U.S. OPEN

August 30, 1995

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Yeah, I think it is better to have, you know, a tough match, and she started really well at the beginning. She was not missing and probably my balls were getting little short. It was kind of hard to play with the shadow and the sun. Sometimes you missed ball. It was a good test. When I was down 4-2, I started playing my own game and concentrate, getting more focused and start playing much better. Then I took control of the match. But I think it was -- it is always better to have these kind of matches and give you more confidence. I think I played better than I did on the first day. It is good to be able to go through.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: No.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I did not see the match. So...

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Yeah. I think, you know, it is nice to be able to come and play well and, you know, win the match and like you say, it is another day in the office that I go through.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Oh, it feels better because I mean, you are the defending champion. I mean, you know what you have done and it is always nice to come back get on the same court and same atmosphere. It is very nice feeling, so I feel comfortable here and I guess, you know, it is nice to come back where you win a tournament as the U.S. Open. That is something different -- coming to play it is like another year and another Grand Slam and probably I think that I have the support of the crowd so it helps you. It feels great to come back.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Yes, they asked me before and I say that I think definitely, you know, it has taken a lot of pressure off me because the attention is on her and Steffi, so I think it helps me because I can play better and, you know, keep going play one at a time and have fun and play well and keep winning, so that is good. I think I like it that way, yeah.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: She started really well at the beginning. It is the first time I played her so maybe she surprised me the first time I play her. When I was down 4-2 I think the important points I play well and I was more focused and I start moving the ball better and going deep than waiting until winning the shot. Probably after I won the first set she was maybe more down because she know she had the chances in the first set. I think she was a little tired too because I was moving the ball a better and I think that once I took the control playing my own game she has more trouble and she started making more mistakes because she was not in the position to hit it well.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: It reminds me when I was playing when I started too. I mean, I was only 13 and she is 14, but she did very well in juniors and it is normal that she come to turn pro because she has the game and I think it is good for the game. I mean, it is getting more, you know, players and she is very talented player, so I think it is good for her and for the game, so I think also, you know, when I started I was that way, so it is nice to see somebody else doing it also very well.