TELECOM ITALIA MASTERS

May 15, 2003

Kim Clijsters

KIM CLIJSTERS: I understood, yes. Like I think a lot of the other players, you know, I think especially Serena, this is her first clay court tournament that she's playing and those are always the tough matches. I mean, I played -- my first clay court match was in Fed Cup, and I didn't play good at all. So I think on clay especially you need a lot of matches to really get your game up there. I've had a lot of matches so far. I've played Fed Cup, Berlin - singles, doubles. And I've done well there. So that's how I feel, I need a lot of matches on clay before I'm really on my game.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I think so. I definitely think so. Maybe not with the matches I've played here, like this week. But I definitely feel like, you know, the lower-ranked players, you have tougher matches against them as well because, you know, the balls don't come as quick. I think that's where the Top 5, Top 10 have a little bit of an advantage, because we hit the ball a little bit harder I think than some of the girls who are ranked a little bit lower. Then on the clay courts, I think that's what makes a big difference. The balls come back a little bit more and they're not as, like, hard, you know. So they can get a lot more balls back. I think that's why I think -- you also have a lot more Spanish players who feel a lot more comfortable on, you know, on the clay court than on the hard courts. There's quite a few out there. So, you know, they're definitely the tough ones to beat I think as well.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, you try really not to think about it, but of course it's never nice. Yeah, I mean, I just try to focus on my tennis and try not to really worry about how my opponent is feeling. Because if you're gonna feel sorry, then you're not gonna keep winning the second set if you've won the first set. But you just have to try to keep like focusing and not to worry about it too much. But, of course, it's, I mean, I'm human as well and of course I don't like to see someone, you know, like...

KIM CLIJSTERS: No, I don't. Like I said, "Sorry."

KIM CLIJSTERS: No, no, no. No (smiling).

KIM CLIJSTERS: I feel very good physically, although I felt like I needed the break after Miami. I think that's what has made me a little fresh again I think for the clay court season. Like I was really exhausted that trip - not the trip - the end of the trip. Yeah, I've played a lot of matches, especially with the doubles and everything, and doing well in both competitions, you know. It's a tough choice, but I love to play doubles. And a lot of people tell me, "Well, why don't you drop the doubles," but I think in one way it helps me as well for my singles. And it's fun playing doubles. Yeah, I'm playing well, and I think you can only -- you can do as much work, I think, as you want physically outside of the tennis. But I think, you know, you can only get your tennis, you know, physical as good as -- by playing matches. That's how you train, you know. You can train on the court and stuff, but matches, it's still a little bit different.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, I think having my shoulder injury after the Australian Open and having to retire there for a few tournaments, I got a lot more mature I think. It's something that you have to deal with. With injuries, it's never -- that was the first real injury I had where I had to pull out of a few tournaments, where I had to take a few weeks off. I think that's made me -- maybe I wasn't -- when I came back straightaway, because I lost first round Indian Wells, and didn't play a good French, Wimbledon, didn't play good at all. But then later on in the year I think it sort of helped me, having that injury as well. It wasn't nice at the moment because I wanted to play tennis, but I think in one way it made me, you know, focus and made me feel how much I missed tennis and how much I love tennis. You know, I think that's why now as well when I'm on the court, I know how it feels like. I know I'm really enjoying it, because I know one day, you know, I might not be able to play and so yeah...

KIM CLIJSTERS: Then why do you (laughter)? "But" what (smiling)?

KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, you know, I like Rome and that's what I tell him as well, you know.

KIM CLIJSTERS: No, no. Well, it's -- you know, sometimes you cannot make those -- sometimes you have to make the right decisions. And, you know, he's had some health problems already in the past, that's been the case why he didn't play here. So it's not something I want to keep going into, but that was his decision. But I love coming to Rome. When I talk to him on the phone, I tell him I go shopping. He just tells me, "Don't spend too much money." But it's good.

KIM CLIJSTERS: He went last year, I think. We went.

KIM CLIJSTERS: In Hamburg, no (smiling).

KIM CLIJSTERS: I prefer Rome, though, than Hamburg (smiling).

KIM CLIJSTERS: Jesus, what questions I'm getting here (smiling)! I have no idea.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I always tell the truth. I have no idea, I'm serious. I have no idea. It's not something I worry about actually.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, I've lost to her before. Last year in Leipzig I lost to her. She's a tough player. She plays a little bit like a ball machine, I think. The ball always comes back in the same pace. You know, she moves very well. I think I have to definitely attack the serve. I think she is maybe not -- her weaker part of her game is probably her serve, I think. I definitely have to try to attack there, and I have to be able to move a lot because she likes to hit the ball from down the line, cross court. So it's gonna be a tough one. I played good against her in Australia, played a really good match against her. But she, you know -- beating Kuznetsova today, I think Kuznetsova, she's a really good player I think, a very good clay courter. So it was, yeah, a little bit -- like for me, it was a little bit of a surprise I think that she won today.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Not yesterday, no, no, no. If I have some time. But the other day I went shopping just because we went to have dinner near the Spanish Steps and then we were a little bit early with the reservation that we made. So we were about half an hour early and we just went to a shop next to the restaurant. It was price first. It was a good store. I liked it, yeah.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Yeah.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Dolce & Gabbana.