PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 13, 2002

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

MODERATOR: Questions for Arantxa.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Well, obviously I'm playing much better, so that's very good, you know, sign for me. Obviously, I'm very disappointed because I should have won the match today. I think I have my chances. You should take your chances when you have them, especially against players like Monica. If I would have won the game of 2-1 in the third with my serve, everything will be different. But I'm happy the way I play because I play very consistent. But still I think, you know, I should win the match.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Well, it was, you know, very difficult conditions today. Obviously, the wind was very strong. There was a lot of sand into the court, so it was kind of hard to see the ball. But, as I say, my chances were in the game of 2-1. That makes all the whole difference. After that, you know, I stay into the match. I was, you know, against the wind, so I didn't hit hard enough the volley, so it stayed into the tape. Then after, she just hit an unbelievable winner, so she make the break. I mean, it would be big difference if I make that volley. I would have game point to go 4-All. As I say, chances like this, you don't have many. Maybe that was the reason, you know, of the difference why she won the match and why I lost the match.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Is the first thing I heard that you told me, so I didn't heard anything before that. I don't know anything about it. This is the first thing I know right now because you tell me. I mean, I play in the States many years. Last year I play in Munich. They didn't talk anything. Didn't hear anything about it.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Well, it was good. But I think there was not many people. Probably, you know, that was maybe one of the reasons. But, I mean, the place is nice, beautiful arena, a very nice stadium. Maybe, you know, it's also during the weekend was more people than during the first couple days.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Well, I remember one year in Hamburg, the whole four seasons - rain, windy, sunshine, and snow at the same time. I mean, like ice. But never that strong wind ever. I think was completely different. It's been a long time since I play in circumstances like this. I don't think, you know, I ever play with this wind and, you know, with so much sand into your eyes and into the court. Even the court, you know, it was full of clay. Sounds like a little bit it was coming the clay court season, but it was not. It was kind of hard. It was hard for both of us. You know, we did our best under the conditions.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Well, we are completely different players. I mean, I'm probably, you know, have to prepare more the point. I can go more to the net. She just hits, you know, winners. Different player. She has her career. I have my career. I mean, I'm happy. I cannot compare myself with Monica, with any player. I'm just trying to do my game, you know, to do well. I think I done very well so far.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: I done it also in Australia, but the thing is I didn't maybe won the matches that I should have won. My game is improve and as I say, these matches, I play better here. So I will look forward to do this way. I didn't have very good start of the year, but is a long year. So far this give me a lot of confidence to go into the next tournaments.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: A very unusual part of the draw. It was very open right there. It's new players coming up. Daniela is my doubles partner. She's very young and she has a lot of future. She hits the ball really hard, so she has a lot of potential. She done, you know, very, very well so far. She's one of the upcoming players. Gagliardi, probably her best tournament so far in her career, as well. I think either one has a chance to go there. Depends who doesn't have any nerves, you know, thinking they can go to the final. Besides Monica and Hingis, they play many times. It's going to be a very tough match. Whoever will be the one who's more aggressive will be the one who get to win the match. We'll see. It's very open right now. It's going to be good matches.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Probably I'm not the person to say much about Daniela. I think as a doubles player, she's a very nice girl. As I say, she has a lot of potential. She's one of the young players coming up. She hits the ball really hard, I mean, both ways. She's done, you know, very well on the other tournaments. She's just, you know, very, very player. She's going to be even better player.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Well, we'll see. I mean, as I say, I'm not the right person to say that because I'm not in her position. But, as I said, in long-terms, yeah, she has a lot of potential to be Top 10 player and become a very good player.