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An interview with Tommy Haas

T. Haas Interview - 26 June
Thursday, 26 June 2008
T. HAAS defeated T. Robredo 6-4, 6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Tommy.

Q. Can you give us your impressions? Do you feel like you're on a roll at the moment?
TOMMY HAAS: I wouldn't say on a roll, to be honest. I didn't play much tennis before the grass court season started. Halle was my first tournament. You always kind of are anxious to see how it goes right away.

I was pretty happy with my performance there. Coming in here not really having played that much, you're always kind of worried about how you play in the matches because you can practice for quite a long time, but match practice is something you can't practice.

Going out there and actually competing, trying to do it out there on court is very important. It's rewarding so far, so I'm feeling pretty good.

Q. Physically how are you?
TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, right now everything is quite good. That's why I'm out here playing. You know, usually if I'm not playing, that means something is wrong, unfortunately. So right now everything is good. I'm happy to be back here.

Q. Is it a situation where you erase the thoughts that something might crop up because you've had such a run of bad luck or take whatever comes, it's a bonus?
TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, in some sort of way. I'm happy that right now I'm injury‑free, that I'm capable of playing some of my best tennis, that it's at this time here in Wimbledon.

Happy to be in the third round, looking forward to my next match. Most of all, just trying to stay away from injuries, hope that the shoulder will hold up a couple more years.

Q. Xavier said he has seen you putting the hard work in. He says you have a great chance against Andy. How do you rate it?
TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, well, I think I'm gonna exchange a few words with Xavier either later tonight or tomorrow, because I couldn't see much of that match.

Obviously Andy puts a lot of effort into this tournament, as well. Because he ‑‑ everybody else in the tournament wants to do well here. Andy and I had some good matchups, actually twice in Indian Wells. Both times it was very, very tight.

Looking forward to a battle again.

Q. You served and volleyed a lot in your match today. Is that something you're trying to do more now that you're on the grass?
TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, it's something I think you have to put in the game, especially on grass. Even though it seems like it's a little bit slower than it was last week in Halle. I think it's a pretty good play to try and make the people pass you or come up with a good shot.

Q. Do you think you're still owed some years on the circuit because of the injuries that have taken so much away from you? Do you think you're owed something?
TOMMY HAAS: I don't know necessarily if it's owed something. I was gone for like 15 months there for a period and didn't know if I was ever gonna come back. Made it back briefly into the top 10, which I never thought was going to be possible.

I've, you know, much more succeeded my dreams after these surgeries than I thought I was capable of. So, you know, having another surgery end of last year really didn't help. I'm not the youngest guy out there, but I love the game of tennis. I love to compete.

As long as I'm healthy and I can go out there and play, all I want to do is give it my best and see where it takes me. That's all I can do.

Q. At the start of the year, what were your expectations for this season?
TOMMY HAAS: Not much, unfortunately, because I was doing a lot of rehab and I didn't even know when my season would start. Once I pushed myself to go out there and just try and see how the shoulder would react going out there and competing, it still took me a few weeks before I started playing some good tennis again, which was Indian Wells.

Then I got sick, started hurting my shoulder a little bit during the clay court season. I haven't really played that much tennis this year. I hope now for the rest of the season I'll just be healthy and I can compete and enjoy the game of tennis.

Q. Being your own best critic, knowing you've been a former world No. 2, how would you assess the actual level of what you're producing now and what you're still capable of producing?
TOMMY HAAS: I mean, I think it's really important. I'm really happy that I can still produce and get better in this game because, you know, it really challenges you. Every year I think the game is getting stronger and better.

I'm still happy after all that's happened to compete and be up there. Every once in a while I compete far in the tournament. That's really the main thing. I strive for that, try to compete hard and get better.

The only way to get better is if you're competing a lot and playing a lot of matches and learn from that. That's really my next step, trying to play a lot of tournaments.

Q. Do you ever get fed up of rehab?
TOMMY HAAS: Oh, yeah. There's times where you think you're just gonna maybe hang the racquet on the wall and say, You know what, spend your time doing something else, just give it a go.

But then again, you watch tennis, I'm a big tennis fan, it's such a good sport to compete in. I think you know when you're going to be done. I just don't feel that's happened to me yet.

Q. The rehab, when there's a chance now, a possible Centre Court with Andy Murray at Wimbledon, this is why you play?
TOMMY HAAS: Hopefully it will be Centre Court. I would love that. Last year I was in the fourth round here, supposed to play Roger. I tore my stomach muscle, couldn't really go out there and compete. I thought about staying around and just maybe walking out on Centre Court. I just really want to play there. That will be great.

Like you said, that's why you put the effort in, you dig deep a lot of times, have the family and friends, people supporting you. It's gonna be great.

Q. You turned the big 30 this year. You talked in the past about Andre Agassi doing so well into his 30s. Do you think you can be successful well into your 30s?
TOMMY HAAS: I'm going to give it a try. I don't know if I'm going to be as successful as Andre was. He had a game where he wasn't using his body running around. It's something I think a lot of people on the tour look up to, how Andre did it.

