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November 13, 2000
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
Q. How are the legs? How are the limbs? How is the head?
ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Well, I think that I played -- even that I lost, I played, you
know, good tennis, and I played pretty good, but it was not enough, you know, to beat her.
There were times that I played really well, and there were times that I made mistakes, but
even, you know, the match was, you know, very close, I'm happy the way I played.
Unfortunately, I would prefer to have some chances to either win both sets, at the end,
you know, I lost in two sets. So here, if things go too fast, but I just think that at
times I played, you know, very well.
Q. You have played her twice in recent weeks. How do you rate her as a prospect? She is
still very young, obviously, but how do you rate her as a prospect?
ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: I think she has a lot of potential. For her age, she is one of
the upcoming players that, you know, will do very well. She definitely hits the ball very
well both sides. I think she can do it really well. She's already doing very well, and,
you know, she will do even better.
Q. How do you explain your slow start?
ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Well, as I say, I make a lot of errors and she made a lot of
winners. So I realized I was already 5-2 down and I started to be more focused, and that's
when I stopped playing well and hoping if things turned around, I would be able to stay
into the match. But definitely, you know, I'm happy the way I played, and at times -- if I
would have continued to play, maybe it would have been different. But she definitely also
played well.
Q. Conchita said in her interview that the level that you and she and the players of
that era that are playing can still hit as hard as these young kids, but not as
consistently; and the way to beat them, as she said, she won her first match, is to mix up
her game, to hit a little more soft balls, to hit a little higher topspin balls; and she
said that's the key to beating these type of players that are coming up now and hitting so
hard?
ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Well, I think you have to be very consistent and definitely
you have to play deep, and, you know, moving all the players around, because they are
hitting, you know, with a lot of force. Maybe you can do that, you know, sometimes if you
do that at the right time, it can help you. But here, it's very difficult, points go much
matter of fact faster than if you play outside. If you do that, you can have more chance,
but you have to make that a priority.
Q. You have played here for many years now. This is the last year at the Garden. What
are your feelings now that it is over for you?
ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: I am sad that it is the last year. Definitely I am not here in
the tournament anymore. Next year, you know, we'll be in Europe and it will be completely
different. I think the crowd here as always been great. I always feel very good in this
place, and unfortunately, we'll miss this place.
Q. Do you think the Tour is making a good decision to leave New York?
ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Well, I think all of the players were sad that this is
happening, but, I mean, probably we're not the right persons to say if that's the right
decision or not. We'll see what happens next year in Europe, and then maybe I can tell you
more about it.
Q. Why were they so sad? What it was about New York or the Garden?
ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Well, this is a very good time of the year to come here. And
the arena is great. Always we have great support. Since the first day to the end, the
crowd was always responding really well. So, definitely, you know, I've been coming here
many years, and, you know, it was a fantastic atmosphere. Now it will be a new arena and
different place, and we will see if it will be the same. We'll have to wait and see.
Q. Has it gotten to the stage where the US Open has overshadowed this tournament and
maybe it's not as important as the Open and maybe that's why they are leaving?
ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: I don't know. I'm probably not the right person. You have to
ask the CEO. That's the one that makes the decision about that. But, you know, we are
happy to play any place, and we will be ready to play in Germany next year.
Q. Does she remind you of the 17-year-old Aranxta Sanchez-Vicario?
ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: I'm 12 years older than her. (Laughs). You know, she
definitely reminds me a little bit. I mean, you know she has a lot of -- she's young, she
hits the ball well, she runs after all the balls, she's very hungry. That's normal. She's
just starting to do very well. It's normal that the young ones are coming. Yeah,
definitely I was the same, you know, when I was that age.
Q. Was there any consultation between the WTA and the players about moving the
tournament? Did they ask for your advice?
ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: Well, I mean, they are the ones that they decide that. So, I
mean, the players, as I say, we are going to play, you know, wherever is the tournament
going to be played. And maybe it's going to be different. But they are the ones who
decide.
Q. I'm asking, did they ask the advice of any of the players?
ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO: No. I'm saying no.
End of FastScripts
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