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US OPEN

September 1, 2000

Meghann Shaughnessy

Flushing Meadows, New York

THE MODERATOR: First question for Meghann?

Q. What was going through your head in that first set?

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Yeah, you know, that was the key time during the match to serve it out there, and then continue on the second set. You know, I really didn't serve well all night, and that was the biggest problem.

Q. There have been times when Venus has said that she feels like maybe other players have been intimidated when they play her. You looked like you had an attack plan. Was that the case? Did you just go out and attack?

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Yeah, I mean I've seen matches of hers where the other person has been completely intimidated. It's easy - she's much bigger, she's much stronger, she hits the ball harder than just about everyone. But I know that playing well, I can stay with players like her. It's just a matter of really believing that I can win and that I will win.

Q. How deflating is it to play so well in the first set and then lose a tiebreak like that?

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Well, I was definitely disappointed. I wasn't disappointed with the way I played the first set; I was disappointed that I didn't serve it out. That's a key time in every match, is to finish out things, and I didn't do it. But -- and then in the second set, you know, I think I started a little bit slow and she took over from there.

Q. Is that a matter of match experience or her elevating her game to a certain point?

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: I think match experience. You know, that was the first time I've played on center court here or anywhere with a player like her, so it was a new experience for me. And I know that with a couple more like this, you know, I'll really be able to do well.

Q. Why weren't you intimidated?

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Because I know I can stay with the best players when I'm playing well and when I'm with the right mentality.

Q. Did all her grunting distract you?

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: No, I played Seles before, too. (Laughter.)

Q. Do you think that if a player does like you do and attacks and comes after her that she can be beat? She's on a 22-match winning streak right now.

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: I definitely think she's beatable. I mean if that first set there, if I had just served well, who knows what can happen from there? I mean obviously she's one of the best players there, and she's going to be tough to beat on any day. But I definitely think it's possible.

Q. Did you think the right play was to go at her body with the right shots?

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Yeah, I did use that tactic, I tried to do that with the serve. She has so much reach that trying to go for the outside lines is not the best tactic.

Q. Seems that your strategy for Venus was similar to the strategy you used for Seles the last time you played. Is that true, or was it a different strategy for both of them?

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: No, I think it was different. The match with Seles that I played a couple weeks ago wasn't as aggressive and wasn't as much pace. It was more of just grinding and fighting and running. So it was pretty different, two completely different matches.

Q. Do you think you lost the courage or lost the aggressiveness that got you to that point in the first set?

MEGHANN SHAUGHNESSY: Yeah, definitely. The second set, I gave it to her. I didn't play with emotion and I didn't fight as hard as I fought in the first set. I think part of it was physically I'm not used to playing at that level, and also part of it was mentally I just dropped down. That's all it takes.

End of FastScripts....

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