PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 13, 2004

Magui Serna

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

MAGUI SERNA: I don't think so. I mean I haven't been playing well for a while. I lost early rounds that I play. I haven't play my best. And today I don't think I play my best at all. I mean, even though I didn't play my best, I had chances. But, I mean, I'm not with a lot of confidence right now, and I think it shows today on the court. But I think it was more that than the other thing.

MAGUI SERNA: I mean, she's not bad. I guess, I mean, I was more focusing on my game, and didn't play good at all.

MAGUI SERNA: Yeah, I mean, I don't think she was doing anything special, actually. With my slice to her forehand, she couldn't do anything, just put it back again to my backhand. I agree, she has a good backhand, but that's it. Not a good serve. I mean, she plays well, obviously. From my opinion, it's nothing special.

MAGUI SERNA: I don't think so, in my opinion. She has to improve a lot of things, the serve for starters, and the forehand.

MAGUI SERNA: I don't think she run that well either. I mean, but I was more like focusing on my game today than on her game. But obviously she plays good for a 14-year-old, but I don't see her right now as a Top 10.

MAGUI SERNA: No.

MAGUI SERNA: Maybe in the future. I don't know, 14 is still very, very young. But there were other young players like, I don't know, Hingis or even like -- I don't know, younger players, Russians, that when they were 14, I thought were much better.

MAGUI SERNA: Yeah. She hits hard, she serves pretty well, she's tall, she runs very well.

MAGUI SERNA: I mean, right now, for me, Sharapova is playing much better than this girl.

MAGUI SERNA: I mean, as I said before, I mean, the last couple of tournaments I haven't played that well. It's tough when a player lose, you lose confidence. Right now I'm not with my best confidence at the moment. When that happens, I mean, sometimes you get like more frustrated on your own game and don't realize like the other player. I knew she was doing nothing with my -- every time I play slice to her forehand, the slowest that I play was pretty much the hardest for her to put the ball back into play. She didn't play any down the line. I don't think she even made like a winner with her forehand. It was more with her backhand, but obviously that's her best shot. I mean, I guess I just got more frustrated with my game. I mean, I think that was the key.

MAGUI SERNA: Yeah, definitely. I mean, if not, I wouldn't be where I am right now. But it's getting hard. I mean, everybody's playing good right now in the moment, I think, and every single match is tough.

MAGUI SERNA: True.

MAGUI SERNA: I missed the dropshot, I believe, at the net. I don't remember the next point. But it's still the same. I think, me playing with a bit more of confidence, winning a couple of matches, it would be a completely different match.

MAGUI SERNA: Once I finished the first set, I just realized that me playing slice to her forehand, she wasn't doing anything. She wasn't hitting down the line. She wasn't hitting hard at all. She was hitting the ball to my backhand. I was kind of like waiting for her to change to my forehand, then make her run, play my forehand cross to her backhand. That was basically, I mean, the thing.

MAGUI SERNA: Yeah. I mean, as I said before, everybody's playing great. I just have to keep practicing and stay positive, I guess.