FED CUP - AUSTRIA vs USA

April 28, 2002

Meghann Shaughnessy

Q. Can you talk about you had a matchpoint. What happened on that play?

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: It was tough, you know. She -- it was a long point. Then she threw it up in the air, the wind was kind of swirling around. I didn't take enough steps and missed it in the net.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: It's very disappointing. You know, I fought hard but wasn't feeling the ball well today, and it's really unfortunate.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Well, obviously the situation with Capriati was disappointing, but I had a fun week, you know. It's my first time playing Fed Cup, and I had a great time with Monica and Lisa and Billie and everyone else that was here with us. I hope that I'll have the opportunity again.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: A little bit of both. Like I said, I didn't feel like I was playing that well today. I gave it everything I had, but, you know, she played well. I have to give some credit to her, too.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Oh, definitely. I had opportunities through the whole match. I was very disappointed after losing the second set, but I started off well. We played tight the whole set.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: A few of them were close, but that's -- I don't want to get into that.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Yeah, I feel like I played too tentative today. I didn't go for all my shots when I needed to, and that was the difference.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Yeah, it's, you know... They were obviously the underdogs here. And, like I said, you know, a lot of things went for them from the very beginning with Capriati, and then -- but, you know, all credit to Schwartz. She played great tennis yesterday - I watched that match - and today. I almost had it, but she kept on fighting and played well.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: I'm just disappointed that it came to that. You know, there's no reason why we shouldn't have four people here and all with the same goal in mind. But, like I said, I had a great week and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm going to keep working hard and get back into this situation again.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Well, it was definitely an added pressure, but, you know, that's... All tennis players deal with that every day. There's pressure in any tournament, any event, to play for yourself, to play for your country. It's just something that everybody has to deal with.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: I really would. You know, I wasn't sure what to expect this week. And I really, really enjoyed myself. You know, the crowd was great today. They were behind me the whole time. And it's so unique, as a tennis player, to be able to play for a team. I think it's a great, great thing, and I hope I'll have the chance to do it again.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: She said, "Tough one." I mean... You know, I gave it all I had. Didn't play like I wanted to. But, you know, I did everything that I could. It was just tough that things work that way sometimes.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Yeah, she's a great player. She's ranked 75 but I think she's been injured for most of the year so I don't think that really reflects where she is. But, you know, when she gets playing with confidence, she can really hit the ball. It's not easy.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: No, I haven't.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: You know, I just... You know, I'd like to ask her, you know, why she didn't want to follow the team rules and, you know, if it was worth it for her to trade that.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Yes, I do.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: I do. The bottom line is that when we came here, there were a set of rules signed on for each player. It was Jennifer's decision not to follow one of them. That's her decision, and that's fine. But if she's going to make that decision, she needs to know that there are consequences.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Well, serving wasn't my problem; it was the returning that I was having more trouble with. I couldn't find the range on my return. And, yeah, the whole third set I served fine. I was a little bit unlucky when she broke me, but the main problem was my returning. I wasn't able to get myself in a position to break.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: It was a long match. Even the first two sets were very long. Our legs probably weren't where we thought they were towards the end of the third set.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Not really. It's just the only difference is you need to just keep grinding, and it takes a little bit longer.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: It does, you know. It's the first time that I've felt the pressure of, you know, playing for a team and for my country. But I love it, and I really hope that I have the chance to have this opportunity again and use it a little bit better.