F. VERDASCO/T. Henman

6‑4, 6‑2, 6‑2

An interview with:

TIM HENMAN

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. Did you know before you went on that it was going to be an immense struggle with the back?
TIM HENMAN: I think I was a bit more optimistic than that because, you know, I knew that my back wasn't great, but after the practice I had for three‑quarters of an hour on Sunday and then a bit longer yesterday, I felt like it was moving in the right direction.  But I just think there's always that difference between practice and matches. You know, you've got to go after shots a bit more. It was just pretty much in the third ‑‑ in my third game, my second service game, it just ‑‑ you know, it tightened up. And then, if anything, it's just going to get tighter and tighter as the match goes on.  You know, it's frustrating because my back, I know that I have an issue. Pretty much since the early part of the year, it hasn't been a problem. But it's when it does get irritated, you get a lot of inflammation in that area, it's very difficult, if you're practicing and trying to play, to keep that down. That was really the issue today.

Q. The way you were sort of flexing your legs, is it sort of a sciatic nerve?
TIM HENMAN: No, it's not. That is the good thing, that it doesn't go down my leg. I think when it does, it's getting much, much worse. It's more localized. It's just in the lower right side of my back. You know, the muscles around it, once you get that inflammation, to protect it, they just basically go into spasm. It doesn't really give you any movement in that area. Every time you engage the muscle, which is virtually on every shot, you know, you feel like someone's prodding you with a knife. You know, we know this game's tough enough when you're a hundred percent healthy. I think it's impossible when you can't move at a hundred percent.

Q. Do you think you might have to take another break?
TIM HENMAN: No. I'll definitely rest, because that's what it needs because of the inflammation, as I said, to really get it to settle, to calm it down. Yeah, I'll rest. But, you know, I've got some time. You know, I'll get it right because there's been, you know, a long period of time I haven't played my best tennis, but it hasn't been an issue. It is frustrating that it's been an issue for this event. But I'll go back and get it under control and then I'll be able to concentrate on improving my game.

Q. Who has been treating you? Is it Jean Pierre or the lady you saw last year?
TIM HENMAN: Saw them both. JP more so because he's been around for a while now and he understands the situation. Again, you know, it's very frustrating, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't mean that it's going to be as bad as this. It doesn't necessarily mean it's got to be so restrictive. But it's frustrating when I feel like it's been good and then for not really ‑‑ without the biggest reason, suddenly on Thursday or Friday, I don't know whether I'd done a lot more training, sitting in the car, then coming into here and practicing, whether that tightened it up a bit more, a few sudden movements. But, yes, it is definitely frustrating.

Q. What sort of treatment has JP been giving you?
TIM HENMAN: Once I get a little bit of inflammation, then the muscles all tighten up in the area, then it starts ‑‑ you start compensating, so your hips go out of alignment. It's sort of a knock‑on process. You've got to try to keep it as relaxed as possible and make sure that your body is in the right alignment. I think it's a pretty important issue. But when you've got that inflammation, it takes very little to set it off each time.

Q. Has he just been massaging?
TIM HENMAN: A lot of stretching, a little bit of manipulation in that area, antiinflammatories to, again, settle it. But in this time frame, Friday, when it was bad, and I didn't practice Saturday, I think it just needs a bit longer. I think if I rest for a week and let it settle, then I'm pretty confident it will be fine to start working again.

Q. Did you ask for a late start?
TIM HENMAN: I asked for Wednesday, yeah.

Q. 11:00 on a Tuesday morning?
TIM HENMAN: Not as late as it could have been.

Q. What are your feelings about that?
TIM HENMAN: Perhaps 24 hours might have made a difference. That, we'll never know.

Q. Could you look back this year, Grand Slam results is it disappointing?
TIM HENMAN: It's disappointing definitely. After having my best year in the Slams last year, it's probably one of my most disappointing. I think when I look in the context of the last so many years, I've played very, very consistently. You know, this has been a difficult year, don't get me wrong. But it doesn't sort of deter me to make sure that I get back to the basics of working hard, practicing hard, and enjoying what I do, because I think that was an issue for the first six or seven months. I think for the first time I, you know, was a little burnt out after these number of years playing. You know, it's been a difficult summer for me. I haven't had any results at all. Actually in terms of, you know, the purpose that I've had, it's been much, much better. That's why when I keep doing the right things, I've got no doubts my results will get better.

Q. Are you as enthusiastic now as you were?
TIM HENMAN: I am now, yeah.

Q. Having gone through that.
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, definitely. I mean up until Wimbledon, it was a real struggle for a number of different issues. You know, to lose early and then actually get away, be able to kind of reflect on things and ask myself a few questions, it was exactly what I needed, because then when I came back to actually start my training, start working on my game, you know, I felt like there was a lot more enjoyment and a lot of purpose, a lot more direction to what I wanted to do. That no doubt had been missing for the first part of the year. But I think, you know, I shouldn't really be surprised about that. I've been doing this for a long, long time. I think it's the first time ever since I played tennis that I really felt burnt out. To have a break and get away from it, then come back to it, it definitely made me a lot fresher.

