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All Post-Match Interviews Courtesy of
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Australian
Open 2002
Post-Match Interviews
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M.
PHILIPPOUSSIS/J. Boutter
6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
MODERATOR: Questions for Mark.
Q. Good start, Mark?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah, a little nervous, I think. Didn't really have
any timing on my serve until pretty much the start of the third set.
Besides that, you know, I felt like I played okay for the first match.
Q. You had a lot of publicity leading up. Were you relieved to get out
on the court and play?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah, definitely. I didn't play last year,
obviously. As I was saying, I was nervous before the match. Just looking
forward to it. It's just great to be back, you know, on the courts here.
Q. Can you talk about the changes that you've gone through since '99 and
kind of your approach to tennis now, your thoughts about your life in
general?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I think a few years ago I would have taken a lot of
things in my life for granted. Now I look at life in a totally different
perspective, as well as my personal life and life on the tennis court,
too.
When I was on the court, I was young, I never thought anything was going
to go wrong. I was having fun. I thought, "There's a lot of years
ahead of me." Until something happens, that makes you open your
eyes and realize that you never know when your career can end.
So just go as hard as you can. That's how I feel now. I'm taking each
day at a time, just trying to go out there and enjoy myself. It's tough
to think ahead. I just want to think about it now. Pretty much I want to
stay relaxed.
Q. You moved out of Miami and kind of sold off some of your toys, I
guess. Is that fair to say?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah.
Q. Why did you do that?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Well, I mean, I had my third surgery. I was in a
wheelchair for two months, in bed. The only thing you can do is do a lot
of thinking. I thought about if I was happy in my life, and I wasn't.
Things that you think make you happy don't. The thing was, I wasn't
really happy in Miami - and I thought I was.
I just, you know, decided to move, go somewhere that's definitely a lot
more quieter, where there's not the same distractions around me as there
was in Miami. Just wanted to try and give myself a fresh start.
Q. You still haven't played a heap of tennis this year. How far from
your physical peak do you think you are?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: It's going to take a while. It's definitely going to
take the whole of this year. It's tough for me to rush it because, you
know, after the Australian Open, I tried to work on my legs and get my
legs really strong, and I injured myself again. I can't do that. I've
got to take my time, you know, just take it a week at a time and try to
get my legs gradually strong.
As I was saying, it's tough to look ahead. But I've got to take things,
you know, as they come.
Q. Have you got seven matches in the legs, do you think?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I never think too far ahead. For a Grand Slam, even
if I didn't, I'm still going to try. But I'm feeling pretty good. You
know, I can't complain at all.
Q. You had a reputation as kind of the good-time guy, the party guy. Is
it hard to just kind of cut that off once people kind of associated you
with that?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I mean, it's not like -- I definitely partied a lot.
It's not like I don't party at all. If I'm not at a tournament, I've got
a couple weeks off, I'm going to go out for a couple nights. It's just
not going to be the same as it was, that's all.
If I train hard on the court, then you can enjoy yourself off the court.
You know, you deserve that. It's not like I'm never going to go out
again. I'm still having fun. But just, you know, trying to even it out.
Q. People would have looked at you from the outside and thought,
"He has every reason to be really happy with how his life is, maybe
even with the injuries." Pat Cash just came out with a book where
he talked about being so miserable that he thought of ending his life.
Can you talk about what forces make it difficult to be truly happy and
content?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I cannot speak for anyone else. I have no idea how
he felt.
But for me, the most important thing in my life is my family and their
health. Everything else comes second. So I'm the luckiest guy in the
world. I have nothing at all to complain about. You know, even after
three surgeries, I'm still the luckiest guy in the world. I still have
two legs to run around on. I'm blessed.
You know, I couldn't see anything that would make me, you know, become,
you know -- think about things like that.
Like I said, I'm loving life. I love my family. I love my friends.
They're all healthy. I'm healthy. That's what it's all about.
Q. Is it easy to lose that focus, the perspective that family and health
is important when you have so many peripheral things come your way?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No, not at all. Like I said, if that's your number
one priority, then nothing else matters.
