2001 Tennis Masters Series Indian Wells
Date: 2001-03-13
Fish def. Philippoussis 6-4, 6-7, 6-4

Question What is your evaluation of why it turned out the way it did today?
Answer It was just an off day. I mean, since my loss in San Jose, I haven't hit the ball until Friday morning, then I wasn't even moving. It was just up and down hitting until yesterday pretty much where I could move a little, a hundred percent. So today when I went out there and I was moving, I was fine, had no pain. When I was moving to the ball and getting to the ball, I hadn't been used to moving, so I had no rhythm. I had no feel out there, I had no idea what to do when I got to the ball. It was just a really ugly match. I think with any other person or any other player, I would have lost 3-3. It was ugly out there.

Question You had never played him before, had you?
Answer No.

Question What is your evaluation of him, realizing that you weren't obviously at the top of your game today?
Answer I mean, there's no doubt he's a good player. He's young. He's got some good shots.

Question Is it still troubling you, Mark, the knee?
Answer No, it wasn't the knee. It was the -- it was like the IT band that tightened up. After Memphis, I came back too early, played five tough matches. I wasn't ready for it. On the flight to San Jose, it just stiffened up. I don't know exactly what it was. They didn't know exactly what it was. I think just my body wasn't ready for it. I must have tweaked something. I just mentioned I played two matches, and didn't hit the ball till Friday. It was tough out there, ugly. I was just trying to get through it, just hoping to get through it and get a match under my belt.

Question What now? Are you concerned about it?
Answer I'm not concerned because I had no pain today. That's one positive thing I can look at today was I had no pain, so I'm very happy. I'm going to go to Miami, go back home and train, you know, just get some matches under my belt, get some sets and get ready for that one.

Question Is it tough to have a season start off as discouraging as this one has been on the physical side for you?
Answer Well, nothing you can do about that. I've done all I can. I've worked hard. I worked really hard. I went to Memphis, my first tournament, won that. So, I mean, it's been a little positive. I can't think about it as too negative. Like I said, I've got to put this week behind me. There's another Masters Series next week. Obviously, I'd like to do well in every single one of them. You know, just put it behind me.

Question You made a general comment about Fish, saying he was a good young player. Could you be a little more specific and talk in detail about what you think his potential is, how high he might be able to get?
Answer You know, he could be a good player. It's tough to say what his potential can be or where he can go. It's going to be a long way for him. He's 19. Long way to go. Anything can happen. Who knows.

Question I know you expressed disappointment at not being able to play the Australian circuit this year. You probably were eager to get back on the court. Do you think Memphis was a bit too early now?
Answer I think it was a little. But, you know, it was tough sitting at home watching the Australian Open. I couldn't sit at home anymore. I've been working really hard off the court, on the court. I was ready for Memphis. The thing was, just the shock of being back, playing five matches, was tough on my body. But I'm fine now. You know, the doctor said to me I'm going to have some niggling problems for four to six months after the surgery, especially my second knee surgery. You know, I've got to expect to play with some pain on the court for the next six months.

Question What do you have to do now for treatment?
Answer I'm stretching it a lot. I've got to make sure I'm really warmed up by the time I get on the court. Even more importantly is to stretch after. I practice after matches, ice down. Got to pretty much keep my body loose, my back loose, my legs loose, by stretching a lot.

Question What tournaments in the future are you looking forward to and targeting as the ones where you think you can do well now?
Answer To be quite honest, I'm looking forward to next week. I live in Miami. I love it there. I can stay home, drive to the tournament, 15 minutes' drive for me. Like I said, it's disappointing this week. It's going to make me a lot more eager in Miami. You know, I'm just looking forward to the whole year pretty much. I had a very negative clay court season last year, a lot of first-round losses, hardly got any matches under my belt. I finished off with a decent French, lost in the Round of 16. I'm just pretty much excited about every tournament. I think I'd like to -- I'm pretty excited about Wimbledon this year.

Question You came very close to having a giant Wimbledon a couple years back. Is that one you think you clearly have a good shot at winning?
Answer It's tough to say that. I was hitting the ball well. Who knows if I would have lost the next three sets or if I could have won. You can't look back and say I would have won that tournament. It's just unfortunate the way it ended.

Question What's after Miami?
Answer Monte-Carlo.

Question Fitzy spoken to you?
Answer I saw him a couple of times.

