AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 13, 2003

Marlene Weingartner

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Very good.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Thank you.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Yeah, when I was 14, but not very long, but for about a month, so... I was a lot in Florida practicing. He saw me there and he wanted to coach me.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: He's very tough, very tough. But it was good, it was good. Hard work, so...

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Yeah, took me a few minutes, but then I realized -- I mean, I worked very hard, you know, for the last couple of months. I think, you know, I deserved it. I played really well, and I just went for it - not think so much, just hit the ball, and it comes.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Well, I live in Saddlebrook also, yeah. But we practice maybe twice only, not so much. But, yeah, I see her over there a lot so, yeah. We played once before in a tournament, so that was a little bit different, the result.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: I really haven't thought about that yet. I haven't even really looked at the other rounds, so I just had to get past this one. It was tough enough. Yeah, just match by match I think, you know. Everybody plays well. I played extremely well today, but every match is tough so I just have to keep going now.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Yeah, I played point by point, but of course she's the No. 3 in the world. They're all fighters up there. I mean, I didn't really think about, you know, winning. I just played my match and I just tried to put her under pressure a lot. If I play my game, I think that I can beat a lot of top players also. I've already beaten some. So I have the potential for sure, I'm sure about that. But it just came together tonight, so I'm really happy.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Well, in the beginning it was -- everything was little bit new to me, because I have never played on this court and it was total different atmosphere. But I really like this atmosphere, but I just needed little bit of time to get into it and start to get my rhythm then, you know? Before that, she was just playing, she was putting me more under pressure. She played her game and then I started to play my game. So, yeah, I just stayed in the match and fought. That was, you know, the key.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Not this size. I mean, I've played also other matches, but I also won in front of big crowds. I mean, I really like to play, it motivates me. But this is special, you know. It's a Grand Slam, I've never played on a centre court before in a Grand Slam tournament. I hope I will play a few more matches on there.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: My backhand?

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: For sure, I've hit really good backhands. I think also the return, because I put her under pressure and she double-faulted also a few times. I always attacked the return. These two things I think and, you know, just mixed it up also. Sometimes there was a little bit of wind on one side, so I tried to hit a lot of first serves in with kick and, you know, play smart also, try to mix it up a little bit.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: I came -- I live since 2001, December 2001 in the States. My main residence is still in Germany, but I just decided, because it's the best for practice, you know, in Florida. It's unbelievable conditions. I mean, always good weather, and it's a great academy over there. I mean, there's a lot of good players. So it's good there. I mean, it's better for tennis than in Germany, because over there it's very cold and always indoors. I mean, I also like it there. Actually, my last preparation was in Germany, so I change a little bit - sometimes the States, sometimes Germany.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Yeah, I hope so. They were always a little bit negative because, you know, they had really unbelievable players like Steffi and Boris and Anke and Michael. I mean, they were all really good and they expect always somebody, you know, like them. That's why they just have, you know, put a lot of pressure on the other German players. But, I mean, I've had some good results here and there. I think that, you know, I just needed a little bit more time and then I can be also up there I think.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Well, I beat No. 7 and No. 8 in the world, Amanda Coetzer and Sanchez, twice. I played -- when I was 16, I was in the Fed Cup. I also got one -- they put me instead of Steffi, she had to pull out. They put me in, and I won my match. That was also very exciting.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: We played against the Czech Republic. So I don't know if she quit now, so it's Richterova it was. But it was also good victory for me. Yeah, I always play well here in Australian Open. I like it here, so... Like Jennifer, but yeah.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: I was really thinking that she just played well. I went for it maybe little bit too much. I didn't really feel like I missed my opportunities. That's why I think I kept going. That was, I think, the key. And, I mean, she also fought and she played those points pretty well, you know, not easy mistakes. So, yeah, that's why.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Oh, in the tiebreaker?

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: No, not really. Otherwise, I would have lost. I was, you know, positive and I was thinking I play really well. I was always, you know, being good - I mean, positive with myself. I think that was the key. Tiebreak, it's always very tight. But I think I could have also won the second set a little bit easier with -- I had some chances always, you know, when she was serving. And, yeah... But I think I played the big points, you know, good, so...

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: My mother is an anesthesiologist, a doctor and my father is a doctor as well, but he's an engineer. So they're busy.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: On the court?

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Thank you. My parents, they, you know, put a lot of importance on my education also, and I finish my school and, you know, I had some invitation to go to Stanford but I still focus on my tennis.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Yeah, I finished my high school, yeah. That was important. That also kept me little bit from, you know, the tennis. I had to focus on that as well. So after I was 18, then I could really focus more on my tennis.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Yeah, three times.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Well, one part was the school also, and I think, you know, I just -- I'm the kind of person, I just needed maybe a little bit more time to mature, everything. So, yeah, everything a little bit. But I think I have enough experience now and I have a good future ahead of me I think.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Well, we worked only one month together, but I learned a lot. Yeah, I learned that, you know -- he's, you know, a very hard worker, hard work I think makes the difference. And very -- just a lot of focus, you know. That was his key, I think, with Mary also. I don't know if Mary's right now working with him, but when she was, she was always playing well. He put a lot of importance also on fitness. We've done more fitness than tennis mostly, so... These things I think I learned. But like I said, it was only a short time.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: No, I was in Delray Beach practicing, and he came to watch me and he was living there and he asked me if I wanted to, you know, to work. He really liked me, how I played. He knew I was a good junior also. And so -- also, I played against Serena Williams a practice match, and I beat her. That was a little exhibition match, but nobody -- they wouldn't play with anybody, but she played with me. Mr. Pierce was also watching the match and also Mr. Capriati. There were a few people. I think that impressed him I think maybe. But it was a long time ago and it was juniors. So Serena is playing much better now (laughing).

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Practice?

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Yeah, that was already a year -- maybe more than a year ago.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: In Florida, yeah.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: He's Croatian. His name is born Borna Bikic.