Q. Enqvist next. What are your thoughts on playing him?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: He's a dangerous player, no matter what surface you
play him on. He hits the ball nice and flat. He's going to be dangerous.
He's got good returns, he can slap some back.
Again, it doesn't really matter who I play. As long as I go out there.
Obviously, you've got to adapt your game a little bit to who you play.
But I've just got to go out there and play percentage tennis. I
definitely want to get some more first serves in. You know, sometimes I
get a little slack, tense, I miss those easy volleys because there's no
-- yeah, just my mind is not there. If I see a ball floating in the air,
instead of going forward and putting it away, I'm waiting for it. I just
hit it with no direction at all. That's what I did a couple times today,
and I lost my serve.
I can't afford to do that against Thomas. I've got to go out there and
think about my serve and take it a point at a time, just try and make
him play on his serves.
Q. You were saying at Queen's that your new philosophy is to fight for
every point. Is concentration a part of that?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Definitely. If you were out there every point
fighting, it's going to be hard to concentrate the whole match. But
that's what's it all about. If I keep doing that, I'm going to get
mentally tougher. That's what I need, I need to get mentally tougher,
just focus, commit myself. That's all. If I'm going to serve-volleying,
committing to the first serve, the first volley, you know, I play good
tennis. If I'm going out there half-hearted on some of the volleys, I'm
going to make some silly shots.
As long as I go out there and compete, stay positive, stay focused, you
know, that's what I'm looking for.
Q. Are you doing anything different this year in terms of renting a
house around here? Has your mom come over?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Mom's here.
Q. Is she doing the cooking?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Doing the cooking.
Q. Who is it, your mom and dad?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: My mom, Dad, my best friend Charlie, his fiancee,
best friend Billy from Australia. Got the full house.
Q. How far are you from your peak?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I'm fit. I feel good. I'm definitely feeling as good
as I have for a long time. Like anyone, there's no doubt you can get
fitter. There's no doubt I can get fitter, I can get stronger. But I'm
feeling pretty good.
Q. Of the things that you let go of, the toys, can you say what you got
rid of? You bought some horses, is that right?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah, I have two horses, and six dogs.
Q. What did you get rid of? The sports cars? The motorcycles?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I kept one motorcycle, but pretty much got rid of
the rest. You know, the sports cars.
Q. Do you feel like the best years of your tennis are ahead of you or
behind you?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: They're definitely ahead of me. There's no doubt
about that.
Q. Especially here, do you feel like there's unfinished business for
you, the fact that your big serve plays so well here?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah. I mean, this is a dream for me to win. I know
I can win it. I'm going to give it my best this year. But if it's not
this year, I'm going to give it my best and come back next year.
But I'm still here this year and I'm still in it, just like everyone.
People come to the tournaments to win, they're not going to be happy,
"Okay, couple of matches, whatever, think about next week."
Everybody's here to win. That's what it's all about.
Q. Were you going to beat Sampras that day when you got hurt here?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: You never know. I mean, you never know what was
going to happen. Definitely wasn't the way I wanted to get out.
Q. Is that sort of the pivot of your career, that match, in some
respects because you had that injury? It was almost like you were going
to win the match one moment, then the next moment you were on the
ground. Seemed like a pivot in the career.
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: It's just a bit of a stumble, that's all that it
was. Can't do anything about that. It was supposed to happen for a
reason. You know, just a little hurdle in my life, something I had to
get over, and I'm over it. That's all that it was.
M.
PHILIPPOUSSIS/T. Enqvist
7-5, 6-3, 6-4
THE MODERATOR: You served very well today. Was that the feature of the
game?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I served well at stages of the game. It was very
up-and-down. Thomas didn't serve well today and he did a lot of
double-faults. I think his double-faults made me nervous, but that game
- 4-2, I think it was - in the second, I was down 15-40; I came back.
That gave me some routine. From there on, I felt, you know, pretty
comfortable on the serve. Felt like I got some rhythm back, yeah.
Q. The double-faults obviously is something troubling you a little bit.
Do you think it was only because he started it off?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I definitely am double-faulting too much. It did
make me a little nervous. But, yeah, I mean, like I said, I'm
double-faulting too much. I was trying to push it a little bit. I mean,
he was returning well and he put a bit of pressure on me. I tried to
step it up a little. You know, with a bit of credit to him, too, though,
with his returns.
