CHASE CHAMPIONSHIPS OF THE COREL WTA TOUR

November 19, 1996

Monica Seles

MONICA SELES: There were a couple of shots that made it even worse, and the pain just started shooting down my arm. It's been bugging me on and off for a while.

MONICA SELES: All you can do really is ice it and numb it at that point, there's not much. You can use some cream or some ice.

MONICA SELES: I don't know, I think it's time for me to evaluate what to do. This year has definitely been really hard because since my quarterfinal match in Australia, I don't think I've played -- well, maybe won a couple of matches where it hasn't bothered me, so I have to decide.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, it's been bugging me back and forth. There are some good days and some bad days. And some days it's worse.

MONICA SELES: Well, obviously I wanted to do well. A couple of weeks coming into this tournament haven't been a highlight of my career. But it's been a tough year in some ways. I've had some great times, but it's been just a struggle with some things. I think last year I had the knee and this year it's been the shoulder. I think the three years that I've been off it's hard to just come back as quickly at the level that I want to come back, and it's going to be a little bit more of patience on my side.

MONICA SELES: In tennis or in life?

MONICA SELES: I think for my family and friends to be healthy, happy, and a couple of other things. But in my tennis career, I think -- yeah, it's an easy one, just to go out on the court and feel really -- feel that it's pain-free most of the time, I would say. And to continue that I could practice a month normally without having interruptions constantly with the injury that I had this year.

MONICA SELES: I think so, probably, but I don't want to jump into it too quick, because that's a tough decision. We thought about that decision for a while after the U.S. Open. And it's not an easy one, because it's a long layoff. But then obviously what's been happening this year with it has been really tough, not just physically but mentally, also, to wake up and have to deal with it every single day. It's been tough.

MONICA SELES: I think each one is individual. For me what's been hard is it's been a long one. It wasn't like it would get better. And I probably made a mistake that I played with it for quite some time when I should have stopped. And that's always a lesson. That's why I say I'm not going to do that, if it's hurting, my body is telling me I had enough of it. And I don't want to take it anymore. As everybody knows this isn't as long. But with the ranking system next year we have to play more tournaments. And it's just -- we do more things than come out and play, and obviously you can see the top players are getting injured more often and a lot of the players are leaving the Tour at an early age.

MONICA SELES: It was a tough one because I didn't play the Grand Slams for a long time. And I had a great time in Australia. And I thought I can get by on some things at the French and Wimbledon. And even at the U.S. Open I think I was lucky to get where I was. And some days it was better than others. But definitely. But it's been a tough one, because I never had to deal with an injury like this one. So I didn't know -- I didn't have any prior experience or knowledge.

MONICA SELES: I think it's not playing for three months. And then who knows, that's the best case.

MONICA SELES: I know that because I want to -- I mean this year after the semifinals of the Australia it's been a struggle. And I do know, I just -- I've got to make a decision, it's a tough one. It might not be the best decision in the short-term, but in the long-term it might be. I've got to assess it with a clean mind. Because now I have more emotions there. I think it's not good to make a decision like that.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, I think there was a petition that most top players signed at the U.S. Open about that. But we got out-voted so that's not in effect next year. So we have the cumulative ranking point system. I think we'll definitely have to make some changes, the same way I think we'll need more top players playing each other more often. But demands are really tough on you. And it's just week in, week out. You finish the U.S. Open, three days later I jumped on a plane to Japan. I finished Japan and I go the next day to Atlantic City. There's never a time for a break or to enjoy yourself, either from the victory or learn from the losses. And I think one or two small changes can be made and it will be better for everybody. And I think we'll have more players around for a longer time.

MONICA SELES: I don't know that one. I don't know yet.

MONICA SELES: I don't know that. I think time will tell. I'm not going to decide tonight on that one.

MONICA SELES: I talked to Kimiko and Gaby last night and before, and I watched -- I think it's such an early age to retire, but that's a tough one, too, because Gaby has been on the Tour so long. And I look at myself and I've only been on the tour three and a half years, compared to these girls who have been there for a long time. But I think some of the concerns and I think some things we've got to look at Tour-wide, two players at age 26, I mean who have great tennis ahead of them are leaving us.

MONICA SELES: Well, the last time before tonight I played Kimiko in Nagoya, both of us played a great match, I was down I think 6-3 in the tiebreaker, and came back 7-6 in the third set in front of the Prince and Princess, like a huge deal. And tonight it's tough, because I was so occupied with my thoughts and what I was going through, that I really didn't pay much attention to her game or to my game tonight.

MONICA SELES: I think I can pretty sure speak of all the players will definitely miss her. She has been so nice all the time. And I got a chance to sit down with Kimiko yesterday, last night and talk to her for the first time for quite sometime. And she's just a really nice person. And for me it will be hard because I think two people that -- and Gaby, especially, for what she stood up after my stabbing and a lot of things, it will be very weird, I think, starting next year not seeing two players who we've had around for a long time. So it won't be the same, but there's always new players coming, and everybody is changing faces. But I'll definitely miss them, it won't be the same. But I think what Kimiko said today, that for he she did the best that she could and she gave her best try, I still think there's a lot ahead of her still in tennis, she could do even better. But she's moving on and it's not an ending, it's a new beginning for her, I think that's important to look at it that way. So I think both Gaby feels -- that I talked to her yesterday.