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Transcript - Lindsay Davenport
and James Blake (USA) James, how did you feel about the standard of your match? (Blake) I thought it was pretty high – especially his serving was incredible. I’d love to see his serving statistics…he probably had 20-something aces and maybe one or two double faults. So for me to just hang in there and hold my serve against how well he was serving was umm…I was pretty happy with that – especially since I changed my serve in the off-season; it held up. You know, it was just a couple of points here and there in both those tie-breakers and after…especially in that second tie-breaker, I made a concerted effort to move forward a little more. I was getting pushed around by him, which most players do – he’s such a powerful player – but, I didn’t want to lose knowing that I was pushed around the whole match. So, I started trying to take it to him and I felt like I played a whole lot better in that second and third set and I think he rates his game too….it was a lot of fun to be out there. I mean, we had some great points; we had some good rallies; he aced me a million times and…besides that it was fun. Do you rehearse that dive or did it just happen? (Blake) Uh, no. I think if I rehearsed that I wouldn’t be walking still. It was just set point, I mean I didn’t think I had a chance to get it but I had to go for it on set point and…afterwards in hindsight I though, you know, last thing Lindsay said was don’t get hurt. We’ve seen so many people get hurt and I made sure when I got up I let them know I’m okay; I’m fine. Then the trainer came out and I wanted to let them know that was for Marat (Safin); not me. I was okay. James, what’s your reaction to the Greg Rusedski news this morning? (Blake) I haven’t heard a whole lot about it. I just heard he had tested positive for Nandrolone, is that right? I’m not sure if I’m pronouncing it right…but, that’s too bad. Unfortunately drugs is coming into just about every sport and I guess the more money involved, the more people are tempted to circumvent the rules. I don’t know the story…I don’t know if he used something that a doctor gave him and didn’t tell him...I don’t know. But, I mean, you’ve got to be careful with things you’re putting into your body when you know your body is your profession. I really don’t want to say too much because I don’t know the details, but, you know, I hope it’s just a mistake and he’s back on tour and he’s okay. You know, he adds something to the game – he’s got that huge lefty serve and I hope he didn’t do anything on purpose. Generally, are drugs a very big issue in tennis, do you think? (Blake) I mean, there have been a few positive tests…otherwise it’s all just rumours and hearsay, so I don’t know. I hope not, you know, I’m a pretty big optimist and I try to think everyone’s playing by the rules. I think it’s ridiculous to put your health second when you’re trying to just make more money or get ranked a few points higher. I mean, I want to have a life after tennis; I want to have kids; I want to have…I want to be still walking when I’m 60, and I think people forget that there is life after tennis and that these drugs, any drugs that people are putting into their body, are going to have side-effects. It’s unfortunate, and I hope people aren’t doing it on purpose. James, you haven’t played Karol Kucera but you’ve been hitting with him a couple of times…how do you rank his game? (Blake) He’s a great player. His serve has been the only thing that sometimes lets him down. Hopefully I can get on his serve early and pressure him there, but his groundstrokes are some of the best in the world, and he’s been top ten in the world, so he’s proven that for a while. He hits the ball a little flatter than most and uses the angles great. He’s very fast; gets to a ton of balls; volleys solid. You know, the only thing I can think of as a weakness is just try to jump on his second serve. Other than that he plays great, so I’m going to try to attack him and see what happens. Marat said that he thinks he can get back to number one this year; is that being a bit optimistic for him? (Blake) I’m not going to put anything past him. He’s got so much talent. To say he’s definitely getting to number one would be crazy because there’s so many things that could go wrong; injuries, sickness, and a couple of bad draws, but…you know, he’s got the talent – that’s for sure. But you never know, because the most talented player isn’t always number one in the world. Just things have to fall into place – you have to go…everything has to go right, but he definitely has the talent. With that serve, the way he can rip his forehand, volley – he does everything well. I mean, this is the first time I’ve played him in a match, but he’s a lot faster than I expected too…he moves so well for a big guy, and you know, he’s been there before so I definitely wouldn’t put it past him to do it again. I just hope I don’t run into him when he’s playing at that level. Lindsay, just back on the drugs issue; can I ask you if you think it’s a growing problem in tennis? (Davenport) You know, I don’t know. I know that last year I was tested a lot, a lot of times, so I think that the last few years both establishments have made a concerted effort to test players more and more frequently out of competition, in competition and, you know, I think they’re going about the right means to try and stop any problems that may have been beginning. But, you know, women’s tennis I think that…you know, I don’t think we’ve had any real positive tests in the last couple years…I don’t know that for sure, but I’m pretty sure we’ve been okay. You know, as long as they keep trying to detect, you know, it definitely scares the players away from trying to do anything illegal. Do you think players should be able to continue playing after they’ve returned a positive test until their hearing is held? (Davenport) Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know how long after when they’re tested positive is the hearing…I don’t really know exactly, all the logistics of it, but…I think probably you’ve got to assume that they’re innocent until proven guilty and it’s probably fair to let them play until the hearing. I don’t know. I mean I’ve never really thought about it. (Blake) They still lose their points and prizemoney if they’re found guilty in that hearing for when they were playing, after the positive test. How many times have you been tested in the last year? (Davenport) Oh, I get tested a lot. (Blake) Yeah, me too. Probably ten at least. (Davenport) Yeah. I was going to say, they came to my house about two or three times. Yeah…on my week off and once in November…and a lot of tournaments and every grand slam…and a handful of other tournaments. Are you guys surprised that Slovakia is in the final? (Davenport) Well, yeah…(laughs) (Blake) Yeah, I little bit…(laughs) (Davenport) Australia qualified! Yeah…I mean, you know, I think that first it was basically between Australia and Belgium the other day and Australia wins that when Kim’s hurt and then…Slovakia. But, you know, it’s a shame for Alicia…I mean, I think bad, chronic injuries she’s been having on both her feet and, you know, I don’t think anyone expected last night that it was actually maybe as bad as it turned out to be this morning so you kind of have to feel for her. James, would you have liked to have played Lleyton Hewitt again and seen if you could beat him again? (Blake) I would love to.
Unfortunately if I did beat him I don’t know if they’d be
inviting me back anymore. But, it would be fun to play someone that
talented in his home country.
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