Q. Was part of that the coming down from having achieved so much last year at the Grand Slams?
TIM HENMAN: I think the transition between '04 and '05 was an important factor because I felt really, really exhausted at the end of last year and I needed a break. I had that break. But then when I came back to try to prepare for this year, it was really sort of nonexistent because of the issues I had with my back. I guess, you know, having another baby probably threw another variable into the equation. But that's something, you know, I think that happens. It's the first time it's really happened to me. And it took a little while longer to actually really be able to step back and evaluate that. But that's why I feel that, you know, it's disappointing. I made the semis here last year and I've gone out in the first round with a bad back. But in the context of what's going to happen in the next year or two, I don't think it's something ‑‑ it's something that I'm not overly concerned with.

Q. Do you have a sense of how many more good years you've got left in you?
TIM HENMAN: Not really, no. I think it's very difficult to predict that. You know, first and foremost, the health is the big issue because if you're not healthy, then I really don't think you can compete at this level. So I'll make sure that that is the case. But it's important that when I'm doing the work, whether it's in the gym or on the practice court and on the match court, you know, enjoy it. I think after playing this long, I've earned that right. Not that I didn't enjoy it before, but certainly the first six or seven months, it was not the most enjoyable that I've had. That's something that's important because I think when I'm in that frame of mind, I'm relaxed and having fun, that's when I play my best.

Q. Were you ever at the point where you didn't feel like getting on the plane, didn't want to go?
TIM HENMAN: It wasn't that because I think I was still, you know, practicing and I was still training. But I think the intensity and the level that it was at was not up to my standards. It can just be ‑‑ I could probably point to, you know, half a dozen of those types of things where it only takes you to drop 5% or 10%, and when you accumulate all of them, that's going to be reflected in your performance, your attitude on the court. I think that best sums up the early part of the year.

Q. Given that you felt like that, you obviously made the decision around the Australian time not to play Davis Cup tennis any more, do you think you might change your mind about that?
TIM HENMAN: No, certainly not with Davis Cup. But, you know, I think the decision was made to try and give myself more opportunities and to be able to structure my schedule a little bit better. You know, in all honesty, this sort of just emphasizes the point. It gets harder and harder for me to maintain the physical fitness that I need to play. You know, when you're throwing in another sort of 10 days twice a year minimum with regards to Davis Cup, five‑set matches three days in a row, that's something that I think would be very, very difficult for me. I think that's something that makes me feel confident I made the right decision. You know, I watched the match in Israel. I'm sure I'll watch the match in Switzerland. I do, I feel very sort of comfortable with it. I miss being out there playing in a great match with a great atmosphere. It's no different today. When you can't compete properly, it's not what you want to be playing for. That's why I'll get these issues right so that then I can play to the level I expect to play.

Q. With hindsight, given that you were not fully fit, do you feel it was a good decision to compete here? >

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, absolutely. I wasn't fully fit when I started last year. But, you know, you give it a try. What have I got to lose? If I was really going to do some lasting damage, then sure, that's a decision you have to weigh up. But my back in the state it is, I'm not going to do anything that's going to hinder my career. I gave it a try. It didn't work out for me this year.

Q. What did you make of the Verdasco today? Do you think he's solid enough to have a bit of a run here?
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I mean, he's dangerous on hard courts. He's dangerous on a lot of surfaces with his results. He's got a big, big game. I think it's whether he can have that sort of consistency over five‑set matches over a couple of weeks. You know, he's another Spanish guy that's I'm sure going to be around for a while.

Q. Will the fact that the ranking will drop between 25 to 30 now, when you look at that, will that act as a spur?
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, exactly. It's a challenge for me, isn't it? Over the years I've been that consistent that it's really only happened on one other occasion. That's definitely going to be a motivating factor. You know, I've got five events between now and the end of the year. I want to finish strongly so that I can go into the off‑season, work hard, start afresh in '06.

Q. Do you know why it flared up?
TIM HENMAN: No, I don't. I mean, it's been good for a while. I think maybe, you know, with the training we did in the sort of three or four days prior to coming in here, I perhaps was a little bit stiff, a little bit sore. I don't know whether I hadn't stretched enough. But then sort of getting into the car and driving a couple of hours, then practicing, that was when it seemed like it suddenly seized up a little bit. I don't really have a specific explanation. It wasn't like I suddenly made one move and it locked up.

Q. Seems we're seeing more and more players on tour with children. Can you talk the trials and tribulations of this kind of lifestyle, having a family?
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, it's sometimes not the easiest if you're traveling with them in hotels and airports. You know, I think it's a nice problem to have certainly. I enjoy having my family with me when I'm playing some of the tournaments. Sometimes it's easier than others. We wouldn't try and have them in New York City really. I don't think it's convenient or easy. No, it's something you have to learn to adapt to.

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