CHASE CHAMPIONSHIPS OF THE COREL WTA TOUR

November 20, 1996

Brenda Schultz-McCarthy

BRENDA SCHULTZ-McCARTHY: It's just nice to end up the year nicely. Arantxa has been always a very tough opponent for me. I think we played like 7 times, I beat her once, a match like this, lost the first set and won the second set, and when my serve gets going, and I don't play any loose games, it's very hard for her to break me. So when it does go to a third set, I had that one ball that I touched and it's like a point for 5-3, you serve the set out and you end the match. It was a big deal for me, this match, because I would have ended the year top 10 if I would have won. It's some goals you put for yourself and when they don't come out it's sometimes tough.

BRENDA SCHULTZ-McCARTHY: Not that much with my forehand or by backhand slice, it was more by backhand top spin, that's lately been a very good shot for me, I would hit it down the line for the winner and today I couldn't get one in the court. And that was pretty tough. I think that one game actually on 4-3 when I got the breakpoint I did hit a couple in and that made the difference in the game. And I think I would have hit it better in the third if I would have got to the third set. She hits it pretty flat and low, when it does come to my backhand, because it normally is her backhand to my backhand. And I couldn't get underneath it enough. So that was a tough shot because that normally helps me out a lot. I didn't make a lot of mistakes on my forehand or backhand slice, it was my backhand topspin that let me down tonight.

BRENDA SCHULTZ-McCARTHY: The court is pretty fast, obviously Arantxa didn't return much of my serve. Part of it is my serve is pretty good, part of it is the court takes a lot of spin, so even if you don't have the fastest serve it takes a lot of slice, sometimes it goes away from you, it's hard to keep it under control, I think. But it's like I said, if I get going and a little bit my side, I had a couple of games 30-Love, especially in the beginning, already from the first set, she had one chance, she took it and I had a couple of chances and I couldn't convert, it was bad luck a little bit.

BRENDA SCHULTZ-McCARTHY: I think our system is really tough on you nervous wise. It's like you had to have a good result, every tournament you play, you cannot choke once, you have to -- every tournament you play you have to play well and sometimes when a lot of people like Jana at Wimbledon it's really bad. But a lot of girls they have the nickname, guys watch and they say, she choked. But it's our system that is really tough on you. I'd like to play a lot of tournaments. I love playing tournaments and I was looking at the schedule and, no, I cannot play that one because it's too many. Our system is a little bit like -- the less you play the better it is. So everybody who wanted to play more had troubles with being there every week, you know, and knowing that when you didn't play a hundred percent your ranking would right away drop. And knowing that sometimes players didn't play a hundred percent because they were so tight that they couldn't move. And now I was looking at my schedule for next year and it's so nice because I can play all the tournaments I like to play. And it's already much more relaxing just looking forward to it. And of course our schedule is really long, especially at the end of the year. It's not that much the schedule, I think, it's just also the surface. And at the end of the year the surface is hard for your body. It's a lot of breaking. It's not very slippery, it's hard on your body, and I think when players can play a little more, and they're a little bit more relaxed, when you're at the end of the year you know I've got to have so many points to finish the year, this and this. And you have to get so many points to get in the Championships. It's all pressure, and I think that's more why injuries occur than really the schedule. I think if everybody plays a little bit more relaxed I think that helps your body. We all know when we're tight we don't move as easy and your whole game doesn't go as easy. And I think when you can play a tournament and when you lose one second or third round and you're not allowed to -- and you can play another tournament to cover up for it, I think you're not as tight, and I think players would play actually better without knowing it, without realizing it, because there's not as much pressure on them. I think that will help the injuries. I think a lot of players at the end of the year they play suddenly more, like Mary Joe, she added three tournaments just to make the Championships, and with the new system she could have played those three tournaments in the beginning of the year and didn't have to worry about it at the last minute and be already a little tired and just playing because you know you've got to get those points and if you don't get them you don't make it. For most players this is a big deal, this tournament. And I think next year will just be much more relaxed because you play maybe in the beginning of the year one tournament more than you otherwise wouldn't have played. And you're making your schedule all over, maybe a little different. And now everybody at the end of the year, it's like they're freaking out, add that tournament, add that tournament. And I think next year they will add one tournament all over and it will be much better for everybody. But we'll see, hopefully, because I definitely enjoyed my schedule next year.

BRENDA SCHULTZ-McCARTHY: Hingis obviously is playing very well. That must be tough for Kimiko, because I saw her practicing and she was practicing really hard. And I said why go through all of this, when you know you're retiring? But she's -- I don't know why she's stopping. Maybe she's just had enough. I know Gaby had enough and I think -- I like Gaby a lot, we played doubles together and I'm going to miss her a lot. On the other hand Kimiko Date is a great girl and she's one of the favorite girl from Japan. We lost two very favorite, well-known by the crowd, Gabriela Sabatini, good looking, nice girl. And Kimiko Date by the Japanese she's a great girl. So of course it's very tough tennis. And I don't know the reasons but I'm sure they have some. And for Kimiko against Hingis is a very tough match. I played her in Oakland and then she beat Monica 6-2, 6-0. I hope she plays well, because I think it's the greatest thing to end up, if you're retiring, I think it's great to end up with a great tournament. So I hope at least it's going to be a nice match for her to retire on.