Question But nothing about Brazil?
Answer Like I said, my No. 1 priority is myself and my body. That's the only thing I'm looking at. There's some tough tournaments. After the tournaments, I have to look after myself and relax. If that means missing out on Davis Cup, that means missing out on Davis Cup.

Question Having taken that into consideration, when do you think you could make a decision as far as Brazil is concerned?
Answer It will be after the Lipton. See how I pull up after Lipton. It's going to be tough the next four months, but that's how it is. I've got to be selfish. I've got to look at myself. That's my priority. I've got to set myself a goal this year to have a great year, and I know I can. In that case, I've got to be a little selfish in other aspects.

Question Looking even further ahead, are you saying that selfish aspect, something like the Tennis Masters Series would be something in your mind for Sydney?
Answer Well, definitely. Out of anyplace, but especially being in Australia, that's going to be a big goal, I'm sure, for any Australian.

Question We here in America have lots of problems with Andre and Pete not consistently playing Davis Cup. Could you comment on that?
Answer The only thing I can comment on, people have got to realize, the thing about tennis is there's no off-season. It's just matches the whole way through. When you finish these big tournaments, when it's time to relax, that's when they've got the Davis Cup slotted in. It's virtually impossible for you to get some time off and maybe relax for a week, get some tough training in, get ready for the next tournament, next Masters Series. From Miami, you have a week off going into Davis Cup, wherever that might be, then straight into a Masters Series tournament. It's tough to do. Especially a guy in my position where I've come off my second surgery, I'm always going to have niggling problems, I've really got to look after myself. When I do have time off, I've really got to take advantage of that. For Andre and Pete, what can you say? They have been there for Davis Cup in the past. For them it's clear their priority is finishing No. 1 for both of them. Like I said, they peak for these Grand Slams, they peak for these Masters Series tournaments. When it's time for them to have time off, there's Davis Cup, and obviously they prefer to have time off. Then again, I don't know what their situation is exactly, how they look at it. I can't really speak for them.

Question Both tours talk about the exact same complaints the players do, that there's no off-season. Why can't the players force some action?
Answer I don't think we're always saying something. What can you do? That's one of the reasons why tennis is not so exciting from a viewers' aspect. That's why basketball is exciting. They have their time off. Everyone is waiting for them to come back for the season. Everyone is pumped to watch some basketball. Same with baseball, same with football. Every week there's a tournament somewhere, or two tournaments, even three at the same time. It's like for the viewers, "Who cares? Just another tournament." For Grand Slams and Masters Series, it's a little different, they get excited, enjoy their tennis. If there's a tournament every week, what's the motivation for the player or the viewer, spectator.

Question I often think, where is the off-season where the player gets to work on his or her game, try and bring new things to the table?
Answer Exactly. There's a lot of pluses that could happen by having an off-season. I mean, they could have exhibitions. If you want to play them, you can play them, whatever your decision is. I think you can't have any points tournaments for like three months, but you can have exhibition tournaments different places. There's a lot of ways to look at it. Then again, by saying that, it's tough. I'm sure they are trying to get a little better, having a bit of time off here and there, but they've got to do a lot more. I think that's going to get people -- if they spread it out, off-season, have the Davis Cup, I guarantee you so much more people are going to play.

Question With these two Masters Series back to back, can you talk about how tough you think it is for a player to win both of them?
Answer It's tough for a player to win back to back, no doubt. The good thing is, you have a week off. Here is a week, the Ericsson is like a ten-day tournament. Matches are starting on Wednesday, but seeded players don't play till Friday, Saturday. You do pretty much have a week off. That's the good thing.

Question Being in close proximity, that is a tough thing to do?
Answer There is a week, but a week is a big difference. It's not too bad at all.

Question At the Ericsson you were asked what you like about Miami. What do you like most about the desert?
Answer The desert? I suppose one great thing about it is the weather. You have a lot of golf courses here. I don't know. What could I say? It's a beautiful place, but I couldn't see myself living here. I need the ocean, I need the water around me. But it is a beautiful place.

Question You were saying because of last year's disappointment on the clay season, you'll be playing a few clay court tournaments. What have you got coming up?
Answer I've got Monte-Carlo, then I'm playing the tournament in Houston, which is a red clay court tournament, then back for the Masters Series. Again, same thing, before the French.

Question Dusseldorf?
Answer No, not Dusseldorf.