VIRGINIA SLIMS CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 19, 1993

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Yeah, I mean I think it was. I think that I knew it can be a difficult match and I just thought that I have to be very patient and I decide that after having the chances to win the first set, I lost it, and then I just thought that I have to, you know, do something different if I want to win the match and I decide to go more to the net and if she pass me, all right, I put more pressure on her and then winning the second set, you know, she start getting a little tired. She broke me in the second game, but I thought if I'm hanging in there I could-- you know, the match can change and I'm glad that I play, you know, with good concentration. I was very aggressive and very happy that I go and win the match today.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: No. I think that, well, like everybody knows I had a very bad allergy, something that I ate after the tournament in Essen give me bad allergy and I start feeling irritation in my face and my back and also in the front of my body and I could not play because it was very itchy and give me fever. I don't know, something that I ate give me that reaction and I could not play, I have very strong antibiotic, you know, doctor put me and I have to stop for ten days, you know, with nothing at all and like everybody knows, you know, antibiotic get you down. But I'm glad last week I be able to practice a little bit and because I know I'm strong, you know, I could hanging in there, but I was worried that I could not even play here, that's why I pull out of Philadelphia, and finally I'm glad that I'm here and in very good condition and I'm getting better and also the irritation is almost gone, so that's why. But I just thought that I could have my chances, but I didn't feel tired at all. I just run as fast as I can and I just think I was very tough mentally, that helped me to win the match.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: It's going to be completely different match than today. Jana is coming all the time to the net, serve and volley; Mary is the best baseline player, very different, probably even better that Mary stay on the baseline, and I just play her two weeks ago in Essen and I beat her three sets. I know she's playing really well, she has nothing to lose, but I also am, I am in very good shape and I just think that I'm just going to relax, concentrate and play as good as I did today, you know, be aggressive and see what happened. But it is completely different match and I'm excited.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I don't think so. I think she is still the same player as she is in Wimbledon but everybody knows that sometimes she has up and downs so you just have to take that opportunity and I just thought that, you know, I play, you know, pretty good until, you know, until the end of the match and I just hanging in there because I knew it when I have my chances, if I take it, you know, everything change and that's what happened today. But I also, I had very good concentration and I also put pressure on her so she has to pass me and she was not able to be in the net as she likes to and I just thought that -- I'm very happy because I was very aggressive and I play, you know, very good in the net and I'm glad that I win the match. But I just think that you have to take the opportunities against her but she's still the same player, she's dangerous, she serve well and she can come with unbelievable shots but you just have to hang in there and, you know, be patient and concentrate because everything can happen.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I know that they know that I'm a dangerous player because I can come back, you know, I never give up and I always try my best. That's something that always helped me a lot. That means that I have good confidence on myself and I just try to come back and always works really well so I'm happy about it. Of course, you know, because they get a little bit disappointed because I hit a lot of balls back, even if I miss I try, I never get disappointed, I just think, I wait my opportunities and, of course, I know that they don't like that and you can see that.