Q. 5-1 up in the first set, was that another lapse of concentration?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I'm thinking I can't really say I did that much
wrong. One double-fault in 30-40, he, you know, he came up with some
great returns. I mean, pretty much any -- if I gave him a look on that
second serve, he would just pass me. And obviously I need to get my
first serve in, and take away pressure from myself, you know, so I don't
have to hit those second serves on the big points. You know, they're the
things I got to work on.
Q. What pleased you most about your game today?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: The thing that I was happy about is like my first
match, as the match went on, I got better. I felt like I returned good,
I made him play on his serve, my return's game a little better as each
match goes by. And, yeah, that's what I'm happy with. You know, I got a
little bit upset but it's just more to pump myself up. So, you know, I'm
sort of happy the way I concentrated today, even after losing those two
breaks in the first. It's always good to win a set, you know, like that.
Q. How do you feel about playing Kiefer?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: You know, obviously he hasn't been playing some
great tennis this year, but he must be playing some good tennis now and
he's going to be dangerous. But as I was saying before, it doesn't
really worry me who I play as long as I go out there. I adapt my game a
little to the way he's going to play, but just worry about myself.
Q. Are you happy with the progress you've made so far coming into the
tournament? Is this where you'd like to be at?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah, yeah. I'm happy with the way things are going,
definitely.
Q. Are you still fit?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I feel good. I feel good out there, yeah.
Q. Could you tell us about the rosary beads. Noticed them lately. Are
you more religious now than you used to be?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No, no, I've always been religious. I'm Catholic,
I've always been religious.
I got them in Rome, a church there. So, yeah, from a priest in Rome.
Q. Do you feel like they're helping you? Is there any significance for
you wearing them on the court?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Like I said, I'm religious, but not to the point
where I'm going to say, "Help me win this match," it's never
like that. Like I said, I'm thankful for my family being healthy and
myself and that's all I pray for, nothing else. So, yeah, that's it.
Q. Must be a source of strength to you, though, the tough times that
you've been through must help you keep everything in perspective I would
have thought?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Of course. I mean, you know, people in my family
have always fought. My dad, when he had cancer, he fought against it,
fought against the odds and beat it. And, you know, things like that are
so inspiring. It makes me stronger. Like I said, I think stories and
life is a lot more beautiful when you have to struggle and fight for
something, you know. It's always a little sweeter at the end when, you
know, when you get what you want.
Q. You used to be good friends with Tommy Haas. Are you still in
contact with each other?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah. Yeah, I did call him. I called him, sent him
an E-mail wishing him the best. It's tough to understand how he's
feeling. I mean, I can understand a little bit when my father was sick.
But, gosh, it's such a tragic thing. And I wish him nothing but the
best, you know. I really hope, you know, he stays strong, you know.
Q. Have you talked to him?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: He's not talking to anyone. But he sent me an E-mail
thanking me for the message and I sent flowers. We spoke a little on the
Internet.
Q. You got the wildcard. Other people in the draw are going, "Oh,
no, not him." What sort of message are you sending out today, the
fact that you've taken care of a top guy like Thomas?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: It's so early to be too confident. I'm not going to
be overconfident. Today was a tough match. I went out there and did what
I had to do to get through it. Now I'm thinking about the next match,
and that's all there is to it. Like I said, I'm not the kind of person
that's going to sit there and, "Watch me, I'm coming through, I'm
playing great tennis." I'm going to go out there and try and play
great tennis and just, you know, sneak my way through the draw, you
know.
Q. Do you get many messages from back home, from people who know what
you've been through and are supporting you more now than they may have
done in the past?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: My friends, my family have always supported me no
matter what I've been doing.
Q. The public and people, do you get messages from home?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: You know, from -- they have the "Scud
Zone," a lot of my fans send me letters and gifts at home. It's
just so positive. It's just great. I want them to realize how much that
helps and how much that means to me. It's very, very positive and that's
something that gets me through things like that, too.
Q. Is Scud Zone a website?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah.
Q. How are you physically? How is your knee? I see a bandage on your
left foot.
