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            HYUNDAI HOPMAN CUP 2000 : January 1 - January 8 2000


            Press Conference

            AUSTRALIA vs AUSTRIA 
            5 January 2000 

            Mark Philippoussis
            Jelena Dokic 

            Jelena what was the problem mid way through the match when you had 
            to call the trainer out? 

            I just had a bit of a tight back and hamstrings, it has been 
            bothering me since this morning, I have been getting treatment on it 
            and it got better before the match, I guess as the match went on and 
            we played more and it got more tight, it just tightened up a bit 
            ......it is fine, nothing serious. 

            You must be pretty proud the way you got yourself out of trouble in 
            that match? 

            Yes, I guess so I still could of played much better, but it is good 
            to come back out of a match like that and win, especially against a 
            player like her, a top 10 player, you know I get my confidence back 
            after yesterday. 

            She seemed to get quite aggravated by a couple of close line calls, 
            did that give you more inspiration when you saw her getting 
            unsettled a bit? 

            Yes, but I mean, every ball that was close she sort of argued about 
            it, but that is just the way it is and you have to cope with it, and 
            you know sometimes when matches get close she gets a bit like that, 
            I mean I have played her before and she has done it, but you just 
            have to get on with your game. 

            What do you put your bad start down to? 

            I just went into the match, not negative, just wasn't in it, didn't 
            play well, she played a pretty good first set and she served well, 
            and I just started getting a few more balls back and missing a bit 
            less and I got back and fought my way through it. 

            Mark are you pretty happy with your game, despite a little slump in 
            the middle? 

            Yes, I was quite happy with the way I started, an early break always 
            settles you down and I was a little disappointed with myself for the 
            way I lost concentration in the middle of the second set, but that 
            is why it is great playing these matches and being here just to get 
            that out of the way because obviously I can't let that happen in the 
            Aussie Open. 

            So obviously Australia are still alive to get in and defend their 
            cup - where as yesterday things were looking a bit gloomy - do you 
            feel much more confident now about what is ahead in the next couple 
            of days? 

            Mark: You know anything can happen, Jelena played a lot better today 
            so we are looking forward to the mixed and we will try and get a win 
            under our belts, but it is a lot of fun and I am just looking 
            forward to it. 

            Mark, there is talk that you had a bit of a neck strain, woke up 
            with that this morning - how is that? 

            Yes, it is good, I woke up this morning and couldn't move my neck at 
            all. I went out on the court at 1pm and tried to hit and stopped 
            after 2 minutes and said, I am not playing tonight, I couldn't move 
            my neck at all. I went and saw Noel Patterson, just put that name 
            out, he did a good job, but I feel incredible now, he did a great 
            job and you know, before the match I was looking 50/50, but I got it 
            straightened out and no complaints. 

            Are you going to get that checked out some more Mark, or is that it? 

            Well obviously he loosened it up, he said it came from just a bit of 
            tightness in the back but, I fell like a million dollars now, it is 
            fine. 

            Jelena, would you regard that as one of the best recoveries you have 
            ever had in a match, where you have dug yourself out of a really bad 
            hole. 

            Yes, I have done it a few times, I have got to say, but it was good 
            to come back after being a break down in the third set, and she has 
            been winning her service games comfortably, to break her at 4-3 and 
            come back and fight my way through it, I mean she is a tough 
            opponent and she has got a lot more experience than me and is older 
            than me, but like I said, it is good to come back in the match like 
            that and win it, it gives you confidence especially at the beginning 
            of the year, and you know, it is good to get a win after yesterday. 

            What can you say about your next opponents Kucera and Nagyova? 

            Jelena: It is going to be a tough match, like any other is, but I 
            think we have good chances, I played a bit better in my singles 
            today than yesterday, so hopefully I will improve a bit more for, 
            whenever Friday, and I think we have good chances, anything can 
            happen, I know I am looking forward to it and it should be a good 
            match. 

            Mark: He is a tough player and I am looking forward to a good match. 

            Have you played Kucera before? 

            Yes 

            You came back from 5-2 (Mark: 5-1 down, last set, Paris indoors, 
            last year) 

            Did it worry you at all today that given your great concentration in 
            the Davis Cup that it wondered a bit in the second or was it 
            just.....? 
 

            You know it is always tough coming back in the first couple of 
            matches, like I said, I always know the first couple of matches are 
            going to be tough, Koubek is a tough player he is a great counter 
            puncher and he hit some great shots, he is so strong, his defensive 
            side. I am happy the way I played, and obviously I can't let that 
            slip and let that happen to me in the Aussie Open and that is why 
            you are playing matches now to get that out of the way and make sure 
            it doesn't happen. 

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