FAMILY CIRCLE CUP

March 31, 1994

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I think that I know I have to be really patient because she is a very consistent player and she hits the ball back; it doesn't matter which side on the court, she always hits back. I think that I have a chance to finish it up. I was 5-3 up and I tried to go too much for the point and win the point too quickly. I make some mistakes and allowed her to come back into the match again. That is why we kept hitting longer sets, but I knew it after 5-All, the game went-- 6-5 I went up; the way I played, I knew if I had kept playing that way and I win the first set, the match is in my hands. That is what happened. The first set, I was very consistent, very patient. It was long rallies and I just waited until I have a short ball and hit my backhand winner and tried to go a little bit more to the net. It was not an easy match. It was a completely different match than the first one that I had and I'm glad that I played a great match, and it gives me confidence to go to the next match.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: The tiebreaker?

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, it is a big difference when you win the first set than when you have to come back, but even if I would lose the first set, I knew that if I would keep playing the same way as I did, you know, I would still have a chance to do well and come back. And I'm glad that I go a little bit more for the shots in the tiebreaker. I won the first set and after that I just go, you know, easy in the second set and just keep playing really well.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: It was very close points, and I think that we both went for the shots more and I just -- I think that, you know, 5-4, she make very easy mistake, forehand and down into the net and give me chances to finish it up, the set, but definitely. I just -- I concentrated really well and I played very good important points, and I am glad because it was not an easy match and I hang in there very good and I won the match.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: You can see her -- she was upset, of course. You can see her that she was wanted to try to win the point more faster than the first set. I knew that she was really, you know, not concentrated as much, so I just tried to go in front and win the first couple of games of the second set, and that is I went up 4-Love; then I lost my serve, but I knew that I was very strong mentally and I played really good the important points; that is why I won.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Yeah, because it is a big difference when you go in the set 3-Love up than when you are 2-1, because you let her come back into the match. I served really well that game, and I think that, you know, mentally I was very strong and I played good points when I needed to play and I was up, you know, in front of her all the time and she was not having so many chances like in the beginning of the first set.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Yeah, I think that-- like I said she is very consist, strength player. She hits the ball back and she runs also pretty good, so I knew sometimes that even if I make a good shot I have to be ready because the ball can come back, and she had very similar game as I do, but I think that I played really good important points, I went more for the shots and I was concentrated really good, very strong, and that makes the difference why I won.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I get scared because I hit the ball back and I run for the other ball and I don't know, my foot, you know, I went you know, the other side and I thought that I sprained it, and I wanted to try to run back and I did again, so I was a little bit worried because normally I tape it, but on clay, I thought, well, it is not so important and I sprained it two times last year, so I was a little bit worried, but it was nothing and I just tried to concentrate and don't think about it. At that point I was a little bit worried because you know, it was really scary.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: It always gives you greater confidence because having a tough match, round 16, going to the quarters; having winning this kind of match, it is always, you know, depends which player you play, you are going to have a different game, but it is always a great feeling because mentally means that I am very strong and I have confidence in myself and I can go more to the shots and play good important points; especially the breakpoints, so it is always great and when you are going into the tournament, the matches are getting tougher and tougher, but if I handle it really good this one, I think that I can keep going as good as I did today.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: During tiebreaker?

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Second set, right after --

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: First set? I don't know exactly, I have no idea,.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Yeah. It was like almost 5-All.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I know she beat me there, but every match is different. It is different surface, with different conditions. I was really tired after U.S. Open and I went to play that tournament, I was really tired and I couldn't run as good as I did today, so she is very tough and if you are not in good condition, you cannot win; that is why I lost. Today was completely different. I am playing better. It is a different surface. It is clay. You have to be more patient and definitely, mentally, I was very strong, you know, and I think that that was the key to win and also I was very fast. I am moving really well. I hit very good shots when I needed.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I don't put any pressure on myself. I am just going to go one by one. I always -- I am looking that way during all the tournaments and I think, you know, having confidence in myself and I am playing really good at the moment, so that is the most important thing to keep going in the tournament and I am not going to give up. I am just going to give my best; play the way I did today and try to see if I can win here for the first time, but going slowly one by one.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: It is a great feeling because normally I always been second seed in every tournament. Now I am the first seed, but I think that it will be even better when all the top players will be here, because I am a-- it is a little bit unlucky that Steffi is not here, but it is always great when you are the first seed and everybody is picking you the favorite to win and having the support of the crowd is always really good, but I am going to go one by one concentrate and play my best see what happens.