Even Pete Sampras was playing great tennis at the stage of 32. Even now you see a lot of people in the early 30s playing a lot of tennis. Even Bjorkman, Santoro, who knows how much longer they're going to be playing. It's definitely possible. You just play till you have success and enjoy it and still win matches.

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An interview with Tommy Haas

T. Haas Interview - 28 June
Saturday, 28 June 2008
Andy Murray def. Tommy Haas 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-2

Q. Did you feel after the second set maybe Andy was struggling? His serve seemed to go.
TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, I mean, it was very important for me to win the second set obviously. Didn't feel like I started off great myself. Took me a while to kind of get used to, yeah, Centre Court, the conditions a little bit.

I was down a set and a break. Fought back. Started to play a much better tennis, more aggressive.

You know, in the third set, I think at 1 All, I don't know if I had one or two break chances. He came up with the goods to hold serve there, and then I got a bad break. You know, he started serving really well again to hold in the third.

I think at 2 All in the fourth he really just played some unbelievable shots and deserved to win.

Q. How do you rate his chances in the rest of the competition?
TOMMY HAAS: I don't know. I mean, you know, in tennis it's tough to say. It's like everybody has a different game, different type of style. Depending on the situation, on the conditions and stuff, so it's tough.

Obviously, he's going to be tough to beat if he's playing the way he is, but he's still got a long way to go.

Q. What was it like playing out there?
TOMMY HAAS: I mean, it's great. You know, it's obviously one of the nicest center courts for us in the game with so much history. So, you know, you play that through your mind.

Obviously it's an honor to be on that court competing, trying to win. Crowd's great, so it was fun.

Q. Do you feel his game has developed, is still developing?
TOMMY HAAS: No, not really. I mean, you know, I think he plays a type of game that is quite unpredictable at times. He does have a very good first serve, which I think some people underrate. It's very fast. If he places it well it's very tough to get to.

I think he needs to work on the second serve, to be honest. I mean, I don't know I he used it enough. With a little bit of the windy conditions and the grass, it kind of makes it a little bit tougher to attack that I think here.

But overall he moves well and is a good counter puncher. If he's going to make shots like he did at the end of the fourth set he's going to be a contender, but it's very tough to ask for to do that day in and day out.

You know, overall I think he plays a game that's tough to beat, but I don't think it's changed much.

Q. Were you surprised or impressed by his temperament? He kept calm when it got tough.
TOMMY HAAS: I wasn't paying too much attention about him really. I'm out there trying to win, trying to find my game. A few points here and there didn't go my way, and that's why I lost today. That's unfortunate, but that's the way tennis goes. You just have to accept it.

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An interview with Tommy Haas

Western & Southern Financial Group
July 30, 2008
T. Haas / G. Monfils
5-1 Ret. (stomach illness)

Q. You went back out on the court to hit. The match was shorter than you anticipated. Even after that three-setter you felt like you needed more work today to get ready for possibly Nadal?
TOMMY HAAS: Uh, huh, yeah. Well, I had a day off yesterday as well. Didn't expect to win like this. It's never nice to win this way, to know that he was suffering or sick.
So just trying to focus on my game, and I actually started off pretty well playing my game. Then when he got the first when the trainer started to coming on court I knew something might be bothering him. I overheard them saying he's going to try and see how he feels after this game. You know, didn't expect him to maybe retire at that time, but it's always tough when you're sick or have something to continue.

Q. Last time you played Nadal was two years ago here, I think. Have you been surprised at how much, how fast he's been improving since then?
TOMMY HAAS: Yeah, it's nice. I'm looking forward to playing him against. It's been a while. Obviously he's the man to beat right now. He's been playing unbelievable tennis and winning five titles in row. So we'll see what I can do. You know, I'm just going to go out there and try my best and try to make his life a little tougher.

Q. You haven't played him in a couple years, but have you seen, watched, heard, how has he improved that much? What is he doing that much better than everyone else the last couple years?
TOMMY HAAS: Well, I can probably tell you more about that after I play him, and then I'll see if his balls are even more heavy. Obviously he moves unbelievable on the court and makes very few unforced errors and has just so much spin and power on the ball that it's really tough to play your own game. That's really the key: Trying to be aggressive and trying to come in. He seems to always have an answer and is just such a good competitor. When this guy has confidence as well with just winning every tournament that he's been playing the last five or six or whatever, you know, it's going to be tough. But you know that going into it, and you just try to figure out a good game plan and hope for the best and hope you can play some of your own best tennis and then see what happens.

Q. On a day like today after a win like that, would you almost have rather have played the match? Do you feel better getting the day of rest, or would you feel better having completed the match?
TOMMY HAAS: I mean, in the end, like I said, it's never good to win this way. Overall that's just the way it is. I went out and on the court and played another half and hour, 45 minutes. Tough conditions out there right now. It’s a little bit windy and looks like it could rain any minute. So, you know, overall I'm just pleased to be in the third round. The first match against Youzhny was a very tight one and a very good one for me. Happy to be here and having another chance to play maybe Nadal. He has to win tonight first anyway.

Q. You going to watch any of that match tonight?
TOMMY HAAS: I might, yeah.


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