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah, I twisted my ankle in Queen's.
Q. Is there any sort of danger? Do you feel sometimes your body -- are
there signals that it hurts sometimes?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No. The only danger is if my first serve
(starts/stops?) going in... I feel good.
Q. How did you feel the court was playing? JonasBjorkman said
yesterday he thought the courts were slower?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Court 1 was?
Q. He said Centre Court. He said there had been an effort to slow them
down.
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I think -- I've always thought Court 1 is a little
bit quicker than the rest. I don't know about Centre Court, but, you
know, felt pretty much the same out there.
Q. Are you pleased with the way you've rehabbed your knee?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah, after the third one. I rushed the second one.
I was on the court ten days later practicing after my second surgery.
Came back on the first tournament, then paid the price after that. The
third one took a long time. Even then, when the doctor said, "Okay,
you might want to start getting on the court," I still waited a
couple months.
So I really didn't want to rush it and wanted to do the right thing.
Q. As I understand, you need regular injections in the knee. Have they
told you how long you can go on having injections and how long the knee
is going to hold for a professional career?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: My knee's going to hold for the rest of my career.
I'm fine. It's getting stronger. I take injections, you know, I get
synthetic cartilage injected into my knee and that lasts around six
months. So the next one will be after the US Open.
Q. Two years ago you told us about your collection of bicycles. What's
happened to them? Have you enlarged now?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No, no. I just have one left. I sold them.
Q. Why is that?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Just got bored.
Q. What's the new temptation?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Tennis. Tennis and surfing.
Q. I've read that you've really rededicated yourself to tennis and
making the most of it. Do you want to talk about that?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: It's like, as I've been saying, after the third
surgery and doctors telling me that, you know, they don't think I'll
play at the professional level again. You know, someone says that to
you, you're going to work hard and you want to prove them wrong. That's
my new start to my career. I moved houses. I, you know, stopped going
out like I was going out. And just wanted to mature a lot more than I
was in the past, just wanted to commit myself. And, yeah, like I said,
I've been given a second chance. I want to do the right thing now.
M. PHILIPPOUSSIS/N. Kiefer
3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. Pretty slow start. Was that frustrating? You got back into it again.
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Obviously, wasn't the start I wanted. But I don't
really think I did anything wrong. He played a great game. He came out
of the blocks a lot faster than me. Yeah, he just took advantage of the
slow start on my part.
But I'm not really too disappointed about that.
Q. You seemed at times to be frustrated at yourself, yelling at
yourself.
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I'm just telling myself to concentrate because I put
myself -- I put a lot of pressure on myself, you know, put myself in
tough situations that I shouldn't have been in, you know, with some easy
volley misses. You know, I was just telling myself to concentrate and
just to be solid.
Q. Serve worked in fits and spurts today. You always seemed to end up in
credit. Is that something that you're concerned about? There were a lot
of double-faults, sometimes two in a row.
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No, the good thing today was when I did
double-fault, I came out with an ace straight after it. But, again, I've
got to cut those out.
You know, as long as I keep my head down and fight my way back and save
those breakpoints, obviously I was happy with the way I played the
breakpoints today. But I think as the tournament goes on, I definitely,
you know, want to serve less double-faults and cut those easy mistakes
out.
Q. Is it just a question of not having been in the big match environment
for a long time?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No, I think it all comes down to concentration. You
know, it's just a routine I go in every time I serve - you know, you're
bouncing the ball, ball toss up, jumping into the serve. A lot of
double-faults, the ball toss is either too low and I can't jump into the
serve or I'm just not jumping into the serve, and there's no racquet
head speed.
You know, as long as I just remember a couple of things before the
serve, I feel like I've always got some good rhythm.
Q. Next round you will meet RichardKrajicek who has been injured a long
time, as you. What do you think about that? Is it surprising for you?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No, no. Obviously, being a past champion here, he
loves the tournament, and he's a great player on the grass. You know,
one good thing I know, he's going to be serve-volleying first and second
serve, so I can expect that.
But, like I said so many times, it doesn't really worry me who's on the
other end. As long as I do the right thing on my part and concentrate on
my serves and make him play on his serves, you know, I'm going to be
dangerous.
