Q. Was there sort of consolation having been involved in a pretty attractive sort of match?
TIM HENMAN: Not really. But I think it's probably, I think it's a reflection of why, from a tennis point of view, probably I'm retiring from the game. I think you look at you know, you look at Tsonga's style of play, I just think he's a classic, modern day player. I think that's where it's become harder and harder for me to compete. You look at the way he serves, the way he hits his forehand, his athleticism, it's phenomenal these days. But, you know, there's a lot of other guys like that around. That's where I think with, you know, some of my issues, back issues I've had, getting older, it gets harder. You know, I think he, yeah, played three pretty good sets tonight.

Q. Decent finish to your career.
TIM HENMAN: Well, yeah, I mean, I don't I think the Davis Cup seems to be a pretty big focal point of mine. Sure, you know, this is a Slam, it speaks for itself. You know, I still feel that, you know, there's a lot of preparation to be done for that. Playing at Wimbledon I think is going to be extra special. So I appreciate that this is my last tournament, as such. But, you know, I certainly don't view my career ending now. I want to really get some good preparation on the grass, play as well as I can in that weekend that time.

Q. Is there a place on tour for players who serve and volley as you?
TIM HENMAN: I think there is, but I don't necessarily think it's perhaps the way that, you know, I have done it sort of in my career. I think I've been a sort of genuine serve and volleyer, whereas I think these days, the way people serve, you look to sort of crush a serve as hard as you can and then you run in behind it. If it comes back, you volley it. I don't think it's necessarily such a combination anymore. But obviously with I think the nature of the conditions and the balls, it's definitely becoming harder and harder to do, and, therefore, I think less and less people are really being taught it and encouraged it at a young age. Therefore, you've got an event here with, you know, 128 male players, and there's going to be very few guys that are serving and volleying.

Q. And is that something to be lamented?
TIM HENMAN: I think, yeah, I think it is sad because I think everybody knows that watching contrasts of styles is what makes a good spectacle. That's not to say there hasn't been I mean, you look at the tennis today, there's been some phenomenal tennis. But I just think that if serving and volleying, you know, chipping and charging sort of becomes extinct, I think that would be a bit disappointing for the game.

Q. You competed against many generations. What has been the toughest opponent for you?
TIM HENMAN: It's Roger. There's no doubt. And, again, you know, that is a reflection of how the game has changed. You know, that's no doubt when you're playing Sampras on a grass court, a quick grass court, it's incredibly difficult to play against. But the difference is, when you're playing someone like Pete, he could serve, you might not make returns for three or four games, but you just felt like you keep doing a good job on your serve, you could hold serve and get to 4 All, 5 All, 6 All. That's when conditions were quicker. Now with it being I think considerably slower a lot of the times, you know, when you're playing Roger, every game is a struggle. And you look at his scores against some of the players. You know, the number of guys that he's had 6 Love sets against, I think it emphasizes how all around his game is. Yeah, I would definitely say he's the best player I've ever played against.

Q. Did you say the semifinal you got to in Paris was probably the most surprising result of your career?
TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I think so, yeah. It's very difficult to try and judge them, which is better, more special, where I played better. I think, yeah, in terms of pleasant surprises, I think for me to have made semis at Roland Garros is something I'm very, very proud of. If some of you would have seen my first match at Monte Carlo, my first tour level match, it wasn't pretty, it wasn't pleasant. Playing Galo Blanco on one of the outside courts. Then for me that was probably '96. For me then eight years later to have had the wins I had, to go on and make the semis at Roland Garros is definitely something I'm proud of.

Q. What's the best you've ever played?
TIM HENMAN: I think the best overall is Paris, the Masters Series, when I won. I think for the consistent level of tennis. You know, Basel I played some I remember one year only dropping my serve once the whole week, making Roger cry in the final. That was pretty special (smiling). I have to remind him of that every once in a while just to keep his feet on the ground. But, yeah, no, those weeks, I think. But Wimbledon, some of the matches, just in terms of experiences and atmosphere, there's no doubt they're always going to be top of the list.

Q. If you were not retiring today, but starting your career, would you still choose serve and volley?
TIM HENMAN: I would still use parts of it. I mean, I'd like to be, you know, probably three or four inches taller, and 20, 30 pounds heavier. But there's no doubt that if you can take player's time away... I think almost the chip and charge aspect is more effective than serving and volleying. If you serve, your serve lands on the service line or before. But if you chip and charge, you get your approach shot to the baseline, you can get in way better court position. So that's where I think it is an incredibly effective tactic. And everybody hates it. You know, that's where you give these guys no rhythm, you take their time away every second serve, you come in, no one likes it. But I think, you know, when you are actually trying to serve and volley, you look at the way, you know, even someone like Mirnyi, he's struggled, but the guy is 6'5", he's serving 130 plus all the time, and he's still struggling to hold his serve. In conditions like this, this is probably one of the fastest tournaments we play now. So, you know, you put him on a slow hard court, just out and out serve volleying is unbelievably difficult.

Q. Is there one match that you can reflect on now, the way you played, gave you the greatest satisfaction?
TIM HENMAN: Vittorio asked me that at the beginning of the tournament. I was coming out with some obvious ones. He was like, No, no, no, you've got to go away and think about it. I think one of my most enjoyable matches, which is ironic, was against Galo Blanco at the French in 2004 because I just think after him having obviously beaten me, I think he beat me 2 2 in Monte Carlo, then for me to beat him, I think I won 6 1, 2, to see the look in his face in the second and third sets, and know the level I played, it was one that it's not such an obvious one. Just the level of play on clay, to use all the different variations I had.

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