XXVI OLYMPIC GAMES

July 25, 1996

Monica Seles

MONICA SELES: Well, who would I like in the finals?

MONICA SELES: I have no, idea because that is -- I mean, whoever gets to the finals would have to play three really tough players. I am just thinking about my next round opponent. I think the only player that is not here is Steffi in the women's draw. The men's draw is a whole different story. I do not know. As far as the women, everybody is here. It is a very strong field.

MONICA SELES: I think the men's and the women's tour is different, I just believe, in a lot of different ways. The tour is structured differently. Men can get guarantees; women can't. Their prize money is much bigger right now than ours is. It is just -- it is different, I think. I mean, some male players live different lifestyle than the women players. So I think a few things come into it. And maybe some played and they don't want to play it again, because it is -- it is not the same, you are not treated the same way as you are at tournaments. You are treated here as an equal, except maybe for the Dream Team. But so -- maybe some players don't want to deal with that. I don't know. You would have to ask -- probably have to ask each player individually.

MONICA SELES: I have been with the U.S. Team; that is really the people I got to talk and spend a lot of time talking. I mean, we were talking. We take this very serious just as another tournament. And we want to win, all of us, the gold in singles and in doubles, and do our best. I mean, it is every four years, and I think down the road you will look at this even more special than I think winning maybe the 10th Grand Slam title, because you always love your first Grand Slam title, but then afterwards, it is just a matter of being there and doing it there.

MONICA SELES: Well, I don't think Gabriela's ranking is consistent. Of course, she didn't play because she has been injured and that is, I think, one of the reasons why her ranking is there. But I think as soon as she starts playing again, which she is doing now, it will go back to where it should be. I think it is Gaby, and it is Jana Novotna and Arantxa also who are in that part of the draw who are really tough, and of course Martina Hingis, she is there. It is really tough upper part.

MONICA SELES: Oh, Martina just lost? Okay, thank you. Okay.

MONICA SELES: No, I was really bummed because I had tickets, and I couldn't get there for 5 o'clock, and it was really frustrating because that is one of the reasons that you are staying in the Village, to see other events and tickets for water polo and diving and swimming, I couldn't get in. And it wasn't a good night for me that night, but I watched just the highlights on TV, and I think what they did is unbelievable. I mean, that is just amazing, so...

MONICA SELES: Well, in terms of my shoulder, it is not going to do any different than what I did at the French or Wimbledon or what I am going to do after this. So in those terms, I decided really before the French Open that I am going to do this and be good or bad and stay on that course. It wasn't that easy after the French and Wimbledon to say okay, I can do this and keep at it because I am not playing at the level that I am used to being. But it is a very unique year, and I think preparation for the U.S. Open will be interrupted a little bit by this. So the few players that are not playing might have a little bit -- might be prepared a little bit better than most of us. But I still would get some -- a lot of matchplay, which I need, and I will have maybe a week or two weeks before the U.S. Open to just practice.

MONICA SELES: I am planning to play in Montreal. That is where I am entered. I might play in Los Angeles, I don't know yet.

MONICA SELES: I didn't see Jennifer,. I wasn't in Barcelona, but the stories that I heard, she had a lot of fun. I mean, I can't -- I have been going to more events. To me, it was just frustrating, a few nights you can't go to an event and you are staying in the Village and nobody can do a single thing about it. And it is right across from where you are staying. That is the only frustrating part that I had this week. But everything else has been great, so I am having a great time. I mean, for me, I have never experienced anything like this. I talked to a lot of athletes before coming to the Olympics. They all told me what to expect and so on, but until you experience it, there is nothing like it.

MONICA SELES: Well, I think they are just so behind all the U.S. players, I mean, when Mary Joe played yesterday and Lindsay, they were just unbelievable to all of us, and that is -- that just helps you so much to go out there and to know that you have the support when being down or it is 30-All and you have to go for your shots to know that everybody is with you, there is no feeling like that.

MONICA SELES: Definitely. Oh, yeah, I think even before I became a citizen -- yep.

MONICA SELES: I really don't feel at that level, no, but that is one of the things that I am just going to keep trying to work on and I need to play some more matches, but I need to practice. I need to put in those hours that I used to put in both physically and on the tennis court, but it is really tough because there are so many things going on the last two, three months and the next one and a half months, but I am trying to do the best that I can, so -- and I think for me, I really need the matches to know what to do when it is 30-All, 5-All; where before, I used to just play it out and now I haven't played for 2 1/2 years and I get a little bit more unsure - whatever the word would be - so I think a lot of matchplay will definitely help me.

MONICA SELES: Yes, definitely. Today helped a lot because -- I had a pretty tough match the last time I played Patricia, I think, in Canada. I knew that she is a tough player and I wanted to finish the match out, but each time I would try to do that, she would come back. So knowing that I could still pull out her game after she would come back from 40-15 was great.

MONICA SELES: That is what I should do because that is the style of my game and I think as soon as I undo that, then I start playing somebody else's game, and then I get mad at myself because then I am asking myself why I am out there.

MONICA SELES: Yes, right now. Maybe in couple of months, no. Because you like to finish the matches as quickly as you can, but right now, I think so, yes. Thank you.