mark Philippoussis It's been warming up every match. It will get harder and harder.


Question Was the leg just a precautionary thing?


Mark Philippoussis It's not the knee. After my second round match against Clavet, I
did a lot of running. I just felt a muscle here behind the calf, on top of the calf area,
sore. I tweaked it. It's just a precaution thing, getting taped.


Question Obviously, it won't please you in the direct sense that yesterday your first serve
percentage was below 40, today below 50. The encouraging thing is the rest of your game is
carrying you through without the big boomers.


Mark Philippoussis Exactly. That's what I hope people are starting to understand.
Obviously, my serve is part of my game, but it's not the only thing I have. I'm happy that
I'm getting through these matches in straight sets without the big serve. When the serve
is on, obviously I feel very dangerous. I've worked hard on my game to feel comfortable
that even if my serve isn't there, you know, I can back myself up.


Question What will you now do, clearly whoever you play - in particular if it's Pete - you
will have to raise your game another notch? How will you try to get that serve back before
you play tomorrow?


Mark Philippoussis Last two matches have been a little bit of a breeze, so it's been
kind of tricky on the ball toss. I mean, today was the first time I played during the day
pretty much. Everything has been during the night. The balls are flying on me at the
start. I had to change tension in the racquet. Just position the ball toss with the sun
and everything. I'll just be relaxed tomorrow. I'll be looking forward to it, I'll be
excited to play a good, tough match.


Question How are you holding up physically?


Mark Philippoussis Fine. I mean, every tournament I play, there's always some sort of
pain in my body, so it's just normal.


Question Is Pete still the fellow that sort of everyone holds in a certain amount of awe? Is
he one of the great ones always to try and beat?


Mark Philippoussis I have respect for Pete. You know, I have a lot of respect for
Pete. But when I'm on the court, you know, obviously like anyone, I'm there to win and do
what I can to win. I'm not thinking about, you know, what he's done in the past, how great
of a career he's had. You know, he's another player ahead of me. I've got to try to get
through that.


Question The report in the British papers today that you and Pat may not be continuing your
working relationship. What is the position there?


Mark Philippoussis That's true. We've never been on a full-time basis. I don't know -
the thing about his concentrating a lot more on some over-35 tournaments.


Question He won't be traveling with you anymore?


Mark Philippoussis It's never been a full-time basis. You can put both our schedules
together.


Question He claims that you're only offering him half the amount of money you paid him last
year.


Mark Philippoussis I'm not sure.


Question Is that true?


Mark Philippoussis I don't know what he said.


Question Would you have liked to carried on, him being able to work with you, rather than
concentrate on his 35's?


Mark Philippoussis Like I said, it's his decision. Obviously, it's been good being
part of the team. He's got to do what's happy for him.


Question Is there someone else that will step in when he's not traveling with you?


Mark Philippoussis I've been with Gavin Hopper four years now, full-time.


Question It will just be Gavin?


Mark Philippoussis Yes.


Question Obviously, you have the difficult transition after next week, the next fortnight in
Miami, going back to Australia, then coming back to Europe for the clay. Have you fixed
your schedule yet?


Mark Philippoussis No. I'm just concentrating on this tournament, just to get through
this, then there's another tournament after that. There's a lot of things ahead of me,
before me, thinking about that.


Question Cash reportedly said he was offered half --?


Mark Philippoussis I don't really want to talk about that. I'm just concentrating on
the tournament at the moment. I'd appreciate it if you didn't ask any questions about
that.


Question You did seem to have trouble returning second serves. Were you a little overeager?


Mark Philippoussis I think I was a little overeager. Like I said, it was my first
match during the day. I've been playing all my matches at night. The balls are getting a
lot heavier. You can afford to hit them a lot more, have better control. But today the
balls are flying. They're kicking up a lot more. I tried getting over the top. I was being
a bit too eager. I tried staying back and chipping some. They kicked up on me. I lost
control off the racquet head. Kind of tough just getting used to everything, the ball
kicking.


Question How different is it playing daytime and night here?


Mark Philippoussis It's a big difference. It's a big difference. Like I said, the
ball's kicking up a lot more during the day. The balls are flying. The air is thin. It's
hot. You know, the ball's moving a lot quicker. It is a big difference. At night the balls
are getting heavier; you can afford to hit it a lot more. You don't have to worry about
the sun and the ball toss. Kind of pluses and negatives about it.


Question If you could take a big step back and get one wish in the sport of tennis, what
would that wish be?


Mark Philippoussis In what way?


Question In any way you want, just one wish - to win a tournament, improve a stroke, play
with somebody, go back in time.


Mark Philippoussis I just wish they didn't do anything to change the game of tennis,
bring big balls, do anything to change the rules.


Question I don't understand.


Mark Philippoussis I just wish that they don't change the rules of tennis too much,
mess with it too much bringing in bigger balls, which will damage players' arms, a lot of
injuries will happen. Comparing the tennis today to tennis in the past, you had great
players in the past, but you've got great players these days. There's tough matches out
there. People are getting stronger, they're hitting the ball harder. There's great matches
every day. I just wish that they'd leave that part of it alone.


Question Do you think the move to bring in the bigger balls is in some way intended to reduce
the strength of your game?


Mark Philippoussis Not of mine. Just, you know, they want some rallies and stuff. I
just hope they don't mess with the game, that's all; just keep it the way it is.


Question What do you think of the three games in a row after the set without the break?


Mark Philippoussis What they're doing now?


Question Yes.


Mark Philippoussis I think it's a great idea. After the set, you get two minutes, so
it's plenty of time to relax. It's good for TV. Instead of changing after a game, you
don't need to. You're just playing a game. You can still have a drink, but you don't have
to sit down. It's great for television to go all the way through. It's a good idea.


Question This tournament was a big one for you last year. Twelve months down the road, how do
you feel you've improved and where?


Mark Philippoussis I just think I feel like I'm a lot more mature. I'm there mentally
and physically for all my matches, I'm playing them tough. There's been a lot of matches
in the past where I've handed my opponents the match by unforced errors, silly unforced
errors, just not being there to tough out the match, to work for it. That's where it's all
changed for me. I'm pleased that if I do lose the match, it's not because of me, it's
because the other player's playing better than me, playing some good tennis on the day,
he's too good. It's good. I'm just fighting a lot more. I'm just enjoying playing tennis
at the moment.


Question Many people say you're so close to winning a Slam. Within yourself, do you feel in
your gut "I'm about to do it, I'll do it this year"?


Mark Philippoussis I feel like I can do it. I have the ability. But, like I said, the
thing is now I know mentally that I can do it inside of me. I'm tough enough to be there
for two weeks. Just got to work hard and you need a bit of luck in Grand Slams sometimes.


Question How upsetting was that overrule in the first set, in the tiebreaker?


Mark Philippoussis It's a little upsetting. It's a tough call, back on the baseline,
for the umpire to see that, especially on such a big point. I lost it there with a
double-fault. It just managed to calm down and finish out the set. I was happy.


Question When you talk about maturing, fighting more, is that part of a tendency perhaps of
all young players to kind of give up when things are going badly, then you reassess
yourself?


Mark Philippoussis I just think in the past, like two years, '98 where I was very
close to definitely having six months off, if not play again, I just lost the urge to
fight, lost the love of playing tennis, the enjoyment. It happened to me twice. Things
going on in my life which wasn't making it easy for me to play tennis. I think the most
important thing is I'm just happy in my life at the moment, everything's great. But the
big turnaround for me was the Davis Cup finals where I just concentrated superbly, just
got through it. I think that started off my career, my tennis career. Ever since then, I
feel like I'm a different person.


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