THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 25, 1998

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

VERONIQUE MARCHAL: Questions for Arantxa.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Where do I been? Well, I was at home. I take some time off. I was injured for two weeks, then I start practicing. I was training at home, getting ready for this tournament.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I had a stress fracture on my left leg. That's why I couldn't play Indian Wells. I pulled out of Indian Wells.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: No, I am. I think that I'm feeling good at the moment. I had a good preparation. The results are coming, so I'm very happy the way I play.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I mean, last year was not a good year for me at all. I mean, it happens to any athlete. In 12 years, it was the only bad year that I have. I just try to keep going. If you do the right things, then everything, you know, is turning around. I start playing better. Right now, you know, I have a good start of the year. I'm continue right now. So that's what I'm looking at the moment. I've just trying to be, you know, a better player.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: He's helping me a lot, obviously. He knows me better than anyone. Like I say before, he's been a very good support, we making a good team.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Left.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: No, after Australia.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I was playing a match, went for a shot, I felt something. I do an MRI. They say I have a stress fracture.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Yeah. I was off for two weeks. I couldn't play for two weeks at all. Then the third one, I was be able to start running very slow. But I could not play. Stand; couldn't run. Took me three weeks. After that, I have a short time of recovery, but I was be able to do, you know, the right things. I was very excited, you know, very motivated for this tournament. I couldn't play Indian Wells, but I was ready for this one.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Yeah. Now it's fine. They say it was between two or three weeks, so I had three weeks. Now it's fine in the moment.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I think that they take the attention. They're the young ones. They're doing very well. If I tell you the truth, I don't think too much about it. I just try to, you know, be myself, play, try to do well, win as much as I can. That's it. That's where it shows, on the court. I come here to do my job and try to win. That's all I'm thinking about it.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I mean, I'm playing good at the moment. I'm just going one at a time. If I keep going this same way, you know, like I did this past two, three days, you know, I'll be ready. Obviously, every time is difficult. Tomorrow is going to be a difficult match. But I'm just looking to play the same concentration, take my chances, see what happens.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, obviously it was very windy. I think I control better the situation with the wind than Jana. Jana has a, you know, long swing, very open. And with this wind, it was very hard for her to control. So, but I think besides that, I didn't let her play at all. I think I, you know, play very good. I didn't make any unforced errors at all. I was moving the ball very well. And obviously, you know, I made her, you know, be more under pressure. But, yeah, I think that I control better the situation. I played short swings and she plays long swings.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I think the last times, she beat me. I was just thinking that I have to, you know, be aggressive and try to take my chances. But, I mean, it's a great win for me. I'm happy because everything work out really well for me. Obviously, she must be disappointed. She didn't play too good at all. But it's because I didn't let her play at all.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I think there are different styles of game on the Tour right now. Obviously, the Williams sisters are hitting the ball very hard, they play very similar. But Jana I think is a different player. You know, she approach more, go more toward the net. You have to play very well to beat her. That's what I did today. I mean, it's a great win for me, very happy. Gives me confidence. Now, you know, I will think obviously about the next match. It's going to be, you know, probably more difficult.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: This year is different. I mean, obviously I say that was not a very good year for me. That's past already. Obviously I was tired. I take my time. Like I said, I didn't have any slump in my career until last year. Obviously I play a lot. I was tired. I lost a lot of matches I shouldn't lose. You learn a lot from that. I now take more times between tournaments. I'm taking more time myself, so I'm more fresh each tournament I'm going. I feel better. That's something that help me a lot. I don't really pay too much attention what they say, if it's good or bad. I just think -- I think better than myself, nobody knows what's going on. I try to improve, to keep going, do the right things. Because I work hard in the winter, I start playing better. At the beginning of the year I started winning the first tournament, then I did pretty good the Grand Slam. This is only my third tournament. I'm very happy. I think because I try -- I did the right things, now the results are coming. That's why is doing so well right now.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I'm thinner, I'm stronger. I think, like I said, I was probably very tired last year. I tried to be always a hundred percent each tournament that I go, then take time off between also, so I can really be feeling good, not be tired like I was last year, you know, during the whole year. Sometimes, like I say, you learn from your mistakes. But you are the one that has to realize that. Now, because I'm feeling better, and I'm playing with a little bit more confidence, I think that I'm playing better.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I really don't know. A few kilos. I don't know how much. I didn't (indicating). I don't know how much.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: You are the one who are playing. You are the one who wins or you are the one who has to be on the court. People can help you. Obviously, I have the right people on my side that helps me, gives me support. But I get through a tough moment in my life. I did never give up. I try to always -- I always have the chance that I know I can come back. I was feeling positive, feeling that I have another chance. That's why I keep going. I think it's important that yourself is the one who has to pass that situation.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Once. She beat me last year on clay before the French Open. It's going to be, you know, a difficult match. She's very young. She's playing -- hitting the ball very hard. It's going to be different match than today, but it will be very interesting, I think. If I play as good as I did today, try to be taking my chances and be aggressive, play as much winning points then I have, you know, a chance to win. But it will be a difficult match, yeah.