VIRGINIA SLIMS CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 20, 1993

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Yes. I think I have very good sleep last night and I have enough energy for today and I knew it was not going to be easy match, but I just thought that I played very well since the beginning, I probably have some chances to finish it up in two sets and I went to three, but, I mean I was not disappointed that I lost the second set, I just keep going and I knew it that the serve for going 3-1 was very important and I just concentrate and I make a good serve again and I'm glad that I finish the match, you know, winning and I'm really happy because it gives you good confidence for keep going for tomorrow.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, she's a player that she hits the ball harder than anybody, and she can hit unbelievable, you know, shot or she can miss it. So you just have to be patient. Sometimes she can make a great shot and she can make, you know, very easy mistakes, so I just think that you just have to hang in there and play differently. I mean, change the pace of the ball and, you know, keep going sometimes, or do something different, but if you do the same, she keeping in the match and she can be dangerous then, and I thought that works well, that I change the pace and I hit some dropshots. Sometimes I didn't hit it in the right moment, but I just thought that I let her think a little more where the ball is going to be and probably I can finish in two sets. Like I say, I'll relax a little bit. And I hit the ball a little shorter and she play good shots, but on the third set I had the control and I win the match. But I just think that I was more aggressive again in the third set.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I just thought was a very long rally and finally I couldn't win the point and, you know, I make a very short dropshot, I decide to go on the floor and stay there a while just to recover. But I just thought probably I can have little bit more energy left and I just keep, you know, keep playing and didn't think too much about that point.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I just drink, it is a tonic drink, I mean, that's what I always drink on the court. I just thought after, you know, I win the game 3-1 I couldn't go 4-1, but it was 3-2, I just thought, well, keep concentrate and thinking, you know, to be aggressive again and keep still winning my serve, you know, I just concentrate more, you know, at the end of the match with my serve and I keep winning my serves, so I was, you know, I was in front of -- always in front of her and I just keep going so I'm really proud and happy because I play a great match and I play a good points, so I deserve to win and on the final.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I think that I'm really happy to be in the final and, I mean, tomorrow I'm the one who has nothing to lose against Steffi, you know, we play many times this year and I always have a good matches against her. I just have to be patient, too, and, you know, be aggressive like I did today and probably, you know, its a going to be my first final to go the best out of five, you know, I feel very good physically, you know, after playing two very long matches and getting to the final, but I just think that I'm going to be aggressive and, you know, be concentrate and I'm really excited about tomorrow.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I just think I have enough preparation after these two matches and I feel great physically. I'm not going to do nothing differently for tomorrow to do the final, I have tonight that I can recover, you know, and be ready for tomorrow, I'm really excited and I'm just going to fight the same as I did, you know, today and see if I can win for the first time at Virginia Slims but otherwise I'm happy to get into the final and, you know, I will do my best and try to win.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I know she is a very strong player, she is very tough, you always have to play your best to beat her and I'm think that you really have to take the opportunities that you have and especially when you have a breakpoint, you have to be aggressive to play her, otherwise she, you know, runs and hits this great forehand that she has and I just think that tomorrow the first couple of games will be, you know, very important to start well and, you know, put pressure on her. That's all about it, I just think, I mean I'm just going to play my game and be aggressive and when I will have a chance, you know, hit my groundstrokes and try to go a little more to the net.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I think that she's had a great tournament, even that she lost against me, you know, beat two top players, you know, for the first time in this tournament means that, you know, she probably now thinks she can do, you know, really well. And I just think everybody knows that she is a great player, you know, that's why she's in, you know, where she is right now. I think that she must be very proud of herself but she have a tough opponent today.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: No, I just did that because I thought it was impossible to miss that shot. I think after she make great shots, having that easy overhead and put it away in the doubles, that's why I did that, that came right away but I didn't -- doesn't mean anything, I just think that's the way I said, she can make good shots, you know, she can make very easy mistakes.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: No, I just did that because that just came out at that moment but I didn't mean anything at that moment, I mean, sometimes, you know, emotionally you just do things that, you know, after you don't remember it at all. And that came to my mind but didn't think anything at all, could be concentrate too, who knows.