AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 26, 2004

Patty Schnyder

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English for Patty.

PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah, I was playing really good in the indoor tournaments at the end of the year already. I just felt that my game is there. I just needed the opportunity like here to, yeah, to go far and, yeah, to be able to play a hundred percent of my game.

PATTY SCHNYDER: I think I won three times. But it's going to be really different, I think, this time. Twice we played I think on hard court outdoors. It was very close, always three sets. So I expect a really tough match. I mean, for both of us it's a big match, so we going to be a little nervous. Yeah, we see what happens.

PATTY SCHNYDER: Yes, of course. I mean, we always try to look for the next match. But as soon as like Sugi lost already like in my part of the draw, I really tried to, yeah, get her spot to quarters. Just before we went on court, like Suarez and me, Venus lost also. You can just feel it, that something is a little easier, or a little more possible to reach. So I'm trying my best.

PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah, I hope that it's coming again, because I think I beat a lot of Top 10 players, a lot of good players, No. 1's in the world. Just not in a Grand Slam yet. This is an opportunity, yeah, not to beat the Top 10s to go into the semis. Of course you don't have too many opportunities like this in your career. But I think I'm a very good player and I can go very far here.

PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah, the beginning was very tough. She has a solid game. She had a good rhythm coming into the match, and I really knew that I have to mix up the shots like the most I can. I really brought the slices in, which I really don't do a lot of times. And (inaudible) the high balls and make her come into the net so I can hit passing shots. Yeah, I mean, I had to really think every shot what I was going to do. Of course, I got a little shaky at the end. It was a tough game.

PATTY SCHNYDER: Yeah, of course I was really pleased to play some good winners at the end to finish it off on her serve. But, yeah, I think she didn't play too well like a big part of the match. I don't know, she just probably was loosen up at the end and she didn't miss anymore. She made it tough for me to finish it off.