US OPEN

September 4, 2002

Monica Seles

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Monica, please.

MONICA SELES: I don't know. I mean, she was just really better than I was in every department tonight.

MONICA SELES: Well, I just -- I think the match tells it all. I think I had one breakpoint. She just served too well. I really couldn't read it at all. Was too strong.

MONICA SELES: I've lost to her many times 2 and 3. This is not the first time. She's one of the toughest players for me to play. Each time I go into a match I know it's tough because she has her weapons that make it difficult for me to play her.

MONICA SELES: I really don't look at it that way. You come into a tournament wanting to win it. Tonight I faced a player that was just better, you know. Really, whatever department, she just played better than I did tonight.

MONICA SELES: I really didn't see the match. But, gosh, you can't -- maybe Chanda played better than I did. I don't know. I can just speak about the match. She was just better than I was out there.

MONICA SELES: It's hard to say because a lot of times I had little bit of a window and I kind of made more unforced errors than I would have liked to. But then a lot of times she didn't give me any chances. The balls were coming back very fast. When you lose, you definitely didn't -- you don't feel you played well. At the same time, I got to give credit for her. Her serves were just too strong for me to return and that put a lot of pressure on my own serve.

MONICA SELES: I haven't played Serena in more than a year's time. I think she's improved a lot since then. So, I mean, it's hard. I haven't seen the Wimbledon or the French Open finals, it's really hard for me to say. It seems from the last two matches, Serena. But Venus has won this tournament twice in a row. So, you know, we'll see.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, definitely.

MONICA SELES: Well, I think Venus was playing very well last year to win the US Open. I think she won all the three tournaments coming in. So in my eyes last year Venus was the favorite, as I think this year Serena's won the most tournaments. I think the one that has improved a lot is Serena, very much so.

MONICA SELES: I really don't know. I mean, hard for me to comment because I don't know the things that are going around. Just coming into the stadium you feel you have to go through security check points before you didn't have to go. But I really don't know the details, so what goes around behind the scenes...

MONICA SELES: I've always felt secure at the tennis court, all my career. So I would see no difference today or...

MONICA SELES: Well, you got to return better and you got to serve yourself better to put the pressure on her. But, you know, when someone is serving 115, it's tough to return no matter how well you're playing.

MONICA SELES: No, I mean, all night long I had a very tough time on her serve. Her serve tonight for me was just too good. I mean, that sums it up.

MONICA SELES: Oh, each one is very painful, I mean, each loss. I think if it wouldn't, then you wouldn't be playing. That's for sure. I mean, each loss - last year I lost in the fourth round - was just as bad as losing in the quarters this year.

MONICA SELES: Well, I definitely have to work on my serve a little bit. Not just this match but this past tournament, it's been out there. I'd have to sit down and, you know, not make a hasty decision here.

MONICA SELES: It's hard to say because obviously I didn't have to face a serve like Venus' going up in those 115s and stuff like that. That would be a big difference. You know, to compare to that...

MONICA SELES: Well, all the top players. For sure going back, Chris Evert, I had some tough losses, Navratilova, Steffi. Then Martina Hingis, Venus, Serena. I mean, I had some bad losses against each one. So... I mean, any given day, any of those ten players out there.

MONICA SELES: Huh?

MONICA SELES: Well, there's obviously a huge difference in their serve and athletic ability. You had someone like Navratilova and Steffi who were superb athletes, but I think both Serena and Venus are even better athletes. That's a huge difference. I don't think Martina or Steffi could serve as hard as Serena and Venus can right now.

MONICA SELES: Well, I think the last three, four months, yeah. They have been the two players who have won most of the tournaments and the most important ones - the Grand Slams.

MONICA SELES: If Martina in her top days if she would beat Venus? I have no idea. I don't know. I think it's hard to compare and I wouldn't want to go there.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, he's been great. He's just a fantastic person; at the same time he's helped me a lot with my tennis. He played himself on the tour so he knows a lot of stuff about the lifestyle and the players and everything. So he's been a really great influence on me.

MONICA SELES: Yeah. Well, I mean, it's just nice to communicate with someone that's almost the same age as I am, who's been there, done it. He's a hard worker, he used to grind on the tour himself, that style of the game. I mean, he still plays fantastically. He gives -- you know, it's always challenging when I practice against him for me.

MONICA SELES: That's hard to say. Mike and I never really got a chance to work that much besides tournaments, so it's been a tough one because I played so many. But he's been really terrific for me, working with him.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, definitely. I mean, gosh, yeah. I mean, different people -- you have some of the legends who have played at the level, and definitely, I mean, of course . If you want to stop learning then I think it's time to move on in anything.

MONICA SELES: I love to watch Kuerten. I really love his game. Gosh, there are a few. I mean Pete the way he played last night was just great to watch - all those players.

MONICA SELES: I just like his style. I mean, he's so relaxed on the court. He just comes up with some unbelievable shots when he was in his prime, like last year really. He improved a lot coming from clay courter to an all-surface player.