CHASE CHAMPIONSHIPS OF THE COREL WTA TOUR

November 18, 1997

Brenda Schultz-McCarthy

Q. Brenda, how did you hurt -- (inaudible)?

BRENDA SCHULTZ-McCARTHY: Yeah, I went to one volley stretching it, and -- I went to one volley in the first game of the second set and I had to reach and hit it short. Actually, I made the point, but my toe just totally went up my -- my nail went off my toe completely. So, I guess it has not been my year healthwise. It's been bad luck. And hopefully I can relax for five weeks and get in great shape and beat everybody next year.

BRENDA SCHULTZ-McCARTHY: Yeah, I couldn't -- I cannot hardly walk. I couldn't put pressure on it because my nail just completely went off of my toe, so it's just blood. I don't know what happened. I just break it. This floor, I guess. Jana just told me in the dressing room it happens a lot on this surface. I have played for ten years, and I never have it happen except tonight. I guess it's just bad luck. I mean, last week in Philly I had an Achilles problem, and on the Tour people are not allowed to crack, and my trainer from Florida came here and he said my ankle was out of place. And he put it back in and I was ready to go. And, you know, I felt good, of course. You know, play a lot of tournaments the last seven weeks in a row, I played Fed Cup, Zurich, Quebec City, Moscow, Philly, Chicago all in a row, so that's seven weeks in a row. So I guess my body is exhausted and says hey, enough.

BRENDA SCHULTZ-McCARTHY: Yeah, I think I was kind of surprised. I had the feeling Martina was also not a hundred percent in shape. She kind of surprised me, so I -- some points I had breakpoint and I had backhand in open court, because I thought she wasn't that fit, so I didn't want to miss the ball. Instead of going for it a couple times, I kind of pushed open court. In order to get that ball, I was going for it, and a couple shots that kind of pushed, you know, and my serve game was 40-15 with a break and made one volley. And I was a bit too careful because I knew she wasn't as fast as she normally is. I felt if I can put it into the court, I'll be okay and she can never get to it. I played it too careful twice, and that was two very important points. And kind of first set got away from me. Playing good tennis, but at the moment I really had her. I kind of hold back instead of just keep going for it. I kind of was, like, worrying about her health instead of my tennis. And I think sometimes it happens when you feel the other person is not a hundred percent you kind of start looking at that, you know. I think if I could have kept on going in the second, I would have been okay, because I missed a couple backhands. That's been lately my best shot. I mean, Martina doesn't hit the ball very hard. She hits everything back. And I kind of had the feeling I was too early sometimes and I was kind of opening up. So, I had the feeling I would get into it when the match would continue, and I would kind of lose my nerve because the first, second set, I was kind of surprised, hey, I have a chance here, she's not getting my balls back, she's not getting my serve back. I was thinking I was too careful.

BRENDA SCHULTZ-McCARTHY: Yeah, I played a couple matches against Steffi, and I think Steffi is very tough player. She's very fast on the court, and would be interesting to see those two play. But for me, personally, it's harder to play Steffi than Martina. But that's just a personal thing. I mean, I played very good against Seles' matches, you know. I have trouble with people that normally hit me from the court. And, you know, like players like Lindsay Davenport or Mary Pierce or Steffi, they just hit so hard. They hit the ball really flat and hard. And the thing with Lindsay, she's not as fast as Steffi, and Mary Pierce is not as fast as Steffi, but Steffi, with the way she hits, she is also very fast, and every time you're in a position to hit the ball fast. She comes back next year healthy, that would be the main thing. I think it could be a very tough battle for Martina to play Steffi.

BRENDA SCHULTZ-McCARTHY: No. I mean, I think it would be a tough match.

BRENDA SCHULTZ-McCARTHY: Yeah, she placed last week. She played three, four set matches, maybe even five. Yeah, it was showing.