Q. How is your knee? Do you still have the injections?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I had the injection already. My knee's feeling
great, so, yeah.
Q. When was the last one?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Just before Lipton -- Ericsson -- Nasdaq (smiling).
Q. I'd like to ask you a question on a comment that John McEnroe had in
his book about players on the tour. He said the top players not only
have to be self-centered, but they have to be selfish in a way, and that
cockiness is a form of self-survival. Could you comment on that?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I think everyone's different. Everyone's got their
own personality. You know, I don't think you need to be cocky to become
a champion.
You know, if it takes for me to become a champion to be cocky, then I'm
going to find another way. It's just not how I am.
Like I say, it depends on the individual, what works for them. You know,
sometimes by acting a little cocky, they can play a little better, get a
little more pumped, that's up to the individual.
But I think everyone's different, so...
Q. You draw such attention, adulation, any place you go from Miami to
Australia to here. How do you prevent that from totally going to your
head?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: You know, it's just great having the fans out there
and cheering you on, knowing you're going to have support at all the
tournaments you're going to. It's very important.
But for myself, you know, all you want to do when you're a kid is become
a professional tennis player, and you want people to know you. Once that
happens, you sort of don't wish that anymore when you're away from it.
But coming to the tennis, you have to expect that, and it comes with the
territory, comes with the game. I definitely don't take -- doesn't make
me cocky. If anything, it will just, you know, make me appreciate the
game and appreciate the fans more.
Q. In terms of fame, do you ever say to yourself, "Be careful what
you ask for," since now you're noticed everywhere?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah, like I said, you're a kid and you want to be
noticed, you want to be stopped when you get older, people to know you.
But, yeah, when you're off the court and you're at home or going
somewhere and relaxing, it depends. It can be a little frustrating.
Depends on how some people approach you. Most of the time they're very
good. You know, they come up to you and say, "I enjoy watching you
play. Keep up the good work." I really appreciate that.
Q. Is it a testament to more than surgical knowledge that this match
with Richard could even take place, or a testament to yours and his
determination to get back?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I don't know. I know that Richard had trouble with
his shoulder. He had a shoulder surgery. Obviously, you know, he's
worked hard to get back from where he was.
You know, I think a player like Richard -- you know, once you're out
there playing those matches, it all comes back to you quickly. That's
the way it felt like for me. You know, I think for both of us, it's
going to take time. And it did take time to, you know, stop thinking
about my knee or his shoulder in the back of your mind, just go out
there and play.
But I don't think we'll be thinking about that. You know, it's the
fourth round, it's the second week, and it's Wimbledon. You know, I want
to go out there to win. So, you know, that's all it is.
Q. The injections, it sounds horrible. Is it very simple? Is it painful?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: It's pretty simple, but it's pretty painful, yeah.
Q. Does it take long or is it just one single injection?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No, it's two. So it's six all up because you have a
three-week gap. You take one injection to numb the area of where the
other injection is going to go in for the synovitis.
Q. Do you dread it?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Yeah. I don't like needles at all. It's not the best
moment of all.
Q. But it's the price?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I feel great after it. Yeah, definitely feels like
it helps me.
Q. What shape is your knee going to be in when you're 50 years old after
doing this?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: I'm not going to look at that.
Q. Have the doctors told you you might have trouble in later life at
all?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No. I'm sure I'll still be skydiving age of 50.
Q. How did you find your grip out on Court 2? Kiefer was sort of looking
at the baseline a couple of times like it was a bit slippery. Serena has
fallen over four or five times in the first set of her match.
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: They're staying back, I'm serve-volleying. I'm not
doing too much movement around the back, and that is where it's worn
out.
But, yeah, I'm serve-volleying, don't have any problems.
Q. That's not something you're worrying about with your knee trouble?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: Not at all, no.
Q. You served something like 81 aces for the tournament so far. Is that
an aim you go into each match, to serve as many aces as you can?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS: No, not at all. I just want to get a good percentage
of first serves in. You know, if it's an ace, it's a plus. But just
going out there to get rhythm on my serve, trying to play some good
serve and volley tennis.
*****
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