PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 9, 2002

Monica Seles

MODERATOR: Questions for Monica.

MONICA SELES: Well, definitely at 2-Love when I was serving, I let a little bit my concentration slip in that game with a double-fault. Then she picked up her game after I think 2-1.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, definitely. I think she started being more aggressive, and I went the other way, I started kind of just pushing the ball, a little bit disappearing from the match. But at least, you know, I won the important points, although I didn't finish the match as I would have liked it to.

MONICA SELES: No. I mean, it's difficult to keep that level of intensity up the entire time. Each match is unique. This one, she picked up her game, I dropped my game. You know, it got to be 3-All: but then I held serve, which was key, to go up 4-3. That kind of set me up for the match.

MONICA SELES: No. When you win a set 6-0, the player has zero to lose. They're going to come out and whack that ball. That was the story in the last match and today's match. Just try to worry about what you can control. Today at 2-Love, I let a little bit go. It's a good lesson, I'll try not to repeat that.

MONICA SELES: I was actually in Brazil playing in a tournament there, just finished practicing, got back to my room.

MONICA SELES: They had it, but it was Portuguese, so I didn't really understand it. But obviously the pictures, I mean, was enough to see it.

MONICA SELES: I think it changed for everyone. I mean, just the way the world is operating.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, I played eight weeks in a row starting from Hopman Cup through Dubai.

MONICA SELES: I feel okay. I mean, originally Indian Wells wasn't on my schedule, but I decided I really wanted to play. So far I'm really happy, happy with the schedule, that I have a day in between each of my matches. Gives me time to rest. My first two matches, I really haven't been pushed that hard. The difficult ones are just coming up.

MONICA SELES: I did a little bit too much training yesterday. My coach and I just talked about that. Got to slow down a touch bit. But that was a good lesson to learn. I will take it easy. Hopefully I'll be feeling refreshed like I was in my first match for my next one on Monday.

MONICA SELES: I have a lot of friends here, so I spend time with them, with their kids. I know a lot of people in this area. It's been quite busy. Actually, I've got to slow down a little bit and just focus on my tennis (laughter).

MONICA SELES: Really I'm kind of forced to do that because I don't play anything in the fall in Europe because of the championships moving to Germany. So I kind -- with the way the rankings are set up, my ranking dropped just because I didn't have enough tournaments on the schedule. You know, I probably would not do it this way next year. I'll probably have some breaks in between. But it was a lesson learned. Try not to make that same scheduling problem.

MONICA SELES: It was definitely scary. Everybody, who has been in an accident, everything happens in slow motion. I was okay. I was really worried about my mom. She has had some more difficulties getting back to her health and normal routine. For me, it was okay. But it was a scary experience.

MONICA SELES: That's one of the reasons, yeah.

MONICA SELES: Definitely. The more matches you play, the better it is. My first-round match was extremely windy. Today it was perfect out there. Hopefully the weather will not get any hotter than it has been the last two days. I'm feeling more and more comfortable with it.

MONICA SELES: Yes, definitely. Can't wait for that week, to be honest (laughter). Then, yeah, start back at Amelia, hopefully.

MONICA SELES: Well, as always, whenever you come into a tournament, you feel good. At the same time you just try to take it a match at a time and look at my part of the draw, just playing the winner of Iroda and Ai. That's all I worry about I think. Some of the players have struggled, and some like Martina haven't. It just depends.

MONICA SELES: It's so far down the road. Truly I have a tough one against both players, whoever wins tomorrow. You know, I just hate to look that far down the road. I've learned my lessons not to.