TMS - THE ERICSSON OPEN

March 30, 2000

Sandrine Testud

MODERATOR: Questions for Sandrine.

SANDRINE TESTUD: Not at all. Just that is a tough first round. I mean, she's a good player, even if she is maybe more famous for something more than her tennis. She's still a good player. Of course it was not an easy first round.

SANDRINE TESTUD: Well, I had a couple opportunities in the match. I got broke in the first set. I didn't make it. Then we had the rain delay. I start again slower than her. You know, it's a pity because I had a few occasions in this match and didn't make it. That's what made the difference.

SANDRINE TESTUD: No, I didn't feel it. I think they were having a good time, you know. You know, it's just playing another opponent. It was a tough first round. I knew it. I came on the court to win, and nothing else.

SANDRINE TESTUD: That's the press, you know, that does that, not the players. We know that she can play good tennis. She's known for some other things. I think she deserve to be -- she's a good player. Nothing else to say.

SANDRINE TESTUD: She's a good baseliner. She has very deep groundstrokes. She has a probably better forehand than backhand. She mix it up, try to come at the net. I think she has a good game for grass. She played good a couple of years ago here.

SANDRINE TESTUD: That was the main reason today. She served pretty good at the beginning of the match, then she start putting more second serve in. The second serve is very weak, but just didn't step in enough and try to get advantage of that. That's definitely her weakest part, you know, the second serve. I made too many unforced errors on this point. That's what make a lot of difference.

SANDRINE TESTUD: I don't understand the question.

SANDRINE TESTUD: I'm getting on the court, I know I'm playing Kournikova, but I'm not looking at what she's doing beside the tennis court. I'm just trying to be myself, play against an opponent, try to win the match. I'm not looking and say, "My God, it's Anna Kournikova." What am I supposed to say? "Oh, she's beautiful." What? I don't understand. I'm playing another player. She's a good player. She just have to be where she is, point, that's it.