TELECOM ITALIA MASTERS

May 13, 2003

Monica Seles

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Monica, please.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, definitely. I haven't played really since February besides two matches, so that was my main goal. I really wanted to come here and play some on red clay. That was definitely evident today. I'm happy I got through, so at least I know I'm going to play one more match.

MONICA SELES: Not yet, no. It's a come-and-go. I had to pull out of doubles because I was feeling pain again in the start of the second set. But I really want to play next few weeks, so I'll try to do everything possible.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, definitely every day, and then I have a therapist traveling with me now, so...

MONICA SELES: It was a hard-hitting match. I've never played Myriam. I know her pretty well. She just came out and was hitting the ball very hard, and took me a while to adjust to that. I think she just made more mistakes, and I stopped making many mistakes and that was the decision in the match.

MONICA SELES: I, again, never played Nadia. She is a very talented player. I think she was very unlucky, she started playing well last year and she sprained her ankle. She is coming back from that. It's going to be another tough match, I know that.

MONICA SELES: They're from my fans. I've really got some amazing fans here. I've got so many teddy bears in my hotel, then the flowers today are just gorgeous. They've been with me, I think, for about since really 1990. So that's loyal (smiling).

MONICA SELES: Mentally or physically, big difference (laughing).

MONICA SELES: Both. Mentally, it's the same. I mean, I still really much enjoy it. Obviously, I know Rome much better, I have a lot of friends. So it's more like, you know, more of a comfortable feeling than one of the first few times in my career. Physically, it's definitely a lot tougher now just in terms of matches are a lot harder, my body doesn't recover as well as when I was 16. Definitely, battling this foot injury has for sure been a very difficult time for me this year with it.

MONICA SELES: Oh, I think each time I wouldn't be playing if I wouldn't want to be winning. But the main thing is that I really enjoy playing tennis. As long as I can play it at a level that I'm happy with, and, most importantly, my body lets me play it - which is the big question, because it's not enough to play, you've got to train - you know, I'm happy. But the same time, I know if this or whatever is my last tournament, I'm very happy also because I know I had a wonderful career and really some great memories. Hopefully, I can still continue playing tennis at least at a different level just for a form of exercise, because it's something that I don't think I can just say, "Well, I'll stop tomorrow and never pick up a racquet." It's been way too big a part of my life.

MONICA SELES: Top 10, how do you mean Top 10?

MONICA SELES: Yeah, Top 10, definitely. I've been for the past however many years. Obviously, this year I fell out because I only played I think 12 tournaments. So that's really not my goal. My goal would be to win a Grand Slam. I think that's what would keep me probably going.

MONICA SELES: Grand Slam, okay, got it, got it. I definitely think the best chance is at the French Open and then the Australian Open. My best results have come there, so that's where I would give highest percentage.

MONICA SELES: Well, right now I have quite a few matches ahead, so I think I'm just going to worry about Nadia tomorrow and hope my foot is well enough to play. Serena is just an unbelievable champion - I mean, the way she has played the past 12 months just really, I mean, what can you say there? That's way down the road (smiling).

MONICA SELES: Oh, no, it's definitely playing tennis. I mean, the traveling and everything else with it, it's part of it because you can't have one without the other. For me, it's just joy of playing tennis. That's why as a little girl I always thought I picked up playing tennis. It's really the only thing that has really stayed very continuous in my life, the love for the game.

MONICA SELES: It's really hard to pick one because all the past No. 1s are hard, going from Navratilova to Evert to Graf to the Williams sisters and to Hingis. I mean, all those names are in equal category.

MONICA SELES: Oh, not at all. I mean, it is correct. I'm definitely one of the older ones. Thank God for Martina (laughing). She's extra senior. But definitely, I've been on the tour the longest. I think besides Amanda, I think Conchita, most are... But, you know, I'm still 29 and I know I'm definitely in a very late stage of my career. That's why I'm trying to give it a last push. That's really it.