FED CUP - AUSTRIA vs USA

April 27, 2002

Barbara Schwartz

ANDRE CHRISTOPHER: Questions for Barbara Schwartz, please. By the way, this is her first Top 10 win since beating Venus Williams at Roland Garros in 1999.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: I know. I just thought about it after the match. But when I was in the match, I was just thinking "next point" and "try everything" and "it's not over." I mean, "I still have a chance."And so I played point by point, and it was possible to come back.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Well, we were all very surprised because we just heard it after the dinner last night. We don't really know the reasons. And, yeah, it's okay for us. I mean, it's very good to be here and to play in the United States. I mean, it's bad if you play at home and Capriati's not playing. But, well, I mean, we were leading 1-love, so we came here today and we thought we have a chance. And now it's 2-love, so we have a big chance to win here and we will try everything. But it's still very open because you have really great players.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Yeah, it's always easier if it's 1-love for you than against you. So I'm just happy to be here, and I'm just happy to play. I was happy to play Monica today. And, yeah, it's nice if you're 1-love up. It's good.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: It's tough to say. I mean, I know she's a very hard hitter, so I was thinking about if also I should take the hard shots or if I try to change a little bit. So maybe I tried to play a little bit more the backhand, but I think she's just a Top 10 player and very good. So...

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: I wouldn't say that because last year when I had my comeback, I played very good in Wimbledon. I qualified and beat Chanda Rubin first round, then third round. In the States at the US Open I also qualified and won against Coetzer first round. So I think if I'm not injured, I really have a good time, good matches. So I just have to keep on practicing. And I need more matches because the last time I was also injured this year for two months, and this is my fourth match. So, well, keep on going.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: I will play Berlin qualifying and Rome qualifying, Strasbourg and French.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: I hoped it from the first point on. So I really practiced very good this week here with our team, and, yeah, everyone is feeling very well here. It's so nice here and the people are so nice. So I thought from the first point on that I have a chance. I mean, you have to go like this into the match; otherwise, you lose.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: I think it was very important, because if you're one set up, it's always a bit easier. You think, "Okay, now," the first two, three games. Then you have a chance. I was also lucky to get the first game in the second set. So it's very important to win.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Yeah, I think so. I mean, if you're playing at home and there is the crowd - I mean, she's used to the crowd - but if you're playing for your nation and you are 1-love down already without playing any match, I think it's very tough. But, yeah, I think she's used to it. I mean, she's Top 10. And I played really good today.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: I think it wasn't that easy, especially the first two, three games. It was very close. And also, I mean, at 4-1, I was losing the game like in five seconds (snapping). And she was really hard hitting. Then the game to 5-2, it was also very close. And, yeah, you always have to fight. I tried just every point, no matter if it's Love-40 or 15-40, there is still a chance.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Well, I tried not to get her back into the match, to hit my shots and to get the points. But I think she was still fighting, as you can see, at 4-1. I mean, she tried it. And I think I was really playing well at the end.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: No. I don't think so. I mean, maybe I have a bit more spin, but today the (inaudible)...

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Well, if you are lefty, like me, it's normal you're used to play the right-handers because most of the players are right-handers. But it's okay. She's playing with both hands. You just have to think the other way. It's okay.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Sorry?

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Well, in the beginning -- it changed during the match. Because what I tried in the beginning - I was also a bit nervous - and what I tried was to play many cross-court. But then I also had to play the long lines. I think you have to change it when you see it's not working.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Well, I think we are really playing the top players here. And for me, the United States is the No. 1 team. And, I mean, it's 2-love now for us, but it says nothing for me. I mean, okay, it was a very good day. We had the 1 -love without playing. Now I won, it's 2-love. But tomorrow everything is open. We can lose 3-2, we can win the first match. It would be very good if I win (smiling) in the beginning match, but we will fight for every point, every game. And it's now great for us to be here and to lead 2-love. I mean, we never expected this. We just came here and we wanted to try everything to give the United States a hard time, and we thought we have a chance. But now, maybe we have even bigger chance and we will try everything. But if it's 2-1 or 2-all, we will still fight and we can win.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Well, it's my first time as No. 1 player. It will be really nice if Barbara Schett is here and I'm No. 2. I won't mind (laughing). But she's not, and it's okay. I think we are a young team, and we are really good friends. And so we go -- we just go out and fight.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Yeah, very often. We play at the same club in Austria.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: We have, yeah. It will be tough. It will be tough.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Not yet. I mean, I just came off the court. Little bit of running, took a shower, now I'm here, now I want to watch the other match and maybe tonight after dinner I will think about the match tomorrow.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: I need a rest.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: No, it's fine because when I'm on the tournaments, I mean, I travel with a different coach. But it's normal to think about the strategy the evening before. Just talk, what you know about the opponent. It's normal. It's nothing different.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Well, I mean, it's not that different. I think it's very good that the coach has the possibility to say something on court at the changeovers. I think it's just very good. I don't feel like the boss or he is the boss, we are just working together and try to give our best for Austria.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Well, I think it's always tough if the No. 1 player is not playing, no matter if it's like three weeks before or one week before. I think it was also a surprise for the US team that Capriati is not playing. But I don't know what happened, and so I can't say anything about it.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: I think it's not really an advantage. I mean, if you don't come with the No. 1 player in the States, we knew Barbara Schett was not here, so maybe it was an advantage for them because they knew Austria is coming with these guys here (laughing). So we just came and we thought, "Okay, have a good time. Try everything. Fight." And maybe because we knew that -- or we saw we play Seles and Capriati, also Shaughnessy and Raymond, if you put them together, they are much higher than we are - me, for example, if we put them together. So we just try to fight. We were not thinking about advantage.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Well, I mean, here in the States we are just with the Fed Cup captain. We don't have our coaches here. But if we would play or practice in Austria, it's normal that you practice with the team, that's for sure. But I have to say again I don't know really what happened and I don't want to say anything bad about Capriati or Billie Jean King or whatever. I mean, they have their own way of dealing with the things. But, yeah, I mean, normally you practice with the team. But I think if the coach is there in the practice week, he can be there and just give some - I don't know - can help. But normally you practice with the team.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Maybe it's easier to be the underdog and the crowd is not expecting you to win. And so maybe that was the small advantage of today.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Well, I think I'm not the favorite for tomorrow's match, no matter if I play Shaughnessy or Raymond. Because, I mean, the one is No. 12 in the world; the other one No. - I don't know - 25. So I just go out, I have nothing to lose. And, yeah, again, I will try the best for my team and for Austria, and that's all.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: No, I don't think so.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: (Smiling).

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Oh, yeah. Well, I did. I'm sorry.

BARBARA SCHWARTZ: Yeah. But it's also a long time ago. Now she's No. 12 in the world. She's a really good player, she had a good year last year. So it will be very tough.