FED CUP - ISRAEL vs USA

July 20, 2002

Monica Seles

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

MONICA SELES: Oh, definitely. Then she started playing better. It's one of those things that, you know, I wasn't playing as well out there and I had to get used to the conditions. It was a little bit of a seesaw match on my part.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, definitely. I mean, I watched her hit against Anna a couple days ago. I knew she was a very good runner, she's in great shape. I didn't play as aggressively as I would like to, and I gave her plenty of time to hit the ball. Her forehand was really very good. She had nothing to lose. So both Lindsay and I kind of knew we had to be on our toes.

MONICA SELES: Well, it's really extreme heat. I wish we were playing a little bit later - I think both of us. Tomorrow I guess the heat index is even worse than today, so great... I mean, I've got blisters on my foot. But that's part of it. You got to get used to it. I think next week in Stanford will be a lot cooler. Hopefully, we can just win one match out of the next three and just get it over with.

MONICA SELES: Definitely. I mean, Lindsay did a fantastic job. I mean, gosh, for her not to play for nine months and come back and play so well in extremely tough conditions, plus, on top of that, the pressure of having to kind of win the match, it's just great. That put a little bit less pressure on me, and I just went out there. I think the whole team is very happy to be up 2-love.

MONICA SELES: I think it's a combination of both. I mean, I haven't seen this heat since probably last year. And I only spent like two days in Sarasota at home. I really kind of should pay more attention to it, train more in heat. But that's what it is and, you know, learn for next time.

MONICA SELES: Well, I think we'll have a team meeting, we'll discuss her game. I mean, I only played her once a couple months ago on clay. She's a player that gets back a lot of balls, I mean. I have to play better I think than I did today. Hopefully, I can find my game a little bit better than I did today.

MONICA SELES: Yes, I did then. Yeah.

MONICA SELES: Oh, it was great. I mean, it's always nice to have them support you, you know, even if you're returning, in the box seats quietly they're just saying, "Come on," or, "Stay tough." That helps because it's a tough match. I still wish more fans would come out, I think. I really was surprised because I played Team Tennis here a couple years ago and there were more fans. But hopefully for tomorrow more will show up.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, I was having a hard time with my forehand, my serve today. It was just a difficult, frustrating day for me out there. But I haven't played much. As anybody else, my timing is a little bit off. But I just have to hit some more balls.

MONICA SELES: I think we're all just going to sit down, our usual team thing, and talk about what we think we have to do tomorrow against Smashnova and the other player, and just discuss schedule and stuff like that, and then have dinner.

MONICA SELES: Well, I got a little bit lucky. I don't think it was as hot when I played as when Lindsay played. I don't think so. Gosh, she had it rough. The last time I played in this heat , I don't know , it would have to be Australia at some point I think - maybe two years ago.

MONICA SELES: Oh, it was just a lot easier than last time, being already 1-0 down. Especially, there's a lot of pressure on this tie to get back into the Group. So for Lindsay, gosh, it's not easy coming back, playing your first match under these circumstances. I just really give huge credit to her.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, definitely. I think for me, when it's hard, I get blisters on the bottom of my feet and that's what's really frustrating. There's not much you can do for that. But, you know, it's for both players out there same conditions.