CHASE CHAMPIONSHIPS OF SANEX WTA TOUR

November 15, 2000

Monica Seles

Q. How much of a factor was the speed of the court today and how did it work to your advantage?

MONICA SELES: Really, I think all of us, both Sandrine and I, coming in didn't get to hit much of a supreme court. It is definitely very fast. And I think my timing was off, but, I mean, that's expected.

MONICA SELES: Definitely, for my own way, yeah. I mean, there's a big chance -- I don't foresee to play a few more years, but it's only for three years. But I think it is just sad to see all of these tournaments leaving the U.S. I mean, it's not just the CHAMPIONSHIPS; it is Philadelphia. I mean, when you look at the best players in the world, they are all based in the U.S. in some shape or form. This is where we make our home, if you look down from the No. 1 to 5, 6 players in the world. I was really sad when the Tour decided to do that. I personally did not agree with that, because I think sometimes you make a decision on money, and this was in the big picture not that big of an amount of money to move it to Germany, where in Germany I think tennis has been struggling since Steffi and Boris retired. But that was a decision the Tour made, and I just have to see how it affects me.

MONICA SELES: The CHAMPIONSHIPS have been here since 1972. So, there's no other place in the world like Madison Square Garden. It is an honor to play here, and when you look at the history of it, and it is the best showcase for women's tennis, especially now when women's tennis is doing amazing, such media interest in it. I think it is just sad. I mean, if you had a chance to play in the Garden, I don't think it can get better than that, along with the Grand Slams, really, for a tennis player.

MONICA SELES: I would love to. I would love to play here at the Garden. That's one of the reasons why I decided to play, because if it had been another tournament, I for sure wouldn't take a chance playing this week. Definitely, I would love to. But as I said, I'm just sad that as a tournament, it is leaving, and it seems for good. It's for quite some time right now.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, definitely. I was more a little bit upset that I was at that point on the council and no one informed me; that I read about it in the USA Today, and that was a huge surprise to me because I thought there would be a little more discussion and I thought being on the Council at that point, somebody would have at least asked me or talk about it. So, yeah, I was definitely hurt on it, personally. But I've learned from the past, certain things and certain things are not going to change and I just have to worry about stuff that I can change and not worry about anything else.

MONICA SELES: When it happened. I'm not on the Council anymore. I didn't -- I decided not to run, because I felt that after that, there's no -- a few other things happened; there was no reason for me. If I'm giving a couple hours at big tournaments, I just feel, you know -- given back at least a courtesy call from someone, to just let me know we're thinking of moving to Germany, what's your opinion on it. Stuff like that.

MONICA SELES: No. It's not my personality.

MONICA SELES: I don't say never, going back. I mean, one of my best friends is from Germany, and he keeps telling me that I have to go back and play, because I really have truly quite a lot of fans there, and the letters that I get about what happened. But for me, it's just -- really how I was treated, I would not feel comfortable going back to play. To visit, it is a totally different story. But to play a tennis tournament right now, I don't foresee that happening.

MONICA SELES: No. I have nothing against the city, just the justice system that in my case, really, messed up.

MONICA SELES: Definitely it has to be when I played Gabi in 1990, and it was the first time in my career that I played a five-set match. And then against Martina in 1991. And then probably one of the best matches I ever played when I won here easily against Martina in '92. Just, there's no thrill like it. I mean, you watch all of these basketball games, hockey games, and any time when I see like -- like when you talk to Wayne Gretzky, they all have some amazing memories, and I'm just lucky to share that with someone like and a Navratilova and Steffi, that we played here and had some huge wins, really.

MONICA SELES: My feet are okay. I had quite a long time off. I was really trying hard to play in Linz, Moscow, Philadelphia. And I went to Europe, but it did not allow me to do that. So, just have to see tomorrow morning. Really, in the match, they felt very good. So, they are feeling fine.

MONICA SELES: It is not a stress fracture. It is something on both of my feet that I have problems with. It is kind of tendonitis and a few other things. It is a mesh of stuff in there.

MONICA SELES: Right now I am not going to think about that, and I told that to Billie Jean, because as I said, coming into here, I really didn't know if I'm going to play or how am I going to play, too. But knowing this is the last one, I wanted to play. Fed Cup, hopefully I'm going to be part of the team for a long time. If I'm healthy, definitely, I would love to play. So I'm just -- my frame of mind is just taking it a day at a time, really, right now.

MONICA SELES: Of course. Yeah, that's just been amazing. That's all you can say. I was born in a communist country, and to come out here, I never imagined I would get to see this happening here. So, as everyone else, I am just glued to my TV, and all of the recounting of votes and everything. At least my county is not involved.

MONICA SELES: I did not get a chance to vote because I did not know that you had to register. So when I went there, I guess I needed to register, and I didn't know that, because -- about two years ago, they sent you a ballot where you had to register or Democrat, Republican or Libertarian, and I didn't want to do that. And I made a mistake that there. So, I made sure for the next election, I have that registration and will be able to vote.

MONICA SELES: I don't have really any contact out there. All of my friends have moved out. The last time I was there was two and a half, three years ago now -- my father. It's just great to see the change and I just hope they are accepted back into the UN, and it